What is the principle of free fall motion?

The principle of free fall motion states that all objects, regardless of mass, fall at the same rate in a vacuum.

This principle is based on the concept of gravitational acceleration, which is the acceleration due to gravity. In a vacuum, all objects experience the same acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s². This means that if two objects of different masses are dropped from the same height, they will hit the ground at the same time.

The reason for this is that the force of gravity acting on an object is proportional to its mass, but so is its inertia. Therefore, the acceleration due to gravity is the same for all objects, regardless of their mass. This is known as the equivalence principle.

However, in real-world situations, air resistance can affect the rate at which objects fall. As objects fall through the air, they experience a force of air resistance that opposes their motion. This means that lighter objects with a larger surface area will experience more air resistance and fall slower than heavier objects with a smaller surface area.

Overall, the principle of free fall motion is a fundamental concept in physics that helps us understand the behaviour of objects in the presence of gravity.