A ball is thrown up into the air. Ignore air resistance. When it is rising and reaches half of its maximum height, the net force acting on it is a. equal to its weight. b. greater than its weight. C. less than its weight, but not zero N. d. zero N. e. Cannot be determined without additional information.

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### Physics Problem: Net Force on a Rising Ball

**Problem Statement:**
A ball is thrown up into the air. Ignore air resistance. When it is rising and reaches half of its maximum height, the net force acting on it is

- a. equal to its weight.
- b. greater than its weight.
- c. less than its weight, but not zero N.
- d. zero N.
- e. Cannot be determined without additional information.

**Explanation:**
To understand this problem, it’s important to consider the forces acting on the ball. When a ball is thrown upwards and air resistance is neglected, the only force acting on it is gravity. The gravitational force or weight of the ball is directed downwards and remains constant throughout the motion.

Even though the ball’s upward velocity decreases as it rises, the net force on the ball at any point in its trajectory (including half of its maximum height) is equal to its weight. This is because the only force acting on the ball is gravity.

### Key Concepts:
- **Net Force:** The sum of all the forces acting on an object.
- **Gravitational Force (Weight):** The force with which the Earth pulls any object towards its center.
- **Acceleration due to Gravity (g):** Approximately 9.8 m/s² on the surface of the Earth.

**Correct Answer:**
- **a. equal to its weight.**

This solution aligns with Newton’s Second Law of Motion, which states that the net external force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. In this situation, the net force and the weight are the same, attributable to the constant acceleration due to gravity.

Feel free to use this explanation to enhance understanding of concepts related to net force and motion under gravity.
Transcribed Image Text:### Physics Problem: Net Force on a Rising Ball **Problem Statement:** A ball is thrown up into the air. Ignore air resistance. When it is rising and reaches half of its maximum height, the net force acting on it is - a. equal to its weight. - b. greater than its weight. - c. less than its weight, but not zero N. - d. zero N. - e. Cannot be determined without additional information. **Explanation:** To understand this problem, it’s important to consider the forces acting on the ball. When a ball is thrown upwards and air resistance is neglected, the only force acting on it is gravity. The gravitational force or weight of the ball is directed downwards and remains constant throughout the motion. Even though the ball’s upward velocity decreases as it rises, the net force on the ball at any point in its trajectory (including half of its maximum height) is equal to its weight. This is because the only force acting on the ball is gravity. ### Key Concepts: - **Net Force:** The sum of all the forces acting on an object. - **Gravitational Force (Weight):** The force with which the Earth pulls any object towards its center. - **Acceleration due to Gravity (g):** Approximately 9.8 m/s² on the surface of the Earth. **Correct Answer:** - **a. equal to its weight.** This solution aligns with Newton’s Second Law of Motion, which states that the net external force acting on an object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. In this situation, the net force and the weight are the same, attributable to the constant acceleration due to gravity. Feel free to use this explanation to enhance understanding of concepts related to net force and motion under gravity.
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