Falcons are excellent fliers that can reach very high speeds by diving nearly straight down. To pull out of such a dive, a falcon extends its wings and flies through a circular arc that redirects its motion. The forces on the falcon that control its motion are its weight and an upward lift force—like an airplane—due to the air flowing over its wings. At the bottom of the arc, as shown, a falcon can easily achieve an acceleration of 15 m/s2.
A falcon starts from rest, does a free-fall dive from a height of 30 m, and then pulls out by flying in a circular arc of radius 50 m. Which segment of the motion has a higher acceleration?
A. The free-fall dive
B. The circular arc
C. The two accelerations are equal.
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