Chapter 6, Problem 53A

If you drop an object, its acceleration toward the ground is $10{\text{ m/s}}^{\text{2}}$. If you throw it downward instead, will its acceleration after throwing be greater than $10{\text{ m/s}}^{\text{2}}$? Why or why not? (Ignore air resistance.)

To determine

Whether acceleration after throwing an object downwards is greater than $10{\text{m/s}}^{\text{2}}$ .

Answer to Problem 53A

Acceleration will be same as $10{\text{m/s}}^{\text{2}}$ .

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

The acceleration due to gravity acts on every object in vertically downwards direction.

When the object is dropped from a height, then acceleration due to gravity acts on it in vertically downwards direction. Now, if the same object in thrown in downwards direction, then also acceleration acting on it remains same as acceleration due to gravity. It is just that for the second case, the object will have some initial velocity.

Conclusion:

Hence, the acceleration acting on the object will be same as acceleration due to gravity for both the cases.