A body of constant mass falls freely due to gravity - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 16 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 16
A body of constant mass falls freely due to gravity.
The rate of change of momentum of the body is equal to its
A kinetic energy.
B mass.
C gravitational potential ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A body of constant mass falls freely due to gravity - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 16 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
A kinetic energy.
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Answer
This option is incorrect because kinetic energy is not equivalent to the rate of change of momentum. Kinetic energy (KE) is defined as:
KE=21mv2
where m is mass and v is velocity.
Step 2
B mass.
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Answer
This option is incorrect since mass does not represent the rate of change of momentum by itself. While mass is a factor in determining momentum, it does not directly equate to the rate of change of momentum.
Step 3
C gravitational potential energy.
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Answer
This option is incorrect as gravitational potential energy (PE) does not represent the rate of change of momentum. Gravitational potential energy is given by:
PE=mgh
where h is height. This relates to the energy due to position, not momentum change.
Step 4
D weight.
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Answer
This option is correct. The rate of change of momentum of a body falling freely under gravity is equal to its weight. The weight (W) of an object is given by:
W=mg
where g is the acceleration due to gravity. The weight provides the force that results in the change of momentum.
