Question

A small meteorite (30 kg) is falling through the earth’s atmosphere. It is moving very fast - in fact, faster than the terminal velocity it would have reached if had been dropped from a great height. In a situation like this, the drag force is stronger than the weight. At one moment, the magnitude of the meteorite’s acceleration is 4.0 m/s². You need to calculate the magnitude of the drag force on the meteorite.

1. Draw a free-body diagram, which includes an arrow for each individual force on      the meteorite (and labels to indicate the type of force), an arrow for the net force,      and a coordinate system.     

2. In this situation, the velocity of the meteorite and the acceleration of the meteorite point in [the same direction, in opposite directions].

3. In this situation, the velocity of the meteorite and the net force on the meteorite      point in [the same direction, in opposite directions].

4. In this situation, the magnitude of the drag force on the meteorite is [increasing,      decreasing, remailing constant].

5. Write an algebraic expression that shows how the individual forces combine to      produce the net force on the meteorite. The signs in the expression must be

              consistent with the coordinate system in the free-body diagram. (That is, add in      all the forces in the positive direction and subtract all the forces in the negative      direction.)

6. Set that expression equal to ma and solve the resulting equation for the

              magnitude of the drag force. Type out the equation with all known numbers      inserted in their proper places and then just state the answer.

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Answer 1