This simulation allows you to measure speed as a function of fall height.
Free fall movement
All objects on Earth are affected by gravity. If there were no friction with air, the speed of any object would increase by 9.8 m/s every second.
If the falling time of a free-falling object is \(t (s, seconds)\), the speed is \(v (m/s)\), and the distance traveled is \(s (m)\), the following equation is established:
\[ v_{t} = 9.8t \]
\[ s_{t} = \frac{1}{2} 9.8 t^{2} \]
The work done by gravity and the kinetic energy
A free-falling object is pulled by gravity and moves in the direction of gravity. In other words, the work done by gravity is converted into the kinetic energy of the object.
Therefore, we can see that the following equation holds true.
\[ 9.8mh = \frac{1}{2}mv^{2} \]
Mass \(m\) can be omitted in the above equation.
\[ 9.8h = \frac{1}{2}v^{2} \]
Therefore, regardless of the object’s mass, the speed of a falling object is only related to the distance it falls.