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Question

On the moon, feather or rock will fall faster

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Solution

AnswerIn case of moon the air is absent ,therefore both rock and feather fall at same rate.In the absence of any (significant) resistance to free-fall on the Moon, any two objects should fall at the same rate regardless of mass.However, when there are resistances to free-fall, like air resistance, the weight of the object (mass*force due to gravity) does influence the rate of free-fall. This is because the air surrounding the object exerts a drag force on the object while falling. This force, when balanced by the weight of the object, limits the falling speed of the object, i.e. its terminal velocity. This is why a ping-pong ball will fall slower than a golf ball here on Earth. The ping-pong balls weight is quickly equaled by the drag force (dependent on velocity), while the golf ball reaches a higher speed (due to gravity) before the drag force can equal the weight. The terminal velocity of an object, which determines the speed of free-fall, is dependent on mass, relative surface area, drag coefficient, and altitude.

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