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The equation for the kinetic energy of a falling object is kinetic energy=1/2 an object's mass multiplied by it's speed squared. From this, we can work out the speed. First you need to know its weight and its kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is obtained by working out it's potential energy before it fell (Potential energy= mass multiplied by gravitational pull multiplied by height. Then, at whatever point during the fall, the decrease in potential energy marks the increase in kinetic energy. From then we work out the speed.

Example; An object that weighs 8.1 kilograms is 10 metres above the ground. It's potential energy is therefore 8.1x10(gravitational pull on earth is always 10)x10. So it has a potential energy of 810 joules. it falls 5 metres, so it's potential energy is 8.1x10x5 (405 joules). The total energy, we know, is 810J, so 810-a05=405, giving it kinetic energy of 405J. The kinetic energy formula is then rearranged as speed squared=kinetic energy/ 0.5m.

Our equation is therefore speed squared= 405/4.05, so speed squared=100. The square root of 100 is 10 so the speed is 10 metres per second (36 kilometres per hour).

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Q: What is the equation for a falling object?
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How does the displacement of a falling object change with time?

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