A mountainside is blown up and rocks of all different sizes are launched into the air. They will all travel at different distances due to their masses, but ultimately all of the ro... A mountainside is blown up and rocks of all different sizes are launched into the air. They will all travel at different distances due to their masses, but ultimately all of the rocks will end up on the ground. Why is this?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking why all rocks launched into the air will eventually return to the ground despite traveling different distances. This relates to concepts of gravity and forces acting on objects.
Answer
Gravity acts on the rocks, causing them to fall to the ground.
The moment the rocks are launched into air, there is an unbalanced force of gravity acting on them. That force continually acts on the rocks until they stop moving when they hit ground and the forces are balanced again.
Answer for screen readers
The moment the rocks are launched into air, there is an unbalanced force of gravity acting on them. That force continually acts on the rocks until they stop moving when they hit ground and the forces are balanced again.
More Information
The rocks, regardless of size, are subjected to Earth's gravity, which pulls them back to the ground once the initial upward force dissipates.
Tips
A common mistake is ignoring gravity's constant influence and assuming the initial force only determines the motion.
Sources
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