Question

A red water balloon is thrown horizontally from the top of a bridge. At the same instant, a yellow water balloon is dropped off the bridge from the same height. Compare the time of fall for the two balloons. Assume air resistance is negligible.



A)The red water balloon hits the ground first.

B) The two balloons hit the ground at the same time.

C) The yellow balloon hits the ground first.

D) The time of fall depends on the amount of water placed in each of the balloons.

Answer 1

Answer:

B) The two balloons hit the ground at the same time.

Explanation:

If air resistant is ignored, and both have the same distance to the ground, then gravitational acceleration g is the only thing that affect vertical motion of both balloons, no matter what their horizontal motion is. Since both balloons are starting from rest, vertically speaking their speeds are 0 initially, they are both subjected to the same acceleration g, then they travel at the same rate and would reach the ground at the same time.