An object falls freely from rest. If it falls through a distance s in the first second, the distance it will fall through in the second second is:
A) 1s
B) 2s
C) 3s
D) 4s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distance an object falls due to gravity increases proportionally with the square of the time elapsed. If it falls a distance s in the first second, in the next second (the second second), it will fall through an additional 3s, making the total distance for the second second alone 3s. This is because the distance fallen is proportional to the square of the time, so in 2 seconds, it falls 2^2 = 4 times the distance it falls in 1 second, meaning the additional distance fallen in the second second is 3 times the distance fallen in the first second.

An Object Falls Freely from Rest