In a 1-g gravitational field, 1 second after turning on a flashlight its beam will curve beneath a perfectly straight line by
A)less than 4.9 m.
B)4.9 m.
C)more than 4.9 m.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The beam of the flashlight will curve due to the effect of gravity, which causes a downward acceleration of 9.8 m/s^2 in a 1-g gravitational field.

We can use the equation for the deflection of a projectile to calculate the amount of curvature:

y = (1/2)gt^2

Where y is the vertical deflection, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time of flight (in this case, 1 second).

Plugging in the values, we get:

y = (1/2)(9.8 m/s^2)(1 s)^2 = 4.9 m

Therefore, the beam of the flashlight will curve by exactly 4.9 meters beneath a perfectly straight line. The correct choice is B.

In a 1-G Gravitational Field, 1 Second After Turning on a Flashlight