A ball of mass m is thrown downward from the edge of a cliff with an initial speed that is three times the terminal speed.Initially the drag force on it is
A)upward and greater than mg
B)upward and less than mg
C)downward and greater than mg
D)downward and less than mg
E)downward and equal to mg

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When an object is moving faster than its terminal speed, the drag force acting on it is upward and greater than the gravitational force (mg), because the drag force increases with speed until it balances out the gravitational force at terminal velocity. Since the ball is thrown downward with a speed greater than its terminal speed, the drag force is trying to slow it down to reach terminal velocity, hence it is upward and greater than mg.

A Ball of Mass M Is Thrown Downward from the Edge