Suppose the force of the air drag on an object is proportional to the speed of the object and in the direction opposite the object's velocity.If you throw an object upward,the magnitude of its acceleration is greatest
A) right after the object is released.
B) at the top of its trajectory.
C) The acceleration of the object is the same throughout the entire trajectory.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the object is released, its initial velocity is zero. Therefore, air drag force is also zero. As the object starts moving upward, the air drag force increases with the speed and opposes the velocity. At some point, the air drag force balances the gravitational force, and the object reaches the maximum height (top of the trajectory). At this point, the object's velocity is zero, and hence, the air drag is also zero. After this point, the object starts to fall, and the air drag force also acts in the downward direction. Thus, the acceleration due to gravity and air drag force oppose each other, which reduces the net acceleration. Therefore, the magnitude of the object's acceleration is highest right after it is released.

Suppose the Force of the Air Drag on an Object