Question

An apple is falling from a tree. Disregarding air resistance, which diagram shows the free-body diagram of the force or forces acting on the apple?

Answer 1

➡️➡️on falling apple(which is detached from tree) only one force applied i.e. gravitational force.

Let the mass of apple be M

so force will be Mg.

Answer 2

PLEASE REFER TO THE PICTURE FOR COMPLETE QUESTION.

The correct figure is option (B)

EXPLANATION

• A free body diagram is a diagrammatic representation of a single body or system of bodies showing all magnitude and direction of forces acting on it.
• In the above situation, the apple is undergoing a free fall from the tree.
• A body is said to be in free fall when it is dropped from the state of rest from a certain height.
• Under free fall the only force of gravitation is applied to the object.
• Since, we don't have to consider air resistance, which would act in an upward direction.
• The normal force is not acted on the apple as the apple is not on any surface, there no components of normal force are calculated.
• Therefore, the Only force exerted on a falling apple is the gravitational force in the downward direction.

Hence, The correct image is option (B)