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ripsmithy ripsmithy
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11 years ago
I've wondered if I dropped a an object in an endless vacuum, would it keep accelerating because there is no air? And would that object eventually reach the speed of light?
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wrote...
11 years ago
I think it'll reach a terminal velocity because earths gravity isn't as strong as a actually vacuum in space.
wrote...
11 years ago
If there are no drag forces, but an unbalanced force due to gravity is pulling on the object, there will be a net acceleration as a consequence of Newton's 2nd law of motion (F=ma). In the scenario you outlined, the object will continually accelerate and cannot reach any "terminal" velocity. If the force never diminishes to zero with time, the object will certainly approach the speed of light (but cannot attain it because at the speed of light it has "infinite" mass and thus requires infinite force to accelerate it further from just below the speed of light to the speed of light).

However, the term "endless vacuum with the same gravity as earth" is confusing. Earth imparts a gravitational force on another object where the magnitude of this steadily increases as the object moves closer to the earth. Thus, there is always an "end-point" for this force if it is due to gravity...collision. Thus, this kind of force cannot exist without an "end" point.
wrote...
11 years ago
If it were nowhere near earth it would not reach a terminal velocity, but as it got closer to the speed of light its acceleration would decrease/ Given enough time it would get closer amd closer to the speed of light but would never get there.


(and you could not "drop" it anywhere.All you can do in space is let go of it- you will accelerate towards the same place at the same speed and acceleration, - so you would keep the brick company)
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