Comparing Speed of Falling Objects on Different Planets

How does the speed of a falling rock on the planet Sloth compare to the speed on Earth?

A) The speed on Sloth would be 9 times slower than on Earth.

B) The speed on Sloth would be the same as on Earth.

C) The speed on Sloth would be 1/9 times faster than on Earth.

D) The speed on Sloth would be 1/9 times slower than on Earth.

Final answer:

On the planet Sloth where gravity is 1/9 the gravity on Earth, the speed at which a rock would hit the ground would be 1/3 the speed at which the same rock would fall on Earth.

Explanation:

In the given scenario, on the planet Sloth where gravity is 1/9 the gravity on Earth, the speed at which a rock would hit the ground would be 1/3 the speed at which the same rock would fall on Earth.

This can be calculated using the equation v = √(2gh), where v is the final speed, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the fall.

Solving for both scenarios, the speed on Sloth would be approximately 1/3 times slower than on Earth, so the correct option would be D) The speed on Sloth would be 1/9 times slower than on Earth.