At the highest point of a body thrown vertically upward, the acceleration is ___________.

The correct answer is 9.81 m/s² acting downward.

Key Points

• At the highest point of a vertically thrown object, its velocity becomes zero, but the acceleration due to gravity (g) remains constant.
• The acceleration due to gravity is always directed downward towards the center of the Earth, regardless of the motion of the object.
• The magnitude of this acceleration near the Earth's surface is 9.81 m/s².
• Even at the highest point, the object is under the influence of Earth’s gravitational force, causing a downward acceleration.
• This downward acceleration is responsible for bringing the object back to the ground after it reaches its peak height.

Additional Information

• Gravity:
  • Gravity is a fundamental force that causes objects with mass to attract each other.
  • The acceleration due to gravity (g) on Earth is approximately 9.81 m/s², but it varies slightly depending on altitude and latitude.
• Free Fall:
  • An object is in free fall when the only force acting on it is gravity.
  • In the absence of air resistance, all objects near the Earth’s surface accelerate at the same rate (9.81 m/s²).
• Projectile Motion:
  • When an object is thrown vertically upward, it undergoes two phases: upward motion (deceleration due to gravity) and downward motion (acceleration due to gravity).
  • At the peak of its motion, the vertical velocity becomes zero, but the acceleration due to gravity persists.
• Newton’s Second Law of Motion:
  • The net force acting on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma).
  • In the case of a vertically thrown object, the force of gravity (weight) is responsible for its constant acceleration of 9.81 m/s² downward.