Question

Give scientific reasons.

Any object on earth falls vertically downward and not at an angle to the vertical; nor fly off in a horizontal direction.

Answer 1

The centre of the earth receives the force that pulls all objects toward it. Therefore, the direction from the falling object to the centre of the earth is vertically downward at any place.

Answer 2

1. Gravitational Force Acts Toward the Earth's Center:

   • Earth’s gravity always pulls objects straight toward its center, which defines the vertical direction.

   • This force is uniform and downward at a given place on Earth's surface.

2. No Horizontal Component from Gravity Alone:

   • If no other forces act on the object (like wind or a push), then gravity is the only force, and it has no horizontal component.

   • So, the object cannot move sideways or at an angle by itself — it falls straight down.

3. Inertia and Rest State:

   • If the object is initially at rest, there is no initial horizontal velocity.

   • Hence, it starts moving only under the influence of gravity, which causes pure vertical motion.