A person with a head load w jumps downwards freely under gravity. Before reaching the ground be experiences a load of

Options

A. W
B. 2 W
C. zero
D. W/2

Answer

To solve the problem of a person with a head load \( w \) jumping downwards freely under gravity, we need to analyze the forces acting on the person during free fall.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Free Fall**: When a person jumps downwards freely under gravity, they are in a state of free fall. This means that the only force acting on them is the force of gravity.

2. **Identifying Forces**: The weight of the person (including the head load) can be represented as:
\[ W = mg \]
where \( m \) is the mass of the person plus the mass of the head load, and \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity.

3. **Acceleration During Free Fall**: In free fall, the acceleration of the person is equal to the acceleration due to gravity, which is \( g \). Therefore, the net force acting on the person is:
\[ F_{\text{net}} = mg - ma \]
where \( a \) is the acceleration of the person. Since \( a = g \) during free fall, we can substitute:
\[ F_{\text{net}} = mg - mg = 0 \]

4. **Apparent Weight**: The apparent weight (the load the person feels) is given by the normal force acting on them. In free fall, this normal force becomes zero because there is no contact force acting against the weight. Thus, the apparent weight experienced by the person is:
\[ W_{\text{apparent}} = mg - mg = 0 \]

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, before reaching the ground, the person experiences a load of approximately zero.

### Final Answer:
The load experienced by the person before reaching the ground is approximately **zero**.

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