Question
Two spherical bobs, one metallic and the other of glass, of the same size are allowed to fall freely from the same height above the ground. Which of the two would reach earlier and why?
Solution
The glass bob would reach the ground earlier. Glass bob which is non-conducting in nature will only experience Earth’s gravitational pull unlike the metallic bob which is conducting.
Since the metallic bob is conducting in nature, eddy current is induced as it falls through the magnetic field of the Earth. As per Lenz’s law, current is induced in a direction opposite to the motion of the metallic bob. Hence, there is a delay.
