FALLING BALLS

Two tennis balls are dropped from rest from a high bridge.  The ball on the right is dropped some seconds after the first ball.

You can change the time delay from 0 to 2.5 s (enter the time delay in the text box below and click "(re)start".

  1. Once the second ball is released, does the distance between the balls increase, decrease, or stay the same? What is the distance between the balls 5 seconds after dropping the first ball?
  2. How many seconds after the first ball will the second ball hit the ground?
Prove your intuitions!!

Time delay for the ball on the right:  s

If the time delay is 1 second, what is the distance between the balls 4 seconds after dropping the first?    
If the time delay is 1 second, what is the distance between the balls 5 seconds after dropping the first?