A rock is dropped from the top of a 45-meter tower, and at the same time a ball is thrown from the top of thetower in a horizontal direction. Air resistance is negligible. The ball and the rock hit the level ground adistance of 30 meters apart. The horizontal velocity of the ball thrown was most nearly
(A) 5 m/s
(B) 10 m/s
(C) 14.1 m/s
(D) 20 m/s
(E) 28.3 m/s

air exerts forces on falling objects near earth’s surface.

explanation:

the term 'free falls' refer to object that are falling towards the earth, in a situation in which gravity is the only force acting on the object.

for an object in free fall, the acceleration is constant (g, the gravitational acceleration), and so the velocity of the object constantly increases.

for objects near earth's surface, there is always another force acting on the object: the resistance due to the air. this force is opposed to the direction of fall of the object, and it is proportional to the velocity of the object, so as the object falls down, this force increases up to a point when it balances the force of gravity, and the object continues its motion at constant velocity (called terminal velocity). since in this case gravity is not the only force acting on the object, we are not in a situation of free fall.