Terminal Velocity Examples
Terminal Velocity Examples
Terminal Velocity Examples
1. They start to accelerate towards the ground because of their weight force. This
means that they gain speed; they get faster.
2. Air resistance (the drag force) increases with speed: the faster something is going,
the more air resistance it has. The same is true of any friction. Therefore, the faster
the skydiver is going, the more air resistance he has.
3. This continues until the air resistance is so large that it balances the weight force.
The net force on the skydiver is zero, which means that he is no longer
accelerating.
4. He has therefore reached his terminal velocity, and will continue at this speed until
he opens his parachute.
For each of the following situations, fill in the missing step(s) that
explains how it reaches terminal velocity. Some of the first letters have
been filled in for you.
1) A steel ball sinks in a tube of oil.
weight of the steel ball. When this happens, the net force on the ball is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . z
t
Therefore, the ball has reached . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., as it no longer
accelerates. a
2) Someone leaves the handbrake off, and their car rolls down a hill.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iuntili. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
................................................. i
This question is not about terminal velocity, but the surprising ability of friction. A
bullet is fired Arnie, who is swimming just below the surface of the water, fleeing
his enemies.
This time there is no force present at first, but the bullet has a very large velocity. The air i
resistance is very small, but when it enters the water it experiences w. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.............................. wThis reduces the bullet’sw. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
until it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .wTherefore, Arnie is able to swim away unharmed.
Now write a step-by-step explanation of how a lead weight dropped to the bottom
of the sea will reach terminal velocity.
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