Forces acting on a Skydiver

• What should you be able to describe by the end of the video on skydivers?

  How the forces acting on a skydiver change with velocity
• Why is the topic of skydivers important in physics exams?

  It often comes up in the exams
• What is the only force acting on a skydiver immediately after they jump out of the plane?

  Weight
• Why does the skydiver accelerate towards the ground after jumping?

  Because the resultant force acting downwards is due to weight
• Does the weight of the skydiver change during the fall?


  No, the weight remains constant
• What force opposes the motion of the skydiver as they fall?


  Air resistance
• What happens to the skydiver's acceleration as their velocity increases?


  The air resistance increases
• What occurs when air resistance balances the weight of the skydiver?

  The resultant force becomes zero and the velocity stays constant
• What is the term for the constant velocity reached by a skydiver when forces are balanced?

  Terminal velocity
• What happens when the skydiver opens their parachute?


  The surface area increases, causing air resistance to massively increase
• What is the effect of increased air resistance after opening the parachute on the skydiver's motion?


  The air resistance becomes greater than the weight, causing the skydiver to decelerate
• What happens to the air resistance as the skydiver's velocity decreases after opening the parachute?


  The air resistance also decreases
• What occurs when air resistance balances the weight again after the parachute is opened?

  The resultant force is zero and the velocity becomes constant again
• What is the new terminal velocity after the parachute is opened?


  It is a lower terminal velocity
• What should you do to describe the motion of a skydiver in terms of the forces acting?


  Pause the video and analyze the information presented
• What are the key forces acting on a skydiver during their fall?

  • Weight (acting downwards)
  • Air resistance (acting upwards)
• Describe the journey of a skydiver from jump to landing in terms of forces and motion.


  1. Jumps out: Only weight acts downwards.
  2. Accelerates downwards: Weight > Air resistance.
  3. Reaches terminal velocity: Weight = Air resistance.
  4. Opens parachute: Air resistance increases.
  5. Decelerates: Air resistance > Weight.
  6. New terminal velocity: Weight = Air resistance at lower speed.
  7. Lands safely.