Terminal velocity

• What is terminal velocity?

  Velocity remains constant with no acceleration
• What happens when an object reaches terminal velocity?

  It stops accelerating and maintains velocity
• What force pulls objects downwards towards the Earth?

  Gravity
• What is the force called that a person feels due to their mass?

  Weight
• What happens to the weight of a person as they fall?

  It remains the same
• What is the resultant force when a person first steps out of an airplane?

  It is equal to their weight
• What force acts in opposition to weight during a fall?

  Air resistance
• What is another name for air resistance?

  Drag
• What causes air resistance during a fall?

  Collisions with air particles
• What two factors affect the size of air resistance?

  Surface area and velocity
• How does surface area affect air resistance?

  Larger surface area increases air resistance
• How does velocity affect air resistance?

  Higher velocity increases air resistance
• What happens to the resultant force as a person accelerates downwards?

  It decreases as air resistance increases
• What does a velocity-time graph show as a person falls?

  The graph becomes less steep over time
• What occurs when air resistance equals weight?

  The resultant force becomes zero
• What is the new terminal velocity when a parachute is opened?

  It is lower than the previous terminal velocity
• What happens to air resistance when a parachute opens?

  It increases significantly
• What does the resultant force become after the parachute opens?

  It becomes upwards
• What happens to the resultant force when an object reaches terminal velocity?

  It becomes zero
• What are the key points about falling objects and terminal velocity?

  • Weight pulls objects downwards
  • Air resistance opposes weight
  • Resultant force determines acceleration
  • Terminal velocity occurs when forces balance
  • Parachute increases air resistance, lowering terminal velocity
• What is the effect of opening a parachute on falling speed?

  It slows down the falling speed
• How does the opening of a parachute affect the forces acting on a falling person?

  It changes the resultant force to upwards
• What happens to air resistance as a person slows down after opening a parachute?

  It decreases until it equals weight
• What is the relationship between weight and air resistance at terminal velocity?

  They are equal
• What is the effect of increased air resistance on acceleration?

  It reduces acceleration
• How does the velocity of a falling object change as it approaches terminal velocity?

  It increases but at a decreasing rate