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Air resistance doesn't change with weight. It changes with speed and shape. More speed, more air resistance. If the shape has a lot of surface are to drag the air, it is more resistant, but this factor does not change with weight or speed.

This is why terminal velocity is possible. As the object falls, its speed increases, so its resistance increases also, because resistance depends directly on speed. But as this resistance is increasing, the gravity is staying the same. So, eventually, resistance catches up with gravity and cancels it out, causing an end to acceleration, or constant speed.

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13y ago
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12y ago

force down is constant = (mass * acceleration due to gravity) newtons

force up is (velocity ^2 * drag coefficient)

terminal velocity is balance of forces (net force is 0)

if terminal velocity is known, drag coefficient can be calculated, and net force at any velocity can be calculated

say mass = 80 kg, g= 9.8 m/s^2, terminal velocity = 70 m/s

at terminal velocity:

force down 80 * 9.8 = 784 newtons

therefore force up 784 newtons = ( v^2 * drag coefficient)

so 784 = 4900 * drag coefficient

so 784/4900 = 0.16

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12y ago

force down (constant) = (mass (m) kg * acceleration due to gravity (g)) newtons.

force up at any given velocity = (velocity squared * drag coefficient) newtons.

forces balance at terminal velocity

if terminal velocity known, drag coefficient can be calculated:

say terminal velocity = 70 m/s, mass = 80 kg , g = 9.8 m/s^2

forces balanced at terminal velocity

force down = 80 * 9.8 = 784 n

therefore force up 784 n = v^2 * drag coefficient

then 784/4900= drag coefficient = 0.16.

acceleration at 0 m/s is (784-0)/80 = 9.8 m/s^2

acceleration at say 20 m/s is ((784 - (20^2*0.16)) /80 = 9.0 m/s^2

acceleration at say 60 m/s is ((784 - (60^2*0.16)) /80 = 2.6 m/s^2

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10y ago

At terminal speed, the sum of forces on an object is zero. That is, weight and resistance are equal in magnitude, but opposite in direction.

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Q: How do the resistance and the weight of a falling object compare when terminal speed is reached?
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How is terminal velocity reached by a falling object?

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