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An acceleration requires an unbalanced force.

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When a skydiver jumps out of a hovering helicopter so there is forward velocity. what is the skydiver's acceleration?

Initially, the skydiver will experience an acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s^2 downward. As the skydiver falls, air resistance will oppose this acceleration, causing the skydiver to reach a terminal velocity where the downward acceleration due to gravity is balanced by the upward force of air resistance.


Why is a skydiver not really in free fall?

A skydiver is not in true free fall because they are experiencing air resistance or drag as they fall through the atmosphere. This force opposes the motion and causes the skydiver to reach a terminal velocity, where the force of gravity is balanced by the drag force. This results in a constant downward speed rather than accelerating indefinitely.


Why do skydivers reach terminal velocity?

Skydivers reach terminal velocity because as they fall, the force of gravity pulling them downward is balanced by air resistance pushing upward. At terminal velocity, these forces are equal, so the skydiver stops accelerating and falls at a constant speed.


When the skydiver steps out of the helicopter someone who's watching starts a stopwatch. So the time is zero as the skydiver steps out of the plane. What is the skydiver's downward velocity at that?

At the moment the skydiver exits the helicopter, their downward velocity is initially zero. As they fall due to gravity, their velocity will increase over time.


Does it mean a skydiver is slowing down if the acceleration of the skydiver decreases as falling progresses?

No.Acceleration is a measure of the rate of change of velocity (speed & direction). If acceleration is decreasing (but still above zero) then this means that the rate at which the speed is increasing in this direction is decreasing.As long as the downward acceleration is greater than zero then the skydiver's speed is still increasing.Once terminal velocity is reached then downward acceleration will equal zero (speed is constant).If the downward acceleration falls below zero (as will happen once his parachute is deployed for instance) then this means he is slowing down.

Related Questions

When the two forces acting on the skydiver are balanced what acceleration does?

When the two forces acting on the skydiver are balanced, the acceleration is zero. This occurs when the force of gravity pulling the skydiver downward is equal to the air resistance acting upward. At this point, the skydiver reaches terminal velocity, meaning they will continue to fall at a constant speed without accelerating further.


What is the net force on a skydiver with weight of 25N at the point he reaches terminal velocity?

At terminal velocity, the net force on the skydiver is zero. This occurs because the downward gravitational force, which is equal to the weight of the skydiver (25 N), is balanced by the upward drag force due to air resistance. As a result, the skydiver falls at a constant speed without accelerating.


When a skydiver jumps out of a hovering helicopter so there is forward velocity. what is the skydiver's acceleration?

Initially, the skydiver will experience an acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s^2 downward. As the skydiver falls, air resistance will oppose this acceleration, causing the skydiver to reach a terminal velocity where the downward acceleration due to gravity is balanced by the upward force of air resistance.


Why is a skydiver not really in free fall?

A skydiver is not in true free fall because they are experiencing air resistance or drag as they fall through the atmosphere. This force opposes the motion and causes the skydiver to reach a terminal velocity, where the force of gravity is balanced by the drag force. This results in a constant downward speed rather than accelerating indefinitely.


Why do skydivers reach terminal velocity?

Skydivers reach terminal velocity because as they fall, the force of gravity pulling them downward is balanced by air resistance pushing upward. At terminal velocity, these forces are equal, so the skydiver stops accelerating and falls at a constant speed.


How will an updraft and a downdraft affect a skydiver in reaching terminal velocity?

An updraft can slow a skydiver’s descent by providing lift, which counteracts the force of gravity and delays the attainment of terminal velocity. Conversely, a downdraft increases the downward force, potentially accelerating the skydiver to terminal velocity more quickly. The overall impact of these air currents can create fluctuations in the skydiver's speed and stability during free fall. Ultimately, terminal velocity is reached when the upward and downward forces balance out, regardless of these drafts.


When the skydiver steps out of the helicopter someone who's watching starts a stopwatch. So the time is zero as the skydiver steps out of the plane. What is the skydiver's downward velocity at that?

At the moment the skydiver exits the helicopter, their downward velocity is initially zero. As they fall due to gravity, their velocity will increase over time.


Does a skydiver falling from an altitude of 1.5 km have a force ballanced or unballanced?

By definition, if he is accelerating, then it is an unbalanced force ... which means he JUST jumped out the plane and his downward speed in increasing. Once he reaches a particular speed (called terminal velocity; lets call it for a general case of about 110 mph), the force of DRAG will be equal to the force due to gravity and he will no longer be accelerating, no longer increasing in speed, and he will then have balanced forces. Since the variables are always changing, drag will change with the most subtle changes in the skydiver's orientation either intentionally or unintentionally and the air resistance is constantly changing with increase in density, the forces will never be truly balanced. The effect of both forces will seesaw between one or the other being dominant. Terminal velocity is achieved when that process is minimal. It is of note that the effect of gravity itself is changing but over a skydive, the effect is negligible and may be ignored.


Does it mean a skydiver is slowing down if the acceleration of the skydiver decreases as falling progresses?

No.Acceleration is a measure of the rate of change of velocity (speed & direction). If acceleration is decreasing (but still above zero) then this means that the rate at which the speed is increasing in this direction is decreasing.As long as the downward acceleration is greater than zero then the skydiver's speed is still increasing.Once terminal velocity is reached then downward acceleration will equal zero (speed is constant).If the downward acceleration falls below zero (as will happen once his parachute is deployed for instance) then this means he is slowing down.


What happens when a Skydiver Jumps Out Of A Hovering Helicopter So There Is Forward Velocity. What Is The Skydiver's Acceleration?

When a skydiver jumps out of a hovering helicopter with forward velocity, the skydiver's initial velocity will be a combination of the helicopter's forward velocity and the vertical velocity due to gravity. As the skydiver falls, their acceleration is primarily due to gravity acting downward, with air resistance also playing a role. The acceleration experienced by the skydiver will be constant at approximately 9.8 m/s^2 downward, ignoring air resistance.


When a skier is going down a mountain is it a balanced force?

By definition, if he is accelerating, then it is an unbalanced force ... which means he JUST jumped out the plane and his downward speed in increasing. Once he reaches a particular speed (called terminal velocity; lets call it for a general case of about 110 mph), the force of DRAG will be equal to the force due to gravity and he will no longer be accelerating, no longer increasing in speed, and he will then have balanced forces. Since the variables are always changing, drag will change with the most subtle changes in the skydiver's orientation either intentionally or unintentionally and the air resistance is constantly changing with increase in density, the forces will never be truly balanced. The effect of both forces will seesaw between one or the other being dominant. Terminal velocity is achieved when that process is minimal. It is of note that the effect of gravity itself is changing but over a skydive, the effect is negligible and may be ignored.


Is the slowing of a skydiver after the parachute opens an example of inertia?

Yes, the slowing of a skydiver after the parachute opens is an example of inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. When the parachute deploys, it creates drag that opposes the skydiver's downward motion, causing a rapid deceleration. The skydiver’s mass and the initial downward momentum illustrate inertia, as the parachute must exert a force to overcome this momentum.