Terminal Velocity

Aristotle first recognized that falling objects fall at a

constant speed. He probably came to this conclusion
based on observations of things falling through water.
Falling objects have two forces acting on them. The
weight , acting downwards, the frictional drag rushing
past, which tries to slow the body down. This drag
force acts upwards and therefore lessens the
acceleration as the body falls. If the body continues to
fall, the acceleration will continue to decrease and at a
certain speed, the drag force will just balance the
weight, and the body will be falling at a constant rate.
This rate is called the terminal velocity.
 Newton’s
Newton’s Second
Second Law
Law

Terminal Velocity
• Finally, the upward air resistance force
becomes large enough to balance the
downward force of gravity.
• This means the net force on the object is
zero.
• Then the acceleration of the object is also
zero, and the object falls with a constant
speed called the terminal velocity.

Physical Science 4
 Newton’s
Newton’s Second
Second Law
Law

Terminal Velocity
• The terminal velocity is the highest speed
a falling object will reach.
• The terminal velocity depends on the size,
shape, and mass of a falling object.

Physical Science 5
 Free Fall
Free fall is any motion of a body where gravity is the only
or dominant force acting upon it.
The faster the object falls, the more air it passes through,
so air resistance, or drag, gradually increases.
If the falling object has a large surface area, the force of
friction will be greater.

A parachute provides a large surface area.

 Weightlessness and Free Fall
• Formula: D = ½gt²
• D = Distance (meters)
• g = Acceleration of gravity of a free falling
object (m/s²)
• t = time (second)

Physical Science 9
 Free Falling Objects
It takes a penny dropped off a tall building 6 sec to reach
the ground. How tall is this building?

D = Distance (meters)
g = Acceleration of gravity of a free falling object
(m/s²)
t = time (second)

D = ½ (9.8 m/s²) X (6.0 sec)²

Distance = 176.4 meters

10 Sunday, July 26, 2020
 Free Falling Objects
• A daredevil drives his motorcycle off a cliff. If it
takes him 5 sec to hit the ground, how tall is the cliff?

D = ½ (9.8 m/s²) X (5.0 sec)²

Distance = 122.5 meters
11 Sunday, July 26, 2020