How does a skydiver reach terminal velocity?
At the start of the jump, the skydiver starts accelerating downwards due to his weight (force of gravity). There is a resultant force downwards as the weight is larger than the air resistance (weight>air resistance). As the skydiver accelerates and increases her speed, the air resistance on the skydiver increases. At terminal velocity, the air resistance has become so large that it equals the weight of the skydiver (weight=air resistance). This is because there is no resultant force on the skydiver - the weight and air resistance cancel each other out, therefore, the skydiver is no longer accelerating. This means that it has reached terminal velocity and is not increasing/decreasing her speed anymore.
TN
Related Physics GCSE answers
All answers ▸X-rays and gamma rays have different uses. Describe one use for X-rays and one use for gamma rays.
If a box full of feathers and a box full of bricks were to be dropped at the same time and from the same height, which one would hit the ground first?
What is the conservation of energy?
If Newton's third law is correct, why are walls not indestructible? In applying a force to a wall, if it breaks surely it is not giving an equal and opposite force.