What is terminal velocity?

Terminal velocity is the final velocity an object achieves during freefall through a medium under the influence of gravity and upthrust from the medium. For example, dropping a tennis ball from a plane. The velocity at the instantaneous start will only be caused by the weight force of the ball. As it falls, it gains velocity due to gravitational acceleration, but the frictional force due to air resistance also increases. As velocity of the ball increases, the force due to friction also increases. Once the force from friction is equal to the weight force of the ball, the velocity of the ball will reach a maximum and stay constant. The assumption here is that there are no other forces acting on the ball other than the gravitational force and the frictional force from air resistance.

Answered by Chenyang J. Physics tutor

2851 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

Matt weighs 60kg and his son, Rob weighs 30kg. They both run a 100m race and finish the race running at 5m/s. Who has more Kinetic Energy at the end of the race?


State one property that all EM waves have in common.


Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using nuclear power stations rather than gas-fired power stations to generate electricity. (2 Marks)


If a 60kg girl jumps out of a helicoptor, draw diagrams to show the forces (with values) acting on her when a) she is in freefall, b) she is accelerating at half of g (g = 10 m/s^2), c) she is travelling at a constant speed?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences