1. Gravity's Pull:
* Gravity constantly pulls an object downwards, accelerating it towards the Earth. This acceleration is constant for a given location on Earth (approximately 9.8 m/s²).
2. Air Resistance (Drag):
* As an object falls, it encounters air molecules. These collisions create a force opposing the object's motion, called air resistance or drag.
* Drag increases with the object's speed and its surface area exposed to the air.
3. The Race Begins:
* Initially, gravity is stronger than air resistance. The object accelerates downwards.
* As the object speeds up, air resistance grows. This slows down the acceleration.
* The object continues to accelerate, but at a decreasing rate.
4. Reaching Terminal Velocity:
* Eventually, a point is reached where the force of air resistance equals the force of gravity.
* At this point, the net force on the object is zero.
* Terminal velocity is the constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the force of air resistance equals the force of gravity.
5. Constant Speed:
* Since the forces are balanced, the object stops accelerating. It continues falling at a constant speed, called terminal velocity.
* The terminal velocity depends on the object's shape, mass, and the density of the air.
In Summary:
When an object falls through the air, gravity pulls it down, and air resistance pushes it up. As the object falls faster, air resistance increases until it balances gravity. This balance point is terminal velocity, where the object falls at a constant speed.
