This might seem counterintuitive, but here's why:
* Terminal velocity is the constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the force of air resistance equals the force of gravity.
* At this point, the object is no longer accelerating downwards.
* However, it continues to fall because it already has a downward velocity.
Think of it like this: if you throw a ball straight up, it slows down as it rises, eventually stopping at its highest point. Then, it falls back down, gaining speed until it reaches your hand again. Similarly, an object at terminal velocity is constantly falling, but it's not accelerating.
Therefore, the object is still gaining altitude, but at a constant rate, which is its terminal velocity.
