* Gravity's Pull: Gravity constantly pulls a falling object downwards, causing it to accelerate.
* Air Resistance: As an object falls faster, it encounters more air resistance. This resistance is a force that opposes the object's motion, slowing it down.
* Balance: At some point, the force of air resistance becomes equal and opposite to the force of gravity. This is called terminal velocity.
* Constant Speed: When terminal velocity is reached, the net force on the object is zero. Since there's no unbalanced force, the object stops accelerating and continues to fall at a constant speed.
Factors Affecting Terminal Velocity:
* Object's Shape: A streamlined object (like a bullet) encounters less air resistance and has a higher terminal velocity.
* Object's Mass: A heavier object has a greater gravitational force pulling it down, but it also has more inertia, making it harder to accelerate.
* Air Density: Thicker air creates more resistance, resulting in a lower terminal velocity.
Important Note: In a vacuum (like space), there's no air resistance. This means an object in a vacuum would continue to accelerate indefinitely as it falls.
