* Air Resistance: A parachute drastically increases air resistance. Air resistance is the force that opposes the motion of an object through the air. The bigger the surface area an object presents to the air, the more air resistance it experiences.
* Gravity vs. Air Resistance: When an object falls, gravity pulls it down. However, air resistance pushes against it, slowing it down.
* Parachute Impact: A parachute creates a large surface area, causing a significant amount of air resistance. This resistance slows the descent of the object, allowing it to fall more gently. Without a parachute, there's much less air resistance, so gravity dominates, and the object falls much faster.
In summary: The mass without a parachute falls fastest because it experiences significantly less air resistance, allowing gravity to accelerate it more quickly.
