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Forces
Terminal Velocity
To explain how weight and air resistance change as an object falls and why it reaches terminal velocity.
What you will learn
Which forces act on a falling object
How drag changes as speed increases
Why the resultant force changes during a fall
What terminal velocity means
How to explain a falling object’s speed–time graph
Explanation
As an object falls, its weight acts downwards and air resistance acts upwards. Initially weight exceeds drag, so it accelerates. As speed increases, drag increases and acceleration decreases. At terminal velocity, drag equals weight: the resultant force and acceleration are zero, although the object continues moving at constant speed.
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