Forces And Terminal Velocity

Objects falling through a fluid eventually reach terminal velocity, when the resultant force acting on them is zero and they are moving at a steady speed
Weight is a force exerted on an object because of a gravitational force
Falling objects
1. Forces affecting an object falling
  1. The weight of the object. This is a force acting downwards, caused by the object’s mass the Earth's gravitational field
  2. Air resistance. This is a frictional force acting in the opposite direction to the movement of the object
2. 3 stages of falling
  1. 1. At the start, the object accelerates downwards because of its weight. There is no air resistance. There is a resultant force acting downwards
  2. 2. As it gains speed, the object's weight stays the same, but the air resistance on it increases. There is a resultant force acting downwards
  3. 3. Eventually, the object's weight is balanced by the air resistance. There is no resultant force and the object reaches a steady speed, called the terminal velocity
W = m x g
1. W = the weight, measured in newtons (N)
2. m = the mass, measured in kilograms (kg)
3. g = gravitational field strength, measured in newtons per kilograms (N/kg)

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	Created by Olivia Brooklyn almost 11 years ago