Terminal Velocity and Air Resistance

Summary

This video explains how objects or people falling from a great height are affected by gravity and air resistance. Initially, they accelerate towards the ground until air resistance balances with gravity, reaching terminal velocity. For humans, terminal velocity can be dangerously fast, but parachutes increase air resistance, slowing the descent and allowing for a safe landing. The video encourages viewers to design their own parachute and experiment with timing the fall of small objects. Additional worksheets are available for download on the NG Science website.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Objects or people falling from great heights are pulled towards the Earth by gravity.
• 🚀 As an object falls, it accelerates, moving faster towards the ground.
• 🌬️ Air resistance, also known as drag force, pushes against the object, slowing it down.
• ⚖️ Terminal velocity occurs when the drag force equals the force of gravity, stopping further acceleration.
• 📏 Terminal velocity varies based on an object's shape, size, and mass.
• 🧑‍🚀 For a human, terminal velocity while falling through the air is around 120 miles per hour (193 km/h).
• 🪂 A parachute increases air resistance by creating a larger surface area, slowing the descent.
• 🛬 The parachute enables a safe landing by significantly reducing the speed of descent.
• 📝 The video encourages experimenting with designing parachutes for small objects to observe the slowing effect.
• 🎓 Worksheets related to this video are available for download on NG Science's website.

Q & A

What causes an object or person to fall towards the Earth?

An object or person falls towards the Earth due to the force of gravity.

What happens to an object's speed as it falls?

As an object falls, it accelerates, meaning it moves faster and faster towards the ground.

What role does air resistance play during a fall?

Air resistance, or drag force, pushes against the falling object or person, slowing them down.

What is terminal velocity and how is it reached?

Terminal velocity is the point at which the air resistance equals the force of gravity, causing the object or person to stop accelerating.

How does terminal velocity differ for different objects?

Terminal velocity can vary depending on the shape, size, and mass of the object.

What is the approximate terminal velocity for a human falling through the air?

The terminal velocity for a human falling through the air is around 120 miles per hour or about 193 kilometers per hour.

Why is terminal velocity too fast for a human to safely land on the ground?

At terminal velocity, a human is falling too fast to safely land because the speed is too high for a safe impact.

How does a parachute help in a fall?

A parachute increases air resistance by creating a larger surface area for the air to push against, slowing the descent and allowing for a safe landing.

When does a skydiver deploy their parachute during a fall?

A skydiver deploys their parachute after reaching terminal velocity, to slow down their descent.

What experiment is suggested at the end of the script?

The script suggests designing and making your own parachute to slow the fall of small objects, using a stopwatch to time the object's fall.