An object reaches terminal velocity when the downward force of gravity equals the upward force of drag. The net force on the body is then zero, and the result is that the velocity of the object remains constant.

In physics, terminal velocity is the velocity at which the drag force of a falling object equals the weight of the object minus the buoyant force, which halts acceleration and causes speed to remain constant. Terminal velocity may refer to the following: Terminal velocity, (a) the final speed (usually an impact speed) achieved by an object at the end of its path (where gravity, applied physical acceleration and dragging effects may all play a part), and (b) in skydiving, the maximum speed achievable for a... Image File history File links Terminal_Velocity. ... Image File history File links Terminal_Velocity. ... This is a discussion of a present category of science. ... In physics, velocity is defined as the rate of change of displacement or the rate of displacement. ... An object falling through a gas or liquid experiences a force in direction opposite to its motion. ... In physics, buoyancy is the upward force on an object produced by the surrounding fluid (i. ...

As an object accelerates (usually downward due to gravity), the drag produced by the passing through a fluid medium, (usually air), increases. At a particular speed, the drag force produced will be equal to the downward force, mostly the weight (mg), of the object. Eventually, it plummets at a constant speed called terminal velocity. Terminal velocity varies directly with the ratio of drag to mass. More drag means slower terminal velocity. Increased mass means higher terminal velocity. An object moving downwards at greater than terminal velocity (for example because it was affected by a force downward or it fell from a thinner part of the atmosphere or it changed shape) will slow until it reaches terminal velocity. An object falling through a gas or liquid experiences a force in direction opposite to its motion. ...

For example, the terminal velocity of a skydiver in a normal free-fall position with a closed parachute is about 195 km/h (120 mph or 54 m/s). This velocity is the asymptotic limiting value of the acceleration process, since the effective forces on the body more and more closely balance each other as it is approached. In this example, a speed of 50% of terminal velocity is reached after only about 3 seconds, while it takes 8 seconds to reach 90%, 15 seconds to reach 99% and so on. Skydiver about to land Parachuting, or skydiving, is a recreational activity, competitive sport and method of deployment of military personnel (and occasionally, firefighters). ... Free Fall opens with one of the most stunning first paragraphs I have ever, or am ever likely to, read. ... This article is about the device. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Metre per second (U.S. spelling: meter per second) is an SI derived unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector), defined by distance in metres divided by time in seconds. ... An asymptote is a straight line or curve which a curve approaches as one moves along the curve. ...

Higher speeds can be attained if the skydiver pulls in his limbs (see also freeflying). In this case, the terminal velocity increases to about 320 km/h (200 mph or 89 m/s), which is also the maximum speed of the peregrine falcon diving down on its prey. Competition speed skydivers fly in the head down position reaching even higher speeds. Current world record is 614 km/h or 382 mph. It has been suggested that Sit flying be merged into this article or section. ... Binomial name Tunstall, 1771 Global range (shaded green, dark dots on islands) The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), occasionally known in North America as the Duck Hawk, is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a large crow: 380–530 millimetres (15–21 in) long. ...

An object falling will fall 9.81 meters per second faster every second (9.81 m/s²). The reason an object reaches a terminal velocity is that the drag force resisting motion is directly proportional to the square of its speed. At low speeds the drag is much less than the gravitational force and so the object accelerates. As it speeds up the drag increases, until eventually it equals the weight. Drag also depends on the cross sectional area. This is why things with a large surface area such as parachutes have a lower terminal velocity than small objects like cannon balls. For other uses, see Weight (disambiguation). ... A 3-D view of a beverage-can stove with a cross section in yellow. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ...

Mathematically, terminal velocity is given by In physics, velocity is defined as the rate of change of displacement or the rate of displacement. ...

   ^{see derivation}

where Derivations from Terminal velocity. ...

V_t is the terminal velocity,

m is the mass of the falling object,

g is gravitational acceleration at the Earth's surface,

C_d is the drag coefficient,

ρ is the density of the fluid the object is falling through, and

A is the object's cross-sectional area.

So it can be said that, on Earth, the terminal velocity of an object changes due to the properties of the fluid, mass and the cross sectional area of the object. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... g (also gee, g-force or g-load) is a non-SI unit of acceleration defined as exactly 9. ... The drag coefficient (Cd, Cx or Cw, depending on the country) is a dimensionless quantity that describes a characteristic amount of aerodynamic drag caused by fluid flow, used in the drag equation. ... For other uses, see Density (disambiguation). ... A fluid is defined as a substance that continually deforms (flows) under an applied shear stress regardless of the magnitude of the applied stress. ...

This equation is derived from the drag equation by setting drag equal to mg, the gravitational force on the object. In physics, the drag equation gives the drag experienced by an object moving through a fluid. ...

Note that the density increases with decreasing altitude, ca. 1% per 80 m (see barometric formula). Therefore, for every 160 m of falling, the "terminal" velocity decreases 1%. After reaching the local terminal velocity, while continuing the fall, speed decreases to change with the local terminal velocity. ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... The barometric formula, sometimes called the exponential atmosphere or isothermal atmosphere, is a formula used to model how the pressure (or density) of the air changes with altitude. ...

External links

• Speed of a Skydiver (Terminal Velocity)