Air resistance acts more strongly on objects with more surface area per volume, such as a feather with its many threads and segments. Air resistance increases with increasing velocity, while the force of gravity is constant, but more gravity acts on the heavy hammer than on the light feather. Thus, the feather only needs a relatively slow velocity to evolve enough air resistance to oppose gravity on it, stopping further acceleration. The hammer, on the other hand, needs a high velocity before enough drag acts on it to oppose the greater amount of gravity on it. Since gravity is responsible for accelerating these objects to their terminal velocities, the object with the lower terminal velocity takes less time to reach it.
2006-09-21 01:45:10
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answer #1
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answered by DavidK93 7
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If you assume the air resistance to be proportional to the velocity (this is reasonably accurate at low speeds), the velocity satisfies the differential equation
dv/dt = g-kv, where the constant of proportionality k is higher for the feather than for the hammer
This has the solution
v = g/k {1-e^(-tk)}
From the term tk you see that if it takes some time t0.5 for the feather to reach half of its terminal speed, the hammer will reach half its terminal speed in time t0.5 {k(feather)/k(hammer)}
2006-09-21 01:47:58
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answer #2
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answered by helene_thygesen 4
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the question should really be 'in air resistance, why does a feather reach IT's terminal velocity...' a feathers terminal velocity may be a lot slower than a hammer but that means nothing since they both have difference terminal velocity's.
the feather reaches its terminal velocity simply for that fact, it's terminal velocity is slower than that of a hammer.
2006-09-21 01:42:01
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answer #3
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answered by arrrthelifeofapirate 3
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The air promises sufficient resistance to the feather as to heavily decrease the feather's terminal speed. The hammer on the different hand isn't heavily effected by making use of air resistance and so it truly is terminal speed continues to be completely authentic to that ruled by making use of the speed of acceleration via gravity.
2016-11-23 12:44:58
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answer #4
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answered by orum 4
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Aerodynamics and density. If the hammer weighed much less, or the feather much more, the terminal velocity would change significantly even though the aerodynamics remained the same.
2006-09-21 03:24:39
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answer #5
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answered by bruinfan 7
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The feather has a much higher surface area / mass ratio to the hammer.
The magnitude of air resistance depends on the surface area and the effect depends on the mass (F=ma).
The hammer will have a similar amount of force acting on a much larger mass.
2006-09-21 01:43:44
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answer #6
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answered by Morgy 4
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i didn't know any of that =\
sorry i can't help =[
2006-09-21 01:45:46
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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