How is it that everything falls at the same speed how come things have a terminal velocity?
2006-10-03 00:23:37 · 8 answers · asked by jobe j 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Things don't fall at the same speed. They accelerate due to gravity. The speed it is travelling when it hits the ground depends on the height you drop something from (and the air resistance).
It is true that everything falls with the same rate of acceleration (in a vaccuum) but the speed is constantly increasing as it falls. The terminal velocity is the speed it is travelling when it hits the ground.
In the case of a bullet or a tennis ball travelling horizontally, the terminal velocity is determined by the speed with which it started (initial velocity) and how much it is slowed down (negative acceleration) by air resistance.
2006-10-03 00:26:58 · answer #1 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
It is not true that all things fall at the same speed. They fall at the same acceleration, 9.8 m/s because the gravitational pull is same for all objects irrespective of their mass. Terminal velocity is different concept .An object falling down tends to accelerate due to gravity,but the air will push it upwards. so both forces reach an equilibrium and the object stops accelerate. Then it will acquire a constant velocity called terminal velocity which turnsout to be it's maximum
2006-10-03 07:37:51 · answer #2 · answered by goutham112 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Everything falls at the "same speed" because everything has an amount of gravity proportional to it's mass pulling it down. As objects free fall, they keep accelerating at about 9.80 m/s, and so they keep getting faster and faster. This continues up to a point at which the velocity just won't increase anymore. This velocity is called the terminal velocity. As an object falls through a fluid, like a gas, it experiences a force in the opposite direction called atmospheric drag, or air resistance. When this force becomes close to the force of the acceleration due to gravity, the force of gravity is ALMOST canceled out, so the object continues to fall, but at a constant rate. Terminal Velocity is equal to the square root of the force of gravity on a object divided by the density of the fluid times the the cross-sectional area of the object times it's drag coefficient.
2006-10-03 07:35:54 · answer #3 · answered by عبد الله (ドラゴン) 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes I agree that everything falls at the same speed (from the same height). You throw a bowling ball and a feather from the seventh floor, they will take the same time to reach the ground. This is because the acceleration due to gravity is kept constant at 10.
Everything has a terminal velocity, I believe, is because of the factor in the surrounding air, such as air resistance. This cause an "upward force" which will cause the objects to retard. There will be a point when there is no more acceleration experienced by the object and hence it will go at a constant speed towards the ground.
2006-10-03 07:33:26 · answer #4 · answered by unquenchablethirst 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
in vacuum we would not have a terminal velocity since a sugar cube and a stone of equal weight would exhibit the same kinetic characteristis.
but in real life we experience most of the phenomena were the circustances are not ideal. as in free fall the body will accelerate and increase its speed due to gravity. there wil be a force though opposing this due to friction with air molecules. at some pont the friction becomes the same as teh attraction force from the earth an d constant maximu speed (terminal velocity) is achieved and maintained.
there are a lot of factors that have to do with it such as their aerodynamic characteristics, the distribution of mas, their design in general, their weight and the degrees of their rotation.
it is easy to realize that by eighting a sheet of paper and a coin (it has to be a large sheet of paper e?) or you get the idea . stand on the 3rd floor of something and throw them (caution.....) you will see which one hits the ground first and come up to usefull results.
as the area which the body experiences the friction or the air flow on it etc..
2006-10-03 07:46:31 · answer #5 · answered by Emmanuel P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All objects accelerate at the same rate, 9.8m/s^2.
Terminal velocity is reached when the deceleration caused by air friction equals the acceleration due to gravity. Then the object remains at a constant velovity, it's terminal velocity.
2006-10-03 07:40:59 · answer #6 · answered by wernisch 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
gravity and resistance form terminal velocity
2006-10-03 07:27:53 · answer #7 · answered by bambi 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Movie ?
No jokes, what is its defination ?
2006-10-03 07:58:13 · answer #8 · answered by nayanmange 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋