A free fall parachutist reaches a terminal velocity of 150 km/hr when dropped from a plane at a height of 10,000m. Is they terminal velocity going to be greater or smaller if they were dropped from a plane at a height of 10,000m?
terminal velocity is the same.
To determine whether the terminal velocity of a free-falling parachutist is greater or smaller when dropped from a height of 10,000m compared to another height, we need to consider the factors that affect terminal velocity.
Terminal velocity is the constant velocity reached by an object when the force of gravity pulling it downwards is balanced by the air resistance pushing against it. Therefore, the magnitude of terminal velocity depends on the balance between the gravitational force and the air resistance.
The gravitational force depends on the mass of the parachutist and remains constant regardless of the height from which they are dropped.
On the other hand, air resistance depends on several factors, including the surface area of the object, the shape, and the density of the air. When an object falls through the atmosphere, air resistance initially increases with speed until it reaches a maximum value (terminal velocity). At this point, the gravitational force and air resistance become equal, resulting in a constant velocity.
Considering the given information, the parachutist reaches a terminal velocity of 150 km/hr when dropped from a height of 10,000m. Based on this, we can derive that the terminal velocity should remain the same regardless of the height from which the parachutist is dropped. This assumption is made under the assumption that other factors, like the parachutist's mass, surface area, and atmospheric conditions, remain constant in both scenarios.
In summary, the terminal velocity is expected to be the same whether the parachutist is dropped from a height of 10,000m or any other height, provided the other factors remain the same.