A skydiver weighs 116 lb. When the skydiver reaches terminal speed, how much air drag does the skydiver experience?
acceleration = zero
therefore force up = weight down
I am looking for an amount of air drag in pounds?
I got it thanks!
To determine the amount of air drag experienced by a skydiver at terminal speed, we need to consider the forces acting on the skydiver.
At terminal speed, the force of gravity acting on the skydiver is balanced by the force of air resistance or drag. This balance occurs when the skydiver reaches a steady falling speed, and there is no net acceleration.
The force of gravity can be calculated using the formula:
force of gravity = mass × acceleration due to gravity
Given that the weight of the skydiver is 116 lb, we need to convert this weight to mass by dividing it by the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, we'll use the acceleration due to gravity on Earth, which is approximately 32.2 ft/s^2:
mass = weight / acceleration due to gravity
mass = 116 lb / 32.2 ft/s^2
Next, we need to calculate the force of gravity acting on the skydiver. Since weight is a force, it can also be calculated using the formula:
weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity
weight = mass × 32.2 ft/s^2
Once we have the weight, we can conclude that at terminal speed, the amount of air drag experienced by the skydiver is equal to their weight, which in this case is 116 lb.