Terminal Velocity is the, constant, speed that a, not falling, object reaches when the force due to gravity, equals, the force of air resistance.
The terminal velocity is the maximum speed an object can reach when falling through a fluid, such as air or water. When an object starts falling, it accelerates due to the force of gravity. However, as it gains speed, the force of air resistance acting opposite to the direction of motion begins to oppose the force of gravity.
As the object's speed increases, the force of air resistance also increases. Eventually, a point is reached where the force of air resistance becomes equal to the force of gravity, causing the object to stop accelerating. At this point, the object reaches its terminal velocity, and the net force acting on it becomes zero. This means that the object will continue to fall at a constant speed without further acceleration.
The exact value of terminal velocity depends on various factors such as the object's size, shape, and density, as well as the density and viscosity of the fluid it is falling through. Objects with a larger surface area experience greater air resistance, which results in a lower terminal velocity. On the other hand, objects with a denser material will have a higher terminal velocity since they are affected more by gravity.
Terminal velocity is typically associated with objects falling through Earth's atmosphere, but it applies to any fluid medium. It is a crucial concept in fields such as skydiving, parachuting, and aerospace engineering, where understanding and calculating terminal velocity are important for safety and performance considerations.