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terminal velocity
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Terminal Velocity
The maximum velocity that can be reached by a given object moving through a fluid (gas or liquid) under the action of an applied force. As the speed of the object increases so does the total magnitude of the forces resisting its motion. Terminal velocity is reached when the resistive forces exactly balance the applied force that has caused the object to accelerate; because there is now no resultant force, there can be no further acceleration.
For example, an object falling through air experiences air resistance. It will reach a terminal velocity and cease to accelerate under the influence of gravity when the air resistance equals the force of gravity (the object's weight).
Parachutes are designed to increase air resistance so that the acceleration of a falling person or package ceases more rapidly, thereby limiting terminal velocity to a safe level.
© Research Machines plc 2008. All rights reserved. Helicon Publishing is a division of Research Machines plc.
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acceleration
air resistance
balanced forces
Boyle's law
distance
distance–time graph
elasticity (physics)
force
friction
gravity
Hooke's law
mass (physics)
moment of a force
motion
newton
Newton's laws of motion
pressure
resultant force
scalar quantity
speed (physics)
speed–time graph
stopping distance
streamlining (technology)
terminal velocity
turning effect of a force
vector quantity
velocity
weight
air resistance
balanced forces
Boyle's law
distance
distance–time graph
elasticity (physics)
force
friction
gravity
Hooke's law
mass (physics)
moment of a force
motion
newton
Newton's laws of motion
pressure
resultant force
scalar quantity
speed (physics)
speed–time graph
stopping distance
streamlining (technology)
terminal velocity
turning effect of a force
vector quantity
velocity
weight
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