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Terminal Velocity

1,700 bytes added, 13:50, 13 February 2019
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: '''Terminal velocity''' depends on the [[density]] and shape of an [[object]].
: '''Terminal velocity''' is the maximum [[velocity]] an [[object]] will reach when falling due to [[gravity]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+ This penguin has just jumped out of a plane.
|-
|[[File:TerminalVelocity1.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:left;" |At the start the penguin is not yet moving and the only [[force]] acting on the penguin is its [[weight]].
 
[[Resultant Force]] = [[Weight]]
 
So the [[Resultant Force|resultant force]] is large which means the [[acceleration]] will be large.
|-
|[[File:TerminalVelocity2.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:left;" |As the penguin starts to [[accelerate]] its small [[velocity]] results in an [[Air Resistance|air resistance]] that acts against its [[weight]].
 
[[Resultant Force]] = [[Weight]] - [[Air Resistance]]
 
So the [[Resultant Force|resultant force]] is less than it was so the [[acceleration]] will be less.
|-
|[[File:TerminalVelocity3.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:left;" |As the penguin [[accelerate]]s more its hight [[velocity]] results in more [[Air Resistance|air resistance]] that acts against its [[weight]].
 
[[Resultant Force]] = [[Weight]] - [[Air Resistance]]
 
So the [[Resultant Force|resultant force]] is even smaller than it was so the [[acceleration]] will be smaller.
|-
|[[File:TerminalVelocity4.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:200px; text-align:left;" |Once the penguin is moving fast enough the [[velocity]] results in an [[Air Resistance|air resistance]] that is as large as the [[weight]].
 
[[Resultant Force]] = [[Weight]] - [[Air Resistance]]
 
[[Resultant Force]] = 0N
 
So there is no [[Resultant Force|resultant force]] and so the [[acceleration]] will be zero.
 
The penguin has reached '''terminal velocity'''.
|}