What is terminal velocity; ; ; ; ; ;

Terminal velocity is the maximum speed an object reaches when falling through a fluid (such as air or water), where the force of gravity is balanced by the drag force (air resistance or fluid resistance). At this point, the object stops accelerating and continues to fall at a constant speed.

### Key Points:

1. **Gravity**: The force pulling the object downward.

2. **Drag Force**: The resistance force exerted by the fluid opposing the object's motion. It increases with the object's speed.

3. **Equilibrium**: Terminal velocity occurs when the gravitational force equals the drag force, resulting in no net force and thus no further acceleration.

### Factors Affecting Terminal Velocity:

- **Mass**: Heavier objects have a higher terminal velocity because gravity exerts a greater force on them.

- **Cross-Sectional Area**: Objects with a larger surface area experience more drag, reducing terminal velocity.

- **Drag Coefficient**: A measure of how aerodynamic the object is. A lower drag coefficient means less resistance and a higher terminal velocity.

- **Fluid Density**: Higher density fluids (like water) create more drag, reducing terminal velocity compared to lower density fluids (like air).

Terminal velocity is the fastest speed an object will reach when it falls through the air. When something falls, gravity pulls it down, but air resistance pushes against it. At first, the object speeds up because gravity is stronger than air resistance.

As it falls longer, air resistance builds up and eventually gets strong enough to balance out the force of gravity. Once those two forces are equal, the object stops accelerating and falls at a constant speed. That constant speed is called terminal velocity.

For example, a skydiver reaches terminal velocity after a certain amount of time, usually around 120 mph (193 km/h) when belly-to-earth. This means the skydiver isn’t getting faster anymore; they’re just falling steadily.