terminal velocity

 
–noun
1.
Physics .
a.
the velocity at which a falling body moves through a medium, as air, when the force of
resistance of the medium is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force of
gravity.
b.
the maximum velocity of a body falling through a viscous fluid.
2.
Rocketry, Ballistics .
a.
the greatest speed that a rocket, missile, etc., attains after burnout or after leaving the barrel of
a gun.
b.
the speed of a missile or projectile on impact with its target.

terminal velocity   — n 1. the constant maximum velocity reached by a body falling under gravity
through a fluid, esp the atmosphere 2. the velocity of a missile or projectile when it reaches its
target 3. the maximum velocity attained by a rocket, missile, or shell flying in a parabolic flight path
4. the maximum velocity that an aircraft can attain, as determined by its total drag

terminal velocity

steady speed achieved by an object freely falling through a gas or liquid. A typical terminal
velocity for a parachutist who delays opening the chute is about 150 miles (240 kilometres)
per hour. Raindrops fall at a much lower terminal velocity, and a mist of tiny oil droplets
settles at an exceedingly small terminal velocity. An object dropped from rest will increase its
speed until it reaches terminal velocity; an object forced to move faster than its terminal
velocity will, upon release, slow down to this constant velocity.

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In fluid dynamics
 an object is moving at its terminal velocity if its speed is constant due to the restraining
force exerted by the air, water or other fluid through which it is moving.

A free-falling object achieves its terminal velocity when the downward force of gravity (Fg)
equals the upward force of drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces that oppose the relative motion of an object through a
fluid . Drag forces act in a direction opposite to the oncoming flow velocity...
  (Fd). This causes the net force
Net force
A net force, Fnet = F1 + F2 + … is a vector produced when two or more forces { F1, F2, … } act
upon a single object. It is calculated by vector addition of the force vectors acting upon the
object...

 on the object to be zero, resulting in an acceleration of zero.

As the object accelerates (usually downwards due to gravity), the drag force acting on the
object increases, causing the acceleration to decrease.

A skydiver reaches terminal velocity when the force of air resistance pushing up against the skydiver
is equal to the force of gravity pushing her downward. At this point, the skydiver is no longer
accelerating, but falling at a constant speed. The terminal velocity for skydivers varies according to
weight and physical position, but it's usually a very healthy 120 miles an hour.

While a rock and a feather fall at exactly the same speed in a vacuum, in our atmosphere this isn't the
case. The feather encounters more air resistance, giving the rock more time to accelerate, and thus
giving it a faster terminal velocity. How can a skydiver adjust her terminal velocity? By lowering wind
resistance and arching into a dive.

Observe the motion of the skydiver below. As the skydiver falls, he encounters the force of air
resistance. The amount of air resistance is dependent upon two variables:

 The speed of the skydiver

As a skydiver falls, he accelerates downwards, gaining speed with each second. The
increase in speed is accompanied by an increase in air resistance (as observed in the
animation below). This force of air resistance counters the force of gravity. As the
skydiver falls faster and faster, the amount of air resistance increases more and more
until it approaches the magnitude of the force of gravity. Once the force of air resistance
is as large as the force of gravity, a balance of forces is attained and the skydiver no
longer accelerates. The skydiver is said to have reached a terminal velocity.

 The cross-sectional area of the skydiver

A skydiver in the spread eagle position encounters more air resistance than a skydiver
who assumes the tuck position or who falls feet (or head) first. The greater cross-
sectional area of a skydiver in the spread eagle position leads to a greater air resistance
and a tendency to reach a slower terminal velocity. The importance of cross-sectional
area to skydiving is also demonstrated by the use of a parachute. An open parachute
increases the cross-sectional area of the falling skydiver and thus increases the amount
of air resistance which he encounters (as observed in the animation below). Once the
parachute is opened, the air resistance overwhelms the downward force of gravity. The
net force and the acceleration on the falling skydiver is upward. An upward net force on
a downward falling object would cause that object to slow down. The skydiver thus
slows down. As the speed decreases, the amount of air resistance also decreases until
once more the skydiver reaches a terminal velocity.

 
Based on wind resistance, for example, the terminal velocity of a skydiver in a belly to earth free-
fall position is about 195 km/h (122 mph or 55 m/s).[2] This velocity is the asymptotic limiting value of
the acceleration process, because the effective forces on the body balance each other more and
more closely as the terminal velocity is approached. In this example, a speed of 50% of terminal
velocity is reached after only about 3 seconds, while it takes 8 seconds to reach 90%, 15 seconds to
reach 99% and so on. Higher speeds can be attained if the skydiver pulls in his or her limbs (see
also freeflying). In this case, the terminal velocity increases to about 320 km/h (200 mph or 90 m/s),
[2]
 which is also the terminal velocity of the peregrine falcon diving down on its prey.[3] And the same
terminal velocity is reached for a typical .30-06 bullet travelling in the downward vertical direction —
when it is returning to earth having been fired upwards, or perhaps just dropped from a tower —
according to a 1920 U.S. Army Ordnance study.[4]

Competition speed skydivers fly in the head down position and reach even higher speeds. The current
world record is 614 mph (988 km/h) by Joseph Kittinger, set at high altitude where the lesser density
of the atmosphere decreased drag.[2]

An object falling toward the surface of the Earth will fall 9.81 meters (or 32.18 feet) per second faster
every second (an acceleration of 9.81 m/s² or 32.18 ft/s²). The reason an object reaches a terminal
velocity is that the drag force resisting motion is approximately proportional to the square of its speed.
At low speeds, the drag is much less than the gravitational force and so the object accelerates. As it
accelerates, the drag increases, until it equals the weight. Drag also depends on the projected area.
This is why objects with a large projected area relative to mass, such as parachutes, have a lower
terminal velocity than objects with a small projected area relative to mass, such as bullets.

Mathematically, terminal velocity — without considering the buoyancy effects — is given by

where

Vt = terminal velocity,

m = mass of the falling object,
g = acceleration due to gravity,
Cd = drag coefficient,
ρ = density of the fluid through which the object is falling, and
A = projected area of the object.

Mathematically, an object approaches its terminal

velocity asymptotically.

Buoyancy effects, due to the upward force on the object by the

surrounding fluid, can be taken into account using Archimedes'
principle: the mass m has to be reduced by the displaced fluid
mass  , with   the volume of the object. So instead
of m use the reduced mass   in this and
subsequent formulas.

On Earth, the terminal velocity of an object changes due to the

properties of the fluid, the mass of the object and its projected
cross-sectional surface area.

Air density increases with decreasing altitude, ca. 1% per 80

metres (262 ft) (see barometric formula). For objects falling
through the atmosphere, for every 160 metres (525 ft) of falling,
the terminal velocity decreases 1%. After reaching the local
terminal velocity, while continuing the fall, speed decreases to
change with the local terminal velocity.