What is terminal velocity and how is it reached?

Terminal velocity is the maximum speed an object can attain as it falls through a fluid, such as air or water. It occurs when the downward force of gravity equals the sum of the drag force and buoyancy acting on the object, resulting in zero net acceleration. Factors such as mass, projected surface area, and object orientation directly influence this steady speed.

What we know

• Terminal velocity is the maximum speed attainable by an object as it falls through a fluid. [1, 2]
• It is reached when the sum of the drag force and buoyancy equals the downward force of gravity, causing the net force and acceleration to become zero. [2]
• For objects falling through air at normal pressure, the buoyant force is usually dismissed because its effects are negligible. [2]
• An object with a large projected area relative to its mass has a lower terminal velocity than one with a small projected area relative to its mass. [2]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow does Stokes' law calculate drag force?
• a case in pointHow does streamlining affect speed skydiving?
• the bigger pictureWhat is velocity in classical mechanics?
• what followedWhat happens when an object exceeds terminal velocity?
• whoWho derived Stokes's law for viscous fluids?
• an unexpected connectionWhy can tiny dust and mist particles stay suspended indefinitely?Convection currents easily overcome the tiny terminal velocity of dust and mist, keeping them suspended in the air indefinitely.

Sources

• [1]terminal velocity (Wikidata Q614981) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Terminal velocity · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Stokes's law · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Velocity · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Speed skydiving · CC BY-SA 4.0