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What is the resultant force when an object reaches terminal velocity?

Question

What is the resultant force when an object reaches terminal velocity?

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Solution

When an object reaches terminal velocity, the resultant force acting on it is zero. Here's why:

  1. Terminal velocity is the constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium through which it is falling prevents further acceleration. This happens when the force due to gravity is balanced by the drag force acting on the object.

  2. The force due to gravity acting on the object is given by Fg = mg, where m is the mass of the object and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

  3. The drag force acting on the object is proportional to the velocity of the object and acts in the opposite direction to its motion. It can be represented as Fd = kv, where k is a constant that depends on the shape of the object and the medium it's moving through, and v is the velocity of the object.

  4. When the object reaches terminal velocity, the drag force equals the gravitational force. That is, Fd = Fg.

  5. The resultant force Fr is the vector sum of all the forces acting on the object. Since the forces are equal and opposite, they cancel each other out, so Fr = Fg - Fd = 0.

So, the resultant force when an object reaches terminal velocity is zero.

This problem has been solved

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