How does the surface area of an object affect its terminal velocity?2 marksIt increases the accelerationIt increases the terminal velocityIt decreases the terminal velocityIt has no effect
Question
How does the surface area of an object affect its terminal velocity?2 marksIt increases the accelerationIt increases the terminal velocityIt decreases the terminal velocityIt has no effect
Solution
The surface area of an object affects its terminal velocity by decreasing it. Here's why:
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Terminal velocity is the maximum 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.
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The drag force acting on an object depends on several factors, one of which is the object's surface area. The larger the surface area, the more air resistance or drag the object experiences.
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As the surface area increases, the drag force also increases. This increased drag force slows down the acceleration of the object until it eventually reaches a new, lower terminal velocity.
So, the correct answer is: It decreases the terminal velocity.
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Terminal velocity is the same for all objects falling in the Earth's atmosphere.Atomi QuestionA(Choice A)TrueB(Choice B)False
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