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Two Skydivers, Two Top Speeds
As a skydiver speeds up, air pushes up harder until that push equals their weight, and then their speed stops increasing. A tandem pair weighs about twice as much but meets the air with the same body area, so they must fall faster before the air can hold them back.
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Age 14: open this week
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In the picture
- Thin red arrow: the solo skydiver’s weight pulling down.
- Thin yellow arrow: air drag pushing up, now as strong as the weight, so the speed stays steady.
- Thick red arrow: the pair’s weight, about twice as big, on the same frontal area.
- Thick yellow arrow: drag only matches that bigger weight once the pair is falling much faster.
- Long wind streaks: the pair’s steady speed is higher than the solo skydiver’s.
Examples
- Two paper cupcake cases stacked together fall faster than one alone, because they have the same shape but twice the weight.
- A badminton shuttlecock with a coin taped inside falls faster than a plain one of the same shape.
Key takeaways
- Speed stops increasing when air drag equals weight.
- Same shape and more weight means a higher top speed.
Carry on in the app
Three questions on this lesson. It has left the free week, so its quiz is for subscribers.
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