How do molecules in the air cause air resistance?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Air resistance is a term which intrinsically implies that an object is moving. A stationary object, although it has air molecules hitting it from all directions will not experience any resistance as it is not moving. Consider a cube moving on a fricitonless plane with a constant acceleration. As its velocity increases, as does its opposing air resistance. The type of motion the cube follows is known as exponential i.e. it accelerates but eventually levels off at a constant speed (assuming air resistance is constant and no other forces involved). However consider a thin cone shape moving similarly, since it has a smaller surface area exposed to the air it is moving into (termed streamlined) it will follow a similar exponential curve but level off at some much larger velocity. Actually in this case, it is more likely that the cones engine power is going to limit the terminal velocity well before air resistance plays a part.

unklerhaukus · Answer

Air Molecules smash onto every surface at the speed of sound