Question

How would the terminal velocity of a piece of tissue paper compare to the terminal velocity of a rock?
A. The rock and tissue paper would have the same terminal velocity.
B. The rock and tissue paper would both have a terminal velocity of zero.
C. The terminal velocity of the rock would be greater than the terminal velocity of the tissue paper.
D. The terminal velocity of the tissue paper would be greater than the terminal velocity of the rock.

Answer 1

Do you remember what terminal velocity is?

Answer 2

The constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when resistance.

Answer 3

When weight = drag

Answer 4

Remember that drag is a force like friction that opposes motion. In terminal velocity, an object is falling.

Answer 5

Bob is our friendly test rock. Drag opposes his fall towards Earth, which is caused by gravity. The force of gravity is mass times gravity. Fun fact, weight is determined by the gravity of the planet you're on. You have a different weight on Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, etc.

Answer 6

The question becomes, does a rock and piece of tissue paper have the same mass?

Answer 7

Sp you would have different terminal velocity's?

Answer 8

Since gravity is constant for both objects, we can ignore it.

Answer 9

Correct

Answer 10

But which one is greater?

Answer 11

The rock I think

Answer 12

Correct. A rock has more mass than tissue paper. So would it's terminal velocity be greater, or less than the tissue paper?

Answer 13

I think the tissue may have the greatest is the tissue.

Answer 14

Well if you drop a rock and a piece of tissue paper, which one falls faster?

Answer 15

The rock.

Answer 16

The rock falls faster than the tissue paper because it has more mass. There are other factors but that's the only one we need to focus on. More mass = greater gravitational force pulling you down, thus the faster you go.

Answer 17

Terminal velocity just means you can't go any faster because air resistance (drag) impedes you.

Answer 18

So then the answer would be C.

Answer 19

Correct

Answer 20

Okay thank you for being patient with me and going thru these problems with me.

Answer 21

No problem. I have to study for a precalculus quiz so I'll be busy. I can help you later today.

Answer 22

Okay sounds good