Forces and Motion QWC practice question
Question
A skydiver steps out of a stationary hot-air balloon and falls. Some way down she opens her parachute, and eventually lands safely.
Describe and explain the motion of the skydiver from the instant she steps out until she lands. Your answer should refer to the forces acting on her and how her velocity and acceleration change throughout the fall.
Student guidance
Write in clear, linked sentences using correct physics terms.
Indicative content
- Initially only weight acts (air resistance ≈ 0), so acceleration is maximum and equals g.
- As speed increases, air resistance (drag) increases.
- The resultant downward force decreases, so the acceleration decreases.
- When air resistance equals weight the resultant force is zero: she falls at constant (terminal) velocity.
- Opening the parachute greatly increases air resistance, which now exceeds weight.
- The resultant force acts upwards, so she decelerates.
- As her speed falls, air resistance decreases until it again equals weight: a new, lower terminal velocity at which she lands.
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