Back to Daily Question archive

AS Daily A Level Physics question

2025-12-08 OCR A Mechanics & Materials (M3) 3.2.2(d)(i) 3.2.1(a)

A skydiver falls in the spread-eagle position at a steady speed for several seconds, then quickly tucks into a streamlined shape without changing mass. Which statement must be true in the moments just after tucking in?

  1. A Acceleration is upward because streamlining increases drag at that speed.
  2. B Speed immediately decreases because the streamlined shape has a lower terminal speed.
  3. C Net force stays zero; once at steady speed, changing shape does not alter the balance.
  4. D Acceleration is downward because drag drops below weight; speed rises toward a higher terminal speed. (correct)

Answer

The correct answer is D.

Correct: D — Acceleration is downward because drag drops below weight; speed rises toward a higher terminal speed. A is wrong because streamlining reduces drag at a given speed, so the resultant is not upward. B is wrong because streamlining increases the terminal speed, so the speed will start to increase rather than decrease. C is wrong because changing shape changes the drag, so the previous balance (drag = weight) no longer holds and the net force is not zero. D is correct because immediately after tucking, drag is smaller than weight, giving a downward resultant and acceleration until a higher terminal speed is reached.

Try today's guest Daily MCQ A Level Physics MCQ practice Problem-solving previews