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The first thing to do is to determine what forces are acting on the skydiver.

The force of gravity is pulling the skydiver downward, and can be described using Newton's 2nd Law:

F = ma

where F is the force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration.

In this case, the acceleration is in the negative downward direction, and it is equal to the acceleration due to gravity,g, or 9.8 m/s2. So:

Fg = m(-g)
Fg = (100 kg)(-9.8 m/s2)
Fg = -980 N

The air is resisting her fall, so there is a force pushing upwards. Let's call it Fa, and it is given as 500 N. So:

Fa = 500 N

Nothing else is touching the skydiver, so there are no other forces acting on her.

To determine the acceleration, use the net force equation:

Fnet = ma

where Fnet is all the forces acting on the object.

Fnet = ma
Fg + Fa = ma
-980 N + 500 N = (100 kg)a
-480 N = (100 kg)a
(-480 N) / (100kg) = a
-4.80 m/s2 = a

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How does air resistance affect the acceleration of a falling object-How does air resistance affect the acceleration of a falling object?

It reduces the acceleration of the falling object due to friction.


Does air resistance increase or decrease the acceleration of a falling leaf from a tree?

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When a skydiver jumps out of an airplane there are two forces acting on her gravity and air resistance After falling for a few seconds the forces due to gravity and air resistance balance each other?

Your question is slightly confusing as you seem to have answered it yourself. A little extra though, the speed at which the skydiver is now travelling is called terminal velocity and it is the fastest an object can travel with only gravity + air resistance acting on it as forces. Due to differing air resistances everything has its own unique terminal velocity and it is possible to alter it, this is the principle behind a parachute.


How does air resistance affect the acceleration of falling objects?

As a falling object accelerates through air, its speed increases and air resistance increases. While gravity pulls the object down, we find that air resistance is trying to limit the object's speed. Air resistance reduces the acceleration of a falling object. It would accelerate faster if it was falling in a vacuum.


What is the relationship between air resistance and the acceleration of falling objects?

As an object falls towards the earth, it accelerates due to the force of gravity acting on it's mass. As velocity increases, air resistance increases. This is in the opposite direction to the force of gravity on the object. Therefore the resultant force on the object is decreased, and the rate of acceleration is reduced. Eventually, the force due to the air resistance is equal in magnitude to the weight and the object has no resultant force acting. At this point the object will be travelling at a constant velocity, commonly referred to as Terminal Velocity.

Related Questions

A skydiver of mass 100 kg experiences air resistance while falling How fast is the skydiver being accelerated at?

The acceleration of the skydiver can be calculated using Newton's second law: F = ma, where F is the force of gravity - air resistance, m is the mass of the skydiver, and a is the acceleration. The acceleration will depend on the exact value of air resistance acting on the skydiver.


When a skydiver has reach the terminal speed what is the air resistance equal to what is the sky diver acceleration?

When a skydiver reaches terminal speed, the air resistance is equal to the force of gravity acting on the skydiver. At this point, the acceleration of the skydiver is zero, as the forces are balanced. This means that the skydiver is falling at a constant speed due to the opposing forces being equal.


What is an example of air friction?

An example of air friction is when an object moving through the air experiences resistance due to the interaction between its surface and the air molecules. This resistance slows down the object's motion, such as when a skydiver experiences air resistance while falling through the atmosphere.


Does it mean a skydiver is slowing down if the acceleration of the skydiver decreases as falling progresses?

No.Acceleration is a measure of the rate of change of velocity (speed & direction). If acceleration is decreasing (but still above zero) then this means that the rate at which the speed is increasing in this direction is decreasing.As long as the downward acceleration is greater than zero then the skydiver's speed is still increasing.Once terminal velocity is reached then downward acceleration will equal zero (speed is constant).If the downward acceleration falls below zero (as will happen once his parachute is deployed for instance) then this means he is slowing down.


How does air resistance affect the acceleration of a falling object-How does air resistance affect the acceleration of a falling object?

It reduces the acceleration of the falling object due to friction.


How does a open parachute increase the air resistance of a falling skydiver?

by increasing surface area


Does air resistance increase or decrease the acceleration of a falling leaf from a tree?

Air resistance decreases the acceleration of a falling leaf from a tree. As the leaf falls, air resistance opposes its motion, slowing it down. This results in a lower acceleration compared to if the leaf were falling in a vacuum with no air resistance.


Compare the effects of gravity and air resistance on a falling skydiver before and after she opens her parachute.?

-- The force of gravity is unchanged before and after.-- The force of air resistance on the skydiver is greater before, and less after,because she is falling slower after the parachute opens.-- The effect on her of air resistance is greater after the parachute is open. Theincreased air resistance itself acts on the parachute, and its effect is transferredto the skydiver through her harness.


Does air resistance increase or decrease the acceleration of a falling obect?

Well, the more the air resistance, the lower the acceleration.


What is the skydiver acceleration?

Upon leaving the aircraft, a skydiver rapidly reaches something called terminal velocity. This is where the resistance of the air matches the mass of the skydiver. At this speed, the skydiver maintains a relatively constant speed. Typically this is around 120mph in a flat body position and takes approximately 10 seconds to reach. For more questions about skydiving, see the attached link.


Does a skydivers decreases her acceleration when falling 5 seconds before reaching her terminal velocity?

No, a skydiver's acceleration remains constant as they fall towards their terminal velocity. This is because terminal velocity is the point at which the forces of gravity and air resistance are balanced, resulting in a constant velocity.


How does air resistance affect the acceleration of a falling abject?

Air resistance creates friction and slows a falling object.