If an averagesize man jumps from an airplane with a properly

If an average-size man jumps from an airplane with a properly opening parachute, his downward velocity v = v(t), in feet per second, t seconds into the fall is given by the following table.

(a) Explain why you expect v to have a limiting value and what this limiting value represents physically.

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(b) Estimate the terminal velocity of the parachutist. (Round your answer to two decimal places.)
feet per second

Solution

Here ,

a) as there is air drag force acting oposite to gravity on the falling person.

This air drag force is dependent on the velocity of falling person, as the velocity of person will increase , magnitude of this air drag force will also increase ,at some velocity both forces will have same magnitude. due to this , a limiting value of velocity exist.

the velocity at which drag force is equal to gravity force , that velocity is called terminal velocity

b)

as the velocity is increasing very slowly after t = 3 s

we can say that the terminal velocity will be very close to velocity at t = 4 s

estimating

terminal velocity = 19.92 feet/s