I see we disagree. I think you need to check the definition.DaveC426913 said:You are correct.
Moreso, it is not even a fixed target, since it's dependent on many changing factors, such as orientation of the falling object.
And thus I have edited my response to account for that. :)phinds said:I see we disagree.
I think you're looking at it simplistically. Terminal velocity can't even be well-defined, since it's not stable.phinds said:I think you need to check the definition.
It would approach a value and then wander up and down around as the orientation of the falling object changed from moment to moment.Peter Frame said:But if you graphed the velocity, it would curve to horizontal. Either midway along this curve it would suddenly flat line, or it would approach a number but never quite get there.
Yes, I keep telling you, I am VERY simple-minded ;)DaveC426913 said:I think you're looking at it simplistically. Terminal velocity can't even be well-defined, since it's not stable.
I agree.DaveC426913 said:It would approach a value and then wander up and down around as the orientation of the falling object changed from moment to moment.
No, in an ideal situation, it would reach it and stay there instead of reaching it and then, as Dave says, wobbling around a bit faster and a bit slower.Peter Frame said:So your saying that in a perfect experiment with no air current, and no wobbling object, it would approach it? This is what makes a lot of scene to me.
Peter Frame said:So your saying that in a perfect experiment with no air current, and no wobbling object, it would approach it? This is what makes a lot of scene to me.
Are you getting old? Your text is starting to turn grey...DaveC426913 said:[EDIT Sorry, I did not see that you said an ideal experiment.]
Yes, so, to do so, you use an object that is stable under descent. Such as, say, a parachute.
A parachute, assuming its oscillation is kept down, reaches its terminal velocity quite quickly, and then its velocity will stick very close to that thereafter.
Terminal velocity is the maximum speed that an object can reach when falling through a fluid, such as air or water. It occurs when the force of gravity is balanced by the opposing force of air resistance.
The formula for calculating terminal velocity is Vt = √(2mg/ρACd), where Vt is the terminal velocity, m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity, ρ is the density of the fluid, A is the cross-sectional area of the object, and Cd is the drag coefficient.
The factors that affect terminal velocity include the mass and shape of the object, the density and viscosity of the fluid, and the force of gravity. Objects with larger surface areas or higher drag coefficients will have a lower terminal velocity, while objects with smaller surface areas or lower drag coefficients will have a higher terminal velocity.
No, an object cannot reach terminal velocity in a vacuum because there is no fluid present for the object to fall through. In a vacuum, the only force acting on the object would be gravity, causing it to continue accelerating until it reaches the speed of light.
Terminal velocity occurs when the force of gravity is balanced by air resistance, resulting in a constant speed. In free fall, there is no opposing force, so the object continues to accelerate until it reaches the ground or encounters another force. Terminal velocity is a type of free fall, but not all free falls result in terminal velocity.