How Do You Calculate the Equations of Motion for a Skydiver with Drag?

Thread starter ko_kidd
Start date Sep 21, 2008
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Drag

AI Thread Summary

To calculate the equations of motion for a skydiver with drag, the drag force can be determined using the formula Drag = 1/2 * p * v^2 * C_d * A, where p is air density (1.293 kg/m^3), v is the velocity, C_d is the drag coefficient (0.555), and A is the surface area (0.75 m^2). The skydiver experiences gravitational acceleration of 9.81 m/s^2 while falling from an altitude of 3000 m. The horizontal velocity of the aircraft is 36 m/s, which may influence the initial conditions of the skydiver's descent. Understanding the balance between gravitational and drag forces is crucial for deriving the equations of motion. Accurate calculations will require integrating these forces over time to model the skydiver's trajectory.

Sep 21, 2008

ko_kidd

Homework Statement

http://books.google.com/books?id=qX...=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA64,M1
(P64 Prob2.4)
I need to find the equations of motion for a skydiver

rho = 1.293 kg/m^3
aircraft going 36 m/s horizontally
9.81m/s^2 accel of gravity
altitude 3000 m
surface area of skydiver 0.75 m^2
C_d=0.555

Homework Equations

Drag = 1/2 p v^2 C_dA

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Sep 25, 2008

ko_kidd

No one has an idea of how to answer this one?

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