Solving for Air Resistance: Free Fall Homework Help

[MCSPT117]

Homework Statement [/b]
Problem: How much Air Resistance acts on a 100-N bag of nails that falls at its teminal speed?


What process do you use to solve this?

 

[rock.freak667]

At terminal velocity the resultant force on it is zero, so find the expression for the resultant force and equate to zero.

 

[jegues]

What have you tried so far? Do you understand the properties behind terminal speed?

 

[MCSPT117]

Nothing.
I'm asking if I need to use F=ma to solve this. And if I do, where are each of the numbers plugged in?

 

[jegues]

At terminal velocity the resultant force on it is zero, so find the expression for the resultant force and equate to zero.

This should be more than enough for you to solve the problem.

Make some attempts and if you're still stuck we'll go from there.

 

[MCSPT117]

?
Still don't know what to do? How do you find the expression for the resultant force?

 

[jegues]

To obtain an expression for the resultant force you have to understand what the resultant force is! ;)

The resultant force is what you get when you sum up all the forces acting on a given object.

What forces are acting on the object?

 

[MCSPT117]

Air resistance, and gravity are the forces acting on the object, right?

 

[Nerdy3.141592]

Fg (Force of Gravity) - Ff (Force of Friction) = Fr (Resultant Force)