What is the average air resistance for a person?

[Br0kenS0cial]

I can't seem to come up with a decent formula/accepted value for air resistance.

I realize there are things that need to be taken into account, but I am already delving into things way beyond what I've done per the course work, and I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. I understand there is no exact formula for air resistance, but I need a number to find a terminal velocity.

Can anybody give me a ball park figure for an averaged sized person? (m=70kg, A=1.60m)

 

[Astronuc]

One needs to know the coefficient of drag for the object in equation, and then apply the drag equation.

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/drageq.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_coefficient

I have not verified the drag coefficients cited in the Wikipedia article, so I would recommend using other reliable sources.

 

[Br0kenS0cial]

Oh, right. I forgot to include that I was using a value of 0.7 for my drag coefficient. Sorry.

 

[hotcommodity]

Just to add to Astronuc's post, I pulled out a quick derivation from my class notes in case you're interested:

http://s62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/pepsi_in_a_can/?action=view&current=untitled5.jpg

 

[Br0kenS0cial]

Er. Thanks for the help, you two, but I really haven't got an answer for this.

Is there one?

 

[Astronuc]

Well what happens at terminal velocity? It means that the velocity doesn't increase, othewise it wouldn't be terminal velocity. If velocity doesn't increase, there is no acceleration, and that means that the net force of the falling object is zero, which means the Drag Force, D, must equal the weight of falling object.

So D = mg, and looking at the NASA site D\,=\,C_d\frac{\rho{V^2}A}{2},

where \rho is the density of air, V is the velocity of the object in the air, A is the cross-sectional area normal to the flow (or trajectory), and C_d is the drag coefficient.

So combining the two equations

mg\,=\,C_d\frac{\rho{V^2}A}{2}.

The rearrange terms and one gets V² = . . . . . , and V = terminal velocity.

 

[Br0kenS0cial]

hahah that's just my problem, I'm looking for p.

 

[hotcommodity]

Think of what happens to the equation in my link when t goes to infinity. And that equation will give you everything you need to find the terminal velocity.

 

[Astronuc]

Google is your friend "air density" - and one finds, to cite a few:

http://www.denysschen.com/catalogue/density.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_of_air#Effects_of_altitude

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/atmos.html