Two skydivers of different masses jump from a plane. In three to five sentences explain how their falls compare including the effects of gravity mass and air resistance
1 answer
The skydiver with a greater mass will experience a larger gravitational force pulling them towards the ground compared to the skydiver with a smaller mass. This means that the skydiver with greater mass will fall faster initially. However, both skydivers will eventually reach a terminal velocity where the gravitational force pulling them downward is balanced by the air resistance pushing against them. At this point, both skydivers will fall at the same constant speed until they reach the ground. The skydiver with greater mass may also require a stronger parachute to slow down their descent due to their higher weight.