Question

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

Answer 1

In a vacuum both skydivers would accelerate equally at g, so mass alone doesn't change free-fall acceleration. With air present the drag force (which depends on speed, shape, and cross‑sectional area) opposes motion; because the heavier diver has more weight relative to the same drag they accelerate longer and reach a higher terminal velocity. The lighter (or larger‑area) diver feels proportionally more deceleration from air resistance and therefore falls more slowly once drag becomes significant. Changing body position (spread‑eagle vs. head‑down) alters area/shape and can outweigh mass differences.