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.

pls help 7th grade level

Answer 1

Gravity pulls both skydivers down the same way, so if there were no air they would fall together. In real life air pushes up on them (air resistance), and that push gets bigger as they speed up. The heavier skydiver has more weight compared to the air push, so they keep speeding up longer and reach a higher terminal velocity (a faster steady fall speed) than the lighter one. If one spreads out or opens a parachute, that increases air resistance and makes them fall much slower.