SACE Stage 2 Physics — Motion 1.1

Terminal Velocity

Watch a falling object accelerate under gravity while drag builds — until the two forces balance and velocity becomes constant.

Object type

Preset

Environment

Gravity

Parameters

Key idea

Drag force F_d = ½ρC_dAv² increases with speed. As the object accelerates downward, drag grows until it equals gravity mg — at that point net force is zero and the object reaches terminal velocity v_T = √(2mg / ρC_dA).