Lesson 12 of 12 · Kinematics
Experiment⭐ 30 XPTerminal Velocity
Kinematics.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
As a falling object speeds up, drag grows with speed. When drag has grown to equal weight, the resultant force is zero and acceleration stops — the object falls at a constant terminal velocity. A skydiver's terminal velocity drops sharply when the parachute opens.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- paper
- scissors
- stopwatch
- paper clips
- metre rule
Safety First
- Use scissors carefully and cut on a flat surface.
- Drop from a stable step, not a chair, and have someone spot you.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Drop paper cones of the same mass but different mouth diameters from a fixed height and time each fall. Plot terminal velocity against cone area and describe the relationship you see.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2At terminal velocity the resultant force on a falling object is:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
Terminal Velocity
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
Full screen — no distractions
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