Why do parachutes slow falling?

Answer: Air resistance increases greatly

Air resistance increases greatly ✓ — Correct! A parachute's wide canopy catches a lot of air, so the upward push of air resistance on the falling person becomes much stronger. That drag grows with the canopy's area, so it quickly balances gravity and the descent settles at a slow, steady speed instead of speeding up. A bigger canopy means more drag and a gentler landing.

Wind pushes parachute upward — Wrong. There is no steady upward wind lifting the canopy; the slowdown comes from air resistance, since the large canopy meets a lot of air and creates strong drag opposing gravity.

Parachute creates vacuum above — Wrong. Air flows around and past the canopy rather than creating a vacuum above it; the canopy traps air underneath and the surrounding airflow produces the drag that slows the fall.