Why do parachutes slow falling?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Air resistance increases greatly
Air resistance increases greatly ✓ — Correct! Drag force = ½ρv²CdA where ρ=air density, v=velocity, Cd=drag coefficient, A=area. Parachute massively increases surface area A—drag increases proportionally! Without parachute: small area, reaches terminal velocity ~120 mph (53 m/s). With parachute: huge area, terminal velocity drops to ~15 mph (7 m/s)—survivable! Air resistance balances gravity—constant speed descent. Larger parachute = slower descent. Design: canopy shape optimizes drag and stability!
Parachute creates vacuum above — Wrong. No vacuum. Parachute traps air underneath creating drag (air resistance), while air flows around creating turbulence—both slow fall.
Wind pushes parachute upward — Wrong. No upward wind force (unless thermal updraft). Parachute slows through air resistance—large surface area creates massive drag opposing gravity.
More Physics in Daily Life questions
- In a warm office that already reads 26 C, which change can make people feel cooler without lowering the thermostat?
- Why might 26 C feel acceptable in a breezy naturally ventilated summer building but too warm in a sealed winter office?
- On a warm humid day, why can the same 27 C room feel much worse once you start sweating?
- Why can moving air make a 27 C room feel cooler without changing the thermometer?
- Which hidden factor can make a desk beside a cold window feel chilly even when the thermostat across the room still reads 22 C?
- In the same 22 C room, why might someone who just climbed stairs feel warm while someone sitting in a T-shirt feels chilly?