# Terminal velocity

The steady top speed reached when drag grows until it equals the driving force, so the resultant force is zero.

Physics (school) · Part 02: Forces and Newton's laws · Card 8 of 8 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

Like running into stronger and stronger wind until you cannot go any faster.

## Example

**Skydiver**

Falling: weight 800 N down.
Drag grows as speed grows.
At terminal velocity:
drag 800 N = weight 800 N
resultant = 0, speed is steady

## In practice

A skydiver stops speeding up at about 55 m/s. Opening a parachute gives a new, much lower terminal velocity.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **What is true about the forces at terminal velocity?** They are balanced: drag equals weight, so the resultant is zero.

### Interview questions

**Explain why a falling skydiver reaches a terminal velocity.**

- Weight stays constant and pulls down
- Drag increases as speed increases
- When drag equals weight the resultant force is zero
- By Newton's first law, speed then stays constant

## Questions people ask

### Why does a falling skydiver stop accelerating?

As speed rises, air resistance rises too. Eventually the drag upwards equals the weight downwards. The resultant force is then zero, so by Newton's first law the skydiver falls at a steady speed. This steady speed is the terminal velocity.

### Why does a parachute slow a skydiver down?

The open parachute has a huge area, so drag becomes much bigger than the weight. The resultant force points upwards and the skydiver slows. As speed drops, drag falls until it matches the weight again. The skydiver then falls at a new, much lower terminal velocity.

## Related concepts

- [Resultant force](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-2/physics-school-part-2-concept-2)
- [Newton's first law](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-2/physics-school-part-2-concept-3)
- [Force](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-2/physics-school-part-2-concept-1)
- [Newton's second law](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-2/physics-school-part-2-concept-4)

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