When a body falls through the air, it experiences a force known as air resistance or drag. This force is often calculated using the formula: Fair = c * A * v2, where:
- c is the coefficient of air friction, which depends on the shape of the object and the properties of the air.
- A is the cross-sectional area of the object facing the direction of its motion.
- v is the velocity of the object.
This equation indicates that the force of air resistance increases with the square of the velocity. As the object accelerates and its speed increases, the force opposing its motion becomes significantly larger, ultimately leading to a point where the force of gravity and air resistance balance each other. This balance results in a constant velocity known as terminal velocity, at which point the object stops accelerating and continues to fall at a steady speed.