Question

What is terminal velocity? What are the factors on which terminal velocity depends?

Answer 1

The terminal velocity of an object is the maximum constant velocity acquired by the object while falling freely in a viscous medium.

Terminal velocity (v) of an object of radius (r) density (ρ) moving through a viscous medius of viscosity η and density ρ₀ is given by

Hence, terminal velocity depends on 

1. radius of the object 

2. coefficient of viscosity of the medium 

3. density of the object. 

4. density of the medium