The air is less dense at higher elevations, so skydivers reach a high terminal speed. The highest recorded speed for a skydiver was achieved in a jump from a height of 39,000 m. At this elevation, the density of the air is only 4.3% of the surface density. Estimate the terminal speed of a skydiver at this elevation. Suppose that the density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg/m3, the mass of the skydiver is 75 kg, and the cross section area of the skydiver is 0.72 m2.

Question

Aubrie Savage

Physics

18 March, 14:29

The air is less dense at higher elevations, so skydivers reach a high terminal speed. The highest recorded speed for a skydiver was achieved in a jump from a height of 39,000 m. At this elevation, the density of the air is only 4.3% of the surface density. Estimate the terminal speed of a skydiver at this elevation. Suppose that the density of air at sea level is 1.2 kg/m3, the mass of the skydiver is 75 kg, and the cross section area of the skydiver is 0.72 m2.

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Clements · Answer 1

Answer: The second diver will get up to a higher maximum velocity while he is in the thinner air. But as he gets to a lower altitude the air resistance is greater and he will slow down to almost the same velocity as the first diver. The first diver's speed is gradually increasing toward the terminal velocity, and the second diver's speed is gradually decreasing, and after several minutes in the denser atmosphere, their speed is almost identical.