When an object attains terminal velocity, its acceleration is:
- A. 9.8 m/s2 upward
- B. Zero
- C. 1 m/s2
- D. 9.8 m/s2 downward
Explanation
At terminal velocity the upward drag and upthrust exactly balance the weight, so the resultant force is zero and by Newton's second law the acceleration is zero, even though the body continues to fall at a steady speed. What has vanished is the resultant force, not any individual one. This is why a raindrop reaches the ground at a survivable speed.
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