Falling in a Fluid

Velocity & Acceleration

Do the practice section for this content area before attempting this discovery activity.

Think back to Question 4 and the equation (eqn 4.1).

Sketch the graphs of these functions on the appropriate coordinate axes below. Pressing the left mouse button will allow you to sketch the graphs.

Compare your graphs with the actual solution curves which can be obtained by clicking on "START" on the left side of the page.

If they don't agree, was it because you couldn't tell how vf and af varies with y by observing the free fall or because you had trouble visualizing what the equations for vf and af would look like when plotted?

Calculate the magnitudes of vf and af at y = 0 and y = 1000 m and the magnitudes of the derivatives at those distances for the skydiver. Using this information draw in the vf and af vs. y curves.


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