In: Physics
Do all objects in free fall reach terminal velocity because I thought objects in free fall always accelerate with 9.8 m/s/s so why is there a point where they stop accelerating
The concept of terminal speed arises when we have an opposing force along with gravity present in a system. When this opposing force is absent, then the objects in a free fall will keep accelerating with the acceleration g and the concept of terminal speed could not be applied here.
The opposing force here should be a force which is directly proportional to the velocity of the object, and so as the object increases its velocity due to the acceleration due to the gravity, the value of the opposing force keeps on increasing.
In case we have an opposing force, for example, the air resistance or the drag force experienced by a ball which is falling inside a liquid then in that case after some time the resistance force or the opposing force becomes exactly equal to the force of gravity and in that case the total force on the object becomes zero and so the acceleration becomes zero and so it keeps on moving with the same velocity for the rest of the journey which we call the terminal speed.