Question

A 75 kg skydiver and his 20g pet mouse jump from a plane. Estimate their terminal speeds, assuming that they both fall in a prone position with limbs extended.

Answer 1

given,

mass of the skydiver = 75 Kg

mass of pet = 20 g

to find the terminal speed of both the sky diver and the mouse

Using terminal speed formula

`v = \sqrt{(4mg)/(\rho\ A)}`

ρ is the density of the air

A is the area of mouse and skydiver

`v = \sqrt{(4* 75 \9.8)/(1.23* A)}`

Assuming area of Skydiver = 0.72 m²

and Area of mouse will be equal to = 0.0021 m²

now,

`v_(skydiver) = \sqrt{(4* 75* 9.8)/(1.2* 0.72)}`

`v_(skydiver) =√(3402.777)`

`v_(skydiver) =58.33\ m/s`

`v_(mouse) = \sqrt{(4* 0.02* 9.8)/(1.2* 0.0021)}`

`v_(mouse) =√(311.11)`

`v_(mouse) =17.63\ m/s`