Question

A skydiver opens his parachute, and shortly thereafter, he is moving at constant velocity. (a) What forces are acting on him? (b) Which force is bigger?

Answer 1

a)

We have the next forces

Fd that is the air drag force that is acting upward

Fd gravitation force that is acting downward

in other words

his weight is the force that acts downward and the force of the air resistance with the parachute act upward

b)

In this case, because he is falling at a constant velocity it means

`Fg=Fd`

So the net force on the skydiver is 0

therefore both forces are equal amount in other words the forces are equal in magnitude