Final answer:
Air resistance is a frictional force that opposes the motion of an object as it moves through the air, affecting the speed at which different objects fall to the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
The force that is opposite to the motion of an object traveling through air is known as air resistance. This is a type of frictional force that slows down the motion of objects as they move through the air. In practical examples, this means a lighter object like a tennis ball might fall slower than a heavier object of the same size, such as a baseball, if they are dropped simultaneously from the same height.
Air resistance is significant because it can greatly influence the behavior of objects in motion. For instance, a parachute uses air resistance to slow down a person's fall, whereas in sports, athletes have to consider air resistance when throwing or hitting balls. The magnitude of the drag force due to air resistance is proportional to the square of the velocity of the object, which indicates a nonlinear relationship between velocity and the opposing force.