Final answer:
Terminal velocity is the maximum speed a falling object will reach, which occurs when the force of gravity is balanced by a drag force, resulting in no further acceleration and constant falling speed. Factors such as an object's weight, surface area, and body position, as well as fluid viscosity and the object's size, affect the terminal speed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The maximum speed a falling object will reach, due to a balance between the downward force of gravity and the upward force of air resistance, is called terminal velocity. Terminal velocity occurs when the weight of the object is balanced by the upward drag force, resulting in no further acceleration and causing the object to fall at a constant velocity. This maximum speed is significant as it represents a limiting value, similar to the limiting distance, which is quickly found by taking the limit to infinity due to the properties of exponential decay. An object falling through a fluid, like a skydiver or sand particles in the ocean, will not accelerate indefinitely because of increasing viscous drag, which slows acceleration until terminal velocity is reached. The terminal velocity of an object is influenced by several factors, including the object's weight, surface area, and body position. For instance, an 80.0-kg skydiver in a headfirst position with a surface area of 0.140 m² will have a different terminal velocity than if they were falling with outspread limbs. Viscous drag, which depends on the fluid's viscosity and the object's size, and a buoyant force, contingent on the object's density relative to the fluid, are crucial factors determining an object's terminal speed.