A skydiver steps from a helicopter and falls for 5 s before reaching her terminal velocity. During this 5-s interval, her acceleration
A)is constant.
B)increases.
C)decreases.
D)is zero.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During the 5-s interval before reaching terminal velocity, the skydiver's acceleration decreases. Initially, gravity accelerates the skydiver, but as her velocity increases, air resistance also increases until it balances the gravitational force, resulting in zero acceleration at terminal velocity.

A Skydiver Steps from a Helicopter and Falls for 5