A parachutist jumps out of an airplane and opens her parachute.She then floats downward at a constant rate. Why is she not accelerating?
A) The parachute provides an upward force to balance gravity, so the net force is zero.
B) She is accelerating, but gravity's pull is weak at high altitudes.
C) As she falls, she is weightless and therefore cannot accelerate.
D) The parachute has very little mass, so its inertia is negligible.
E) The parachutist exerts a gravitational pull on Earth that is equal to its pull on her.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The parachute provides an upward force (air resistance) that balances the downward force of gravity, resulting in a net force of zero, which means no acceleration.

A Parachutist Jumps Out of an Airplane and Opens Her