A 45 kg person jumps off a diving board
When a 45 kg person jumps off a diving board, several factors come into play:
1. Gravitational force: The person's weight provides a force pulling them downwards. On Earth, the force of gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s².
2. Acceleration: After jumping off the diving board, the person begins to accelerate due to the force of gravity. The acceleration remains constant, so the person will continue to accelerate downwards until another force counteracts it.
3. Air resistance: As the person falls, air resistance acts in the opposite direction to their motion. Initially, when the person jumps off the diving board and is close to it, air resistance is negligible. However, as they gain speed, the air resistance increases.
4. Terminal velocity: Eventually, the force of air resistance equals the gravitational force, resulting in no net force acting on the person. At this point, the person reaches terminal velocity, which is the maximum speed they can reach while falling. For an average person, terminal velocity is around 53 m/s.
It's important to note that this is a simplified explanation, and other factors such as body position, height of the diving board, and any additional forces acting on the person could affect the jump.