Terminal velocity experiment 3 -
Using the simulation to model a parachute jump other worksheets
for use with materialworlds Terminal velocity simulation
© materialworlds.com 2001

Imagine the falling ball as a sky-diver about to open a parachute.

1. Which control could be use to simulate a parachute opening? Explain your choice.





2. Alter this control while the simulation is running to emulate a sky-diver jumping from a plane and opening his/her parachute around half way down. When you've acheived a successful parachute jump, pause the simulation and copy the force, velocity and height curves onto the graph below. Label the three curves and indicate the times at which the sky-diver jumps, opens the parachute and hits the ground.

3. Describe how the forces your sky-diver experiences change through the jump - from jumping from the plane, on opening the parachute through to landing on the ground - and how these forces change his/her velocity.

4. How would the forces and velocity be different if the parachute didn't open?