Question

considering the layers of the atmosphere, and air pressure/density; what would happen to a skydiver in freefall that would fall from just outside the lower boundary for the mesosphere?

• the skydiver would not experience any terminal velocity
• terminal velocity would not change
• terminal velocity would get decrease as skydiver got closer to the surface
• terminal velocity would increase as the skydiver got closer to the surface

Explanation:

Terminal velocity depends on air density, following the formula $v_t = \sqrt{\frac{2mg}{
ho A C_d}}$, where $
ho$ is air density. Air density increases as altitude decreases (closer to Earth's surface). Since $
ho$ is in the denominator, a higher air density leads to a lower terminal velocity. As the skydiver falls from the mesosphere's lower boundary toward the surface, air density rises, so their terminal velocity decreases.

Answer:

terminal velocity would get decrease as skydiver got closer to the surface