Question

skydivers are affected by acceleration due to gravity and by air resistance. eventually, they reach a speed where the force of gravity is almost equal to the force of air resistance. as they approach that point, their acceleration decreases in magnitude to near zero. describe the shape of the graph of the magnitude of the velocity versus time for a falling skydiver. assume downward is the negative direction. begins at zero with an downward slope that increases in magnitude over time. begins at zero with a downward slope that decreases in magnitude until the curve levels off to a flat horizontal line. begins at zero with an upward slope that decreases in magnitude until the curve levels off to a flat horizontal line begins at zero with a upward slope that increases in magnitude over time.

Explanation:

1. The velocity starts at 0 (skydiver begins stationary).
2. Downward is defined as negative, so the velocity becomes negative over time, creating a downward-sloping graph.
3. Acceleration (the slope of the velocity-time graph) decreases in magnitude as air resistance increases, until it reaches 0 (terminal velocity). This means the downward slope becomes less steep over time.
4. When acceleration hits 0, the velocity is constant, so the graph levels off to a flat horizontal line.

Answer:

Begins at zero with a downward slope that decreases in magnitude until the curve levels off to a flat horizontal line.