• Question: What happens when a moving plane drops a parcel?

    Asked by bubulis to Aggelos, Andrew, Eileen, Naomi, Shane on 14 Nov 2012.
    • Photo: Andrew Jackson

      Andrew Jackson answered on 14 Nov 2012:

      first of all it will accelerate, falling faster and faster until it reaches what is called terminal velocity of about 195 Km per hour. When it reaches this speed, it cant fall any faster because the air provides resistance like a break that it cant overcome. In fact, anything dropped out of a plane will fall at pretty much this speed eventually with some more aerodynamic shapes falling faster and shapes with lots of flat sides falling slower. In the end though, your parcel is going to get smashed to bits!

    • Photo: Eileen Diskin

      Eileen Diskin answered on 14 Nov 2012:

      Hopefully it doesn’t land on anybody! OUCH.

      The package moves down (obviously), but also has a horizontal movement. Here’s a cool animation that shows you what happens: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/vectors/pap.cfm

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