Ignoring this will just confuse you.

Maybe, Ted, but *acceleration* from gravity is not diminished in any way.
At each instant, dt, acceleration is still present. The result is offset by
the drag of the air and a sort of equilibrium seems to exist, but
acceleration from gravity is constant. Matter of fact you and I are
accelerating right now toward the center of the earth - but our movement is
arrested by offsetting forces. Nevertheless, at any given instant, dt, we
are accelerating.

Bob Swinney

"Ted Edwards" wrote in message
...
Bob Swinney wrote:

Spehro Sez: "Acceleration depends on the force and the mass (a = f/m).
The
net force is the force from gravity minus the drag from the air.
Obviously
at the terminal velocity the acceleration is zero."

A fine point for sure! But acceleration is, as you said = force/mass.
Not
sure if you meant to say that air drag has an influence on acceleration
from
the force of gravity. I don't think it does. Air drag will effect the
resulting velocity, but acceleration from gravity is a constant.

An object, for simplicity, falling straight down in still air has two
forces acting on it, the force of gravity, m/g, and the force of
aerodynamic friction. These will act in opposite directions and will be
equal at terminal velocity.


Ted