How to calculate the velocity of an object experiencing drag over time
In short: This video explains how to model motion when a resistive force, such as drag, acts on an object. By applying Newton's second law, you will learn to derive a differential equation for velocity and solve it using the separation of variables method.
When an object moves through a medium, it encounters a resistive force that acts in the opposite direction of its velocity. Because this force depends on velocity, calculating the object's motion requires setting up and solving a differential equation. By integrating over specific limits, you can determine how velocity changes as a function of time.
The video also defines terminal velocity, which occurs when the net force on an object becomes zero. This is the maximum speed an object reaches when a constant force and a resistive force act against each other.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Motion as a function of time: Resistive force example (part 1) | AP Physics | Khan Academy
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