Eli5: what happens if an object is pushed past it’s terminal velocity?

Question

Eli5: what happens if an object is pushed past it’s terminal velocity?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Nothing much. If whatever’s pushing it is removed, it will slow back down to its terminal velocity.

Terminal velocity is the point where air resistance and gravity cancel each other out. In your scenario, gravity is pushing less hard than air resistance (because it’s going faster than its terminal velocity), so it will slow down until it’s back in balance. Pretty much the same thing that happens as gravity speeds it up until air resistance stops it from speeding up any more, except with the two forces reversed.