[eli5] When resultant forces are equal on a falling object, why does the object still fall

Question

When weight acting downwards is equal to air resistance acting upwards why is the object falling???

In: 0

Answer 1

Force doesn’t cause speed or velocity, it causes acceleration.

Once the drag forces on a falling object are equal to the gravitational forces one it there’s no resultant force to cause acceleration. With no acceleration the object will continue to fall at a constant velocity. That velocity will only change if a net force is applied to it.