if terminal velocity is the fastest an item can free fall, then if you were to shoot an item downwards, faster then it’s terminal velocity, would it slow down, or maintain that same speed? If it does slow down, what force is slowing it? Would it work the same way in a vacuum?

Question

if terminal velocity is the fastest an item can free fall, then if you were to shoot an item downwards, faster then it’s terminal velocity, would it slow down, or maintain that same speed? If it does slow down, what force is slowing it? Would it work the same way in a vacuum?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Friction with the air would slow it down, same way comets burn up because without air in space they reach the atmosphere going faster than terminal velocity.