What Is BASE Jumping? - Wonderopolis
BASE jumping consists of parachuting from fixed objects. In fact, the acronym BASE comes from the four main categories of objects thrill-seekers jump from.
skydiving
Is <anchor>skydiving</anchor> one of the items on your bucket list? Or would you rather keep your feet planted firmly on the ground? Although it might seem like skydiving would be enough of an adrenalinerush for anyone, there were actually people who searched for — and found! — an even bigger thrill.
What Is Terminal Velocity? | Wonderopolis
What Is Terminal Velocity? \| Wonderopolis

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Wonder of the Day **#1944**

# What Is Terminal Velocity?

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[SCIENCE](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?category=science) — [Physical Science](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?subcategory=physical-science)

## Have You Ever Wondered...

- What is terminal velocity?
- Which forces act upon a skydiver in free fall?
- What is the terminal velocity of the average skydiver?


#### Tags:

See All Tags

- [Science](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=science),
- [Skydive](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=skydive),
- [Skydiver](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=skydiver),
- [Free Fall](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=free-fall),
- [Terminal Velocity](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=terminal-velocity),
- [Parachute](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=parachute),
- [Speed](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=speed),
- [Weight](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=weight),
- [Gravity](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=gravity),
- [Acceleration](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=acceleration),
- [Newton’S First Law Of Motion](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=newton-s-first-law-of-motion),
- [Force](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=force),
- [Air Resistance](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=air-resistance),
- [Maximum](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=maximum),
- [Orientation](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=orientation),
- [Surface Area](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=surface-area),
- [Streamline](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=streamline),
- [Austrian](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=austrian),
- [Felix Baumgartner](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=felix-baumgartner),
- [Helium](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=helium),
- [Balloon](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=balloon),
- [Stratosphere](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=stratosphere),
- [Atmosphere](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=atmosphere),
- [Speed Of Sound](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=speed-of-sound),
- [Sonic Boom](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonders?tag=sonic-boom)

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Trenton . _Trenton Wonders_, “ **how terminal velocity works**” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Trenton !

The engine of the plane rumbles loudly, but you seem to feel it more than hear it. The [wind](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-you-see-the-wind) rushing by the open bay drowns out all other sounds. Yet, there's one sound that you seem to hear above all others: the pounding of your racing [heart](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-many-times-does-your-heart-beat-in-a-lifetime).

The parachute on your back weighs heavily on your shoulders. Right now, before the jump, it feels more like a millstone than a best friend. When you make that [leap](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-smokejumper) into the great unknown, though, you know you'll be glad it's strapped to your back, ready to float you safely back to Earth.

The time has come. You feel the tap on your leg that tells you it's time to jump. You take the few steps to the open bay. Looking down, your heart leaps into your throat. You close your eyes and jump!

You feel yourself in free fall, hurtling toward Earth. You open your eyes and see the ground slowly getting closer. You seem to be picking up speed as you fall. Soon, though, you know you'll hit terminal velocity.

What's that? Is it the point when you must open your parachute or face a certain death upon impact with Earth? Could it be the speed at which you'll pass through a portal to another world? Nope! It's just the velocity at which you'll no longer be accelerating.

With a cool name like "terminal velocity," many people assume it means something sinister or extraordinary. In reality, though, it simply describes a physical reality based upon Newton's First Law of Motion.

When an object (like a skydiver!) falls freely through a medium, such as water or air, the force of [gravity](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/when-is-being-grounded-good) pulls it toward Earth. As the object falls, its velocity increases as it accelerates toward Earth. In other words, it begins to fall faster and faster toward Earth thanks to gravity.

Gravity isn't the only force working on the object, though. Air molecules collide with the falling object, pushing it upward against gravity. Scientists call this force air resistance. As the velocity of the falling object increases, so does air resistance.

Eventually, air resistance will equal the weight of the object in free fall. When this occurs, the object reaches terminal velocity. This means the falling object has reached its maximum velocity and acceleration is now zero. The object will continue to fall at the same speed (terminal velocity) for the remainder of its free fall…until it hits Earth or pulls the ripcord on the parachute in the case of a skydiver!

Terminal velocity can be affected by a few different factors. For example, a heavier object will generally have a higher terminal velocity. In the case of skydivers, terminal velocity can also depend upon the orientation of the body during free fall. A smaller surface area (body tucked into a ball) will have a higher terminal velocity than a larger surface area (arms and legs outstretched).

So what speeds do skydivers reach during free fall? Although it varies by person, most skydivers reach a terminal velocity of around 125 miles per hour. Experienced skydivers who streamline their bodies during free fall have reached speeds of over 200 miles per hour!

Amazingly, 200 miles per hour isn't even close to the fastest speed ever reached during a skydive, though. In October 2012, Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from a helium [balloon](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-does-a-hot-air-balloon-fly-2) in the stratosphere over 24 miles above Earth.

Because the atmosphere at that height is so thin, there is next to no air resistance at the beginning of the free fall. This allows the skydiver to reach a much higher terminal velocity before encountering Earth's normal atmosphere far below.

On Baumgartner's skydive, he reached an estimated top speed of approximately 843.6 miles per hour. Since that's faster than the speed of sound, Baumgartner created his own sonic boom during his skydive!

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### Wonder Contributors

We’d like to thank:

Breyden, Adam, and Cool

for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!


Keep WONDERing with us!

[What are you wondering?](https://www.wonderopolis.org/what-are-you-wondering)

### Wonder Words (18)

- bay
- jump
- float
- force
- portal
- impact
- engine
- loudly
- racing
- sinister
- hurtling
- millstone
- pounding
- parachute
- extraordinary
- resistance
- eventually
- remainder

[Take the Wonder Word Challenge](#WordChallenge)

### Did you get it?

[Test your knowledge](#Quiz)

#### Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day will take you back to the days of castles and knights!

## Try It Out

Are you ready to fly? Find a few friends or family members to help you explore the following activities:

- Check out Science GO's [Head Rush: Terminal Velocity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnrNTkyJK_w) video online to learn more about terminal velocity and the speed at which skydivers fall before pulling the cord on their parachutes. What do you think? Would you want to be falling that fast toward Earth?
- Was Galileo right? Long ago, he dropped a heavy weight and a light weight from the Leaning Tower of Pisa at the same time to prove that they would fall with the same rate of acceleration. You can repeat his experiment using the directions in the [Falling Feather](https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/falling-feather) experiment online. NOTE: You'll need a few specialized materials, but they're the types that are often found in middle- and high-school classrooms!
- Have you ever been skydiving? Chances are the answer is "no" for most of our Wonder Friends. What do you think it would be like? Would you go skydiving if you had the chance? Why or why not? Write a short story about what you believe a skydiving trip would be like. Include plenty of details about how you would be feeling at each moment of the experience.

### Wonder Sources

- [https://www.reference.com/science/speed-terminal-velocity-261cfe4623c7dde7](https://www.reference.com/science/speed-terminal-velocity-261cfe4623c7dde7)
- [http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1998/JianHuang.shtml](http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1998/JianHuang.shtml)
- [https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/termv.html](https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/termv.html)
- [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/airfri2.html](http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/airfri2.html)

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### Did you get it?

[Test your knowledge](#Quiz)

### Wonder Contributors

We’d like to thank:

Breyden, Adam and Cool

for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!


Keep WONDERing with us!

[What are you wondering?](https://www.wonderopolis.org/what-are-you-wondering)

### Wonder Words

- bay
- jump
- float
- force
- portal
- impact
- engine
- loudly
- racing
- sinister
- hurtling
- millstone
- pounding
- parachute
- extraordinary
- resistance
- eventually
- remainder

[Take the Wonder Word Challenge](#WordChallenge)

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Join the Discussion

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### Jake

Sep 11, 2018

where there alot of to pull out the parachute in 24 miles?



![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/fb2fcb4ccb7d78c0771de05b89ff0098?s=64&d=mm)

### jake

Sep 11, 2018

Do you like SHREK?



![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/f0e3d7eea0d0b6db0fb5ef35fa6f8dd2?s=64&d=mm)

### PandaRoyal\_\_

Dec 5, 2019

YES!!!!!!

![Wonderopolis](/wp-content/uploads/users/default.png)Sep 17, 2018

We do! And we think that you'll like [Wonder 949: Where Do Ogres Live?](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/where-do-ogres-live)

![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/67426a22686b8c60b8e8cbd791846a7b?s=64&d=mm)

### Jesus Huitron

Sep 13, 2017

I was surprised as well that the guy jumped off the plane from 24 miles above earth.


![Wonderopolis](/wp-content/uploads/users/default.png)Sep 15, 2017

That's a loooooong fall! ?

![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/e4ed98f80d65f6ccfa77c6bc7bba6899?s=64&d=mm)

### pfil

Aug 14, 2017

hi I read this it smells bad


![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/a7e81124d43ebb962f512b7cbc55fee8?s=64&d=mm)

### Goku927

Oct 2, 2017

Why would you say that? ;-;

![Wonderopolis](/wp-content/uploads/users/default.png)Aug 14, 2017

? Not sure that terminal velocity has a smell (maybe, if you were skydiving, it would be the smell of fear??)   If you're wondering about other smelly WONDERs, check out [Wonder #1619: "Why Do People Get Headaches from Certain Scents?"](https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-people-get-headaches-from-certain-scents) Thanks for WONDERing with us!

![Wonderopolis](//www.gravatar.com/avatar/34766abb36fd9d7135b474538cb80c19?s=64&d=mm)

### Billy bob joe

Aug 8, 2017

I wonder how it felt when he jumped out of the balloon 24 miles above earth? What was the G-Force was like?


![Wonderopolis](/wp-content/uploads/users/default.png)Aug 11, 2017

We LOVE that you are WONDERing with us, Billy bob joe!!  Perhaps you could write a short story about skydiving?  How do you think your experience would be? Would you be excited? Scared? We would love for you to share this story with us!!

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#1944

### What Is Terminal Velocity?

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WordMatch

Select a Wonder Word:

eventually

racing

parachute

loudly

portal

float

jump

extraordinary

pounding

sinister

Match its definition:

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

to cause to run, move, or go at high speed

rescue equipment consisting of a device that fills with air and slows your fall

with relatively high volume

a grand and imposing entrance

be afloat; stay on a liquid surface; not sink

push oneself off a surface and into the air by using the muscles in one’s legs and feet

beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

an instance of rapid strong pulsation (of the heart)

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

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#1944

### What Is Terminal Velocity?

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Question **1** of **3**

### The maximum velocity an object reaches when falling under the force of gravity is known as what?

- amaximum velocityNot Quite!
- bminimum velocityNot Quite!
- cvelociraptureNot Quite!
- dterminal velocityCorrect!

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Question **2** of **3**

### When Felix Baumgartner jumped to Earth from the stratosphere in 2012, he reached an estimated top speed of approximately how many miles per hour?

- a125Not Quite!
- b210Not Quite!
- c500Not Quite!
- d840Correct!

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Question **3** of **3**

### For an object to reach terminal velocity, air resistance must balance the object’s what?

- aheightNot Quite!
- bweightCorrect!
- cgeometryNot Quite!
- dareaNot Quite!

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