ASSESSMENT 09 | Materials 2A | Lesson 04

Terminal velocity
ACADEMY FULL NAME: _________________________________________________
DATE : ____________________________ CLASS: AS Physics
_________________

1. Match the word with its definition by writing the correct letter next to each word

ACADEM Y VO CABUL ARY BANK

A fluid moves with uniform lines in which the velocity
viscosity ________ a)
is constant over time.

A numerical value given to a fluid to indicate how

coefficient of viscosity ________ b)
much it resists flow.

The velocity of a falling object when its weight is

laminar flow ________ c) balanced by the sum of the drag and up-thrust acting
on it

terminal velocity ________ d) How resistant a fluid is to flowing.

2. A student measured the terminal velocity of different objects as they fell through a liquid.
The student used the measurements and Stokes’ law to calculate the viscosity of the
liquid. For which of the following conditions does Stokes’ law apply?

Spherical objects and laminar flow Cylindrical objects and laminar flow

Spherical objects and low viscosity Cylindrical objects and low viscosity

3. Why is it difficult to calculate the terminal velocity for a Bach falling from a high rooftop?

4. A spherical meteorite, of radius 2m and made of pure iron, falls towards Earth. Falls
towards Earth.

a) For its fall through the air, use Stokes’ law to calculate the meteorite’s terminal velocity.

Answer:

HA-P102 | International AS-Level Physics Assessment 09 PAGE 1

 o
b) The meteorite lands in a tropical freshwater lake that is at 20 C and continues sinking
underwater. Use Stokes’ law to calculate its new terminal velocity.

Answer:

c) What assumptions have you made in order to make these calculations?

5. The experiment shown below was carried out using glycerin as the liquid through which
the sphere was dropped, but the experiment was repeated at different temperatures from
o o
10 C up to 50 C.

glass
cylinder

steel ball
bearing

ruler glycerin

a) In what way would the density of the ball bearing change as the temperature increased for
each experiment

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 b) In what way would the upthrust on the ball bearing change as the temperature of the glycerin
was increased for each experiment.

c) Explain how the viscosity of glycerin changes as the temperature increases.

d) At each temperature, the student drew a graph of terminal velocity against the square of the
radius of the ball bearing. Explain how the gradient of the graph would change with the
temperature changes and why.

e) Why is this experiment likely to be inconclusive if water were used instead of glycerin?

6. In a falling-ball method to investigate the viscosity of a liquid, ball bearings with two
different diameters are allowed to fall through two different liquids, X and Y. The viscosity
of liquid X is greater than the viscosity of liquid Y. Put a tick mark (✓ ) beneath the set-up
below that shows the ball bearing with the greatest terminal velocity.

Liquid X Liquid Y Liquid X Liquid Y

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 7. A sample of sea water is collected using a beaker. The sample contains some particles
of sand which settle at the bottom of the beaker. Which of the following would result in a
decrease in the time taken for the sand to settle?

smaller particles of sand lower temperature of the sea water

smaller terminal velocity of sand particles lower viscosity of the sea water

8. A student used steel ball bearings falling through a viscous liquid to investigate the
relationship between the terminal velocity v of a ball bearing and its radius r. A free body
force diagram for a ball bearing of radius 5.00mm falling through the liquid is shown. The
up-thrust on the ball bearing has been ignored.

viscous drag

Diagram NOT to scale

weight

a) Show that the weight of a ball bearing with a radius of 5.0mm is about 4 x 10-2N. Density of
!"
steel = 8.0 x 103 #! .

Answer:

b) Calculate the terminal velocity of the ball bearing as it falls through the liquid. You may
ignore the up-thrust o the ball bearing. Viscosity of liquid = 1.8 Pa s

Answer:

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9 When water vapor in the atmosphere cools it condenses, forming tiny drops of water.
These drops increase in size by colliding with each other and fall back to the ground as
rain. [JUN2019P1Q18]

a) As a raindrop falls through the air it eventually reaches its terminal velocity. The up-thrust on
the raindrop can be considered to be negligible. Explain what is mean by the terminal velocity
of the raindrop. Your answer should include a free-body force diagram for the raindrop when
terminal velocity has been reached.

b) The air resistance F acting on a raindrop travelling at a velocity v, can be determined using
the expression F = 0.45ρAv2. Where A is the cross-sectional area of the raindrop and 𝜌 is the
density of the air. Calculate the terminal velocity of a spherical raindrop of radius 2.0 x 10-3m.
$%
q Density of air = 1.2& !

$%
q Density of rainwater = 1.0 x 103 & !

Answer:

d) Explain how the viscosity of glycerin changes as the temperature increases.

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 e) Why is this experiment likely to be inconclusive if water were used instead of glycerin?

10 Stokes’ law can be used to determine the magnitude of the viscous drag for small,
spherical objects moving through a fluid. [JAN2020P1Q12]

a) State one other condition that must be met in order for Stokes’ law to apply to the moving
object.

&
b) A sphere falls through water at a constant speed of 0.50 ' . Assess whether Stokes’ law can
be applied to the falling sphere. You should include calculations in your answer.

Diameter of ball bearing = 6.0 x 10 -3 m Upthrust on the ball bearing = 1.1 x 10 -3 N

Mass of steel ball bearing = 9.1 x 10-4 kg Viscosity of water = 8.9 x 10 -4 Pa s

Answer:

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