Can you catch someone while skydiving?

That would be very unlikely to happen. Most planes at skydive dropzones only take you to 15K feet max. To go above that, the plane has to provide oxygen tubes for you to breathe before disconnecting and jumping off.

What forces act on a parachute when it falls?

The main forces acting on a parachute are gravity and drag. When you first release the parachute, the force of gravity pulls it downward, and the parachute speeds toward the ground. The faster the parachute falls, though, the more drag it creates.

Can I skydive with my husband?

Can couples actually skydive together? Actually, yes! Licensed solo skydivers skydive together as a couple all the time!

What if I pass out while skydiving?

As we said above, it is highly unusual for someone to pass out while skydiving, but it can happen. If you happen to pass out while skydiving, you are physically attached to your instructor. S/he will take the lead and will do all they can to help get you both back safely to the ground.

What happens if there is no air in a parachute?

If there were no air, the two objects would hit the ground at the same time. To slow down a fall of an object, you will want to create more drag. That’s the goal of a parachute. Feathers make better parachutes than rocks.

Why does a feather on a parachute slow down the fall?

There is more friction between the feather and the air around it. If there were no air, the two objects would hit the ground at the same time. To slow down a fall of an object, you will want to create more drag. That’s the goal of a parachute.

How does a skydiver land safely with a parachute?

The skydiver falls at a slower pace and is able to safely land. Figure 2. Forces acting on a skydiver coming down with a parachute. As shown in Figure 2, scientists represent forces with directional arrows. The arrow points to where the force pulls or pushes.

What is the force that pulls the skydiver down?

Gravity pulls the skydiver down. Gravity is a force, and forces have the ability to change the speed of objects. On your worksheet, draw the skydiver falling. Ask a few students how you can tell that the skydiver is falling in their drawing. Students should have indicated that their skydiver moves and has speed.