Chapter 6.1, Problem 6.1CE

CASE STUDY Skydiving Arguments

Take a moment to think about each student’s argument.

a. Avi argues that the air exerts a force on the skydivers. Does that argument seem possible? If so, how could air help the skydivers create the formation we see in Figure 6.1? As you formulate your answers to these questions, think about this key question: Why do skydivers use parachutes in the first place?

b. According to Shannon’s suggestion, the plane’s altitude is constantly decreasing so that it is always alongside the divers. Does this situation mean that the plane must be accelerating? If so, what is that acceleration, and what sensation would a person on the plane experience? If not, what can you say about the motion of the plane?

c. Cameron argues that the physics we study in the classroom is good only for ideal conditions and that the world is more complicated than any situation we see in class. Cameron says people jumping out of airplanes are not particles and cannot be treated like particles. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer. It may be helpful to return to Chapter 2 to see how a particle was defined.