Which statement defines terminal velocity?

• A. The constant velocity when drag force equals weight.
• B. The velocity at which acceleration due to gravity becomes zero.
• C. The speed of light in air.
• D. The maximum possible speed of any falling object.

Answer: (A)

Terminal velocity is the steady speed reached by a falling object when air resistance (drag) balances its weight. When drag equals weight, the forces cancel and the net force is zero, so there is no further acceleration and the velocity remains constant. Gravity is still pulling down, but the upward drag exactly opposes it, giving zero net force.

That’s why the statement describing a constant velocity at the point where drag equals weight is the correct description. It’s not that gravity’s own acceleration becomes zero, since gravity is still acting; it’s the overall acceleration that becomes zero because drag balances the weight. The speed of light in air has nothing to do with this, and terminal velocity isn’t a universal maximum for all falling objects—it depends on the object and the fluid.