Summary
A differential equation is presented accounting for the effect of aerodynamic drag on a falling sphere along with its analytical solution. The resulting expression for the velocity of the ball predicts a terminal velocity of approximately 8 m/s. A falling ping-pong ball was recorded using a high-speed video, and the results correlate well with the analytical prediction.
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References
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French, R.M. Part 4: Dropping a ping-pong ball. Exp Tech 30, 59–60 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1567.2006.00017.x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1567.2006.00017.x