free fall
Gravity's unopposed pull
Free fall is descent under the influence of gravity alone, without resistance or propulsion.
Skydivers experience free fall before opening their parachutes.
The term extends to any rapid, uncontrolled decline: The stock market went into free fall.
In physics, free fall describes the motion of objects affected only by gravitational force—technically, even orbiting astronauts are in continuous free fall.
Sudden steep descent
- plummetRapid downward descent
- crashSudden violent impact
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- tumbleUncontrolled rolling descent
decline · drop · spiral · downturn · slide · market crash · bottom out · capitulation
Maximum speed during freefall
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- weightlessnessAbsence of apparent mass
air resistance · drag · momentum · mass · g-force · trajectory · kinetic energy · potential energy
Drag-creating descent device
- wingsuitWearable gliding apparatus
- tandemSequential two-person arrangement
- dropzoneAerial delivery target area
- canopyOverhead protective covering
altimeter · jumpmaster · HALO · static line · rigging · exit point · tracking · deployment
Emergency response hormone
- rushQuick sudden movement
- exhilarationIntense joyful excitement
- excitementState of eager enthusiasm
- euphoriaIntense emotional high
heart-pounding · breathtaking · vertigo · butterflies · sensation · intensity · white-knuckle · daredevil
Serious threat of harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- precariousDangerously insecure
- fatalCausing death or ruin
catastrophe · accident · injury · malfunction · emergency · fear · panic · uncontrolled
plunge
Sudden steep descent
tumble · decline · drop · spiral · downturn · slide · market crash · bottom out · capitulation · meltdown
terminal velocity
Maximum speed during freefall
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- gravityMutual mass attraction
weightlessness · air resistance · drag · momentum · mass · g-force · trajectory · kinetic energy · potential energy · Newton
parachute
Drag-creating descent device
- wingsuitWearable gliding apparatus
- tandemSequential two-person arrangement
- dropzoneAerial delivery target area
canopy · altimeter · jumpmaster · HALO · static line · rigging · exit point · tracking · deployment · jumpsuit
adrenaline
Emergency response hormone
- rushQuick sudden movement
- exhilarationIntense joyful excitement
- excitementState of eager enthusiasm
euphoria · heart-pounding · breathtaking · vertigo · butterflies · sensation · intensity · white-knuckle · daredevil · leap of faith
peril
Serious threat of harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- precariousDangerously insecure
fatal · catastrophe · accident · injury · malfunction · emergency · fear · panic · uncontrolled · helpless
- Stuntsstunt, stuntman, stunt double, daredevil, stunt performer
- Market Crashescrash, market collapse, collapse, Black Monday, Black Tuesday
- drop ridesvertical drop, plunge
- vertical dropsplunge, descent, waterfall, cliff dive, bungee jump
- Airborne trainingjump school, static line, night jump, water jump, HALO
- Simplificationsideal gas, frictionless, point source, rigid body, blackbody
free fallcontrolled descent
Intentional, regulated falling
gliding · parachuting · powered flight · soft landing · floating
free fallsuspension
Temporary halt or exclusion
hovering · levitation · weightlessness · floating · buoyancy