Terminal Velocity

Highest speed in free-fall.

During a free-fall terminal velocity is reached a few seconds after the drop.

Based on wind resistance, for example, the terminal speed of a skydiver in a belly-to-earth (i.e., face down) free fall position is about 195 km/h (120 mph; 54 m/s). This speed is the asymptotic limiting value of the speed, and the forces acting on the body balance each other more and more closely as the terminal speed is approached. In this example, a speed of 50% of terminal speed is reached after only about 3 seconds, while it takes 8 seconds to reach 90%, 15 seconds to reach 99% and so on.
Wikipedia, Terminal Velocity, 2019.

Skydivers have high terminal speed however there are birds that can easily overtake any skydiver.


World Atlas, The Fastest Birds In The World, 2019.

The Peregrine Falcon reaches terminal speeds of 389 km/hr and the Golden Eagle reaches terminal speeds of 240 – 320 km/hr. So these two birds can easily overtake any skydiver in a free-fall. They are both raptors (flesh eating birds). This was only recently, however 1400 years ago this was portrayed in the Quran:

[Quran 22:31] Being true to Allah, without associating anything with Him. Whoever associates anything with Allah it is as though he has fallen from the sky, and was snatched by the birds, or was taken down by the wind to a deep place.

Was snatched by the birds” these birds are attacking humans means they are raptors. But to catch humans in mid-air they have to dive faster than the skydiver. Today we know that there are two raptors that can easily overtake any skydiver.

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