what is air resistance

Air resistance, also known as drag, is a force that opposes the relative motion of an object as it passes through the air. It is a type of friction that occurs between air and another object. The drag forces act opposite to the oncoming flow velocity, thus slowing the object down. Air resistance is usually calculated using the "drag equation," which determines the force experienced by an object moving through a fluid or gas at a given velocity. As an object falls through the air, it usually encounters some degree of air resistance. The actual amount of air resistance encountered by the object is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the speed of the object and the cross-sectional area of the object. Increased speeds result in an increased amount of air resistance.