| A parachute is a device used to slow down the motion of an object through the atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are made of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon. Parachutes must reduce an object's terminal vertical speed by a minimum 75% in order to be classified as such. Depending on the situation, parachutes are used with a variety of loads, including people, equipment, or bombs. |
