On the air resistance of projectiles

In making this study, the author had in mind its applications to the problem of meteoric impact. The different laws of resistance, heretofore proposed, contain too many empirical or hypothetical elements to permit a safe extrapolation to cosmic velocities. A more thorough investigation into the theoretical aspects of the problem seemed, therefore, desirable. It is known from the experimental results of aeronautics and hydraulics and from their theoretical analysis, that, for moderate velocities, already, the influence of viscosity is small compared with that of inertia.