How does surface area affect air resistance?
The greater the SA, the greater the air resistance; one can visualise this by looking at two separate models. If you were to swoosh a piece of A4 paper through the air, it would flap backwards, because it experiences air resistance (i.e. a negative normal force to the velocity of the motion, the air molecules block access through them). However, if you were to crack a whip, it would fly through the air molecules because there is less surface area to restrict its movement. Physics can be kinky.
