Originally Posted by
meleagertoo
...but what of a large area item of minimal mass like a crisp packet or a piece of tissue paper? Isn't there a point beyond which something with so little mass and such large area ( & thus drag) will be slowed below a velocity that will burn it and so it just floats down?
It's the slowing down process that is the problem. Low mass and large area, but also an irregular and rough shape, means that it will generate a significant amount of drag but at the speeds involved, that means a lot of friction and thus heat. It will burn up long before it gets to a speed at which it can float down.