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Terminal Velocity Calculator

Works out the top speed of a falling object.

About 0.47 for a sphere, 0.7–1 for a falling person and 1.1–1.3 for a flat plate facing the flow. Estimate it from a similar shape.

Air at sea level and 15 °C is about 1.225 kg/m³. It falls with altitude, which raises the speed.

m/s²

Standard Earth gravity is 9.80665. The Moon is about 1.62 and Mars about 3.71.

Terminal velocity
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Drag at that speed, equal to the weight —
Assumes —

The formula

v = √(2mg ÷ (ρ A Cd))

At this speed the drag force ½ρv²ACd equals the weight mg, so acceleration stops.

What to watch out for

The result depends heavily on area and drag coefficient, so treat it as an estimate unless both have been measured.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terminal velocity of a skydiver?

For 80 kg, 0.7 m² and a drag coefficient of 0.7, about 51.1 m/s, or 184 km/h.

How does mass change it?

Terminal velocity rises with the square root of mass, so four times the mass at the same size doubles it.

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