Terminal Velocity Calculator

Calculate the steady falling speed where drag exactly balances weight.

About Terminal Velocity Calculator

Terminal velocity is reached when drag equals weight. Because drag rises with the square of speed, the approach is asymptotic — 95 per cent is reached in a few time constants but the limit is never quite attained. A skydiver changes terminal velocity by a factor of three purely by changing frontal area, which is why body position controls fall rate.

Formula

Terminal Velocity

v_t = √(2 m g ÷ (C_d A ρ))

C_d: Drag coefficient of the shape
A: Frontal area
ρ: Air density

Worked example

With the default values below, Terminal Velocity Calculator returns Terminal Velocity of 42.784. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Massminimum 0.01 kg: 80 kg
Drag coefficientaccepts 0.01–3: 1
Frontal areaminimum 0.001 m2: 0.7 m2
Air densityminimum 0.01 kg/m3: 1.225 kg/m3

Results

Terminal Velocity: 42.784 m/s
Terminal Velocity: 154.02 km/h
Drag Force at Terminal Velocity: 784.80 N
Time to Reach 95% of Terminal Velocity: 7.99 s
Distance to Reach 95% of Terminal Velocity: 124.6 m

Step by step

1Values used
2Terminal Velocity
3Terminal Velocity= 42.784 m/s
4Terminal Velocity= 154.02 km/h
5Drag Force at Terminal Velocity= 784.80 N
6Time to Reach 95% of Terminal Velocity= 7.99 s
7Distance to Reach 95% of Terminal Velocity= 124.6 m

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Terminal Velocity calculated?

v_t = √(2 m g ÷ (C_d A ρ)) Terminal velocity is reached when drag equals weight. Because drag rises with the square of speed, the approach is asymptotic — 95 per cent is reached in a few time constants but the limit is never quite attained.

Why does Terminal Velocity matter?

A skydiver changes terminal velocity by a factor of three purely by changing frontal area, which is why body position controls fall rate.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 4 inputs: Mass, Drag coefficient, Frontal area, Air density. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.