Terminal Velocity Calculator

What This Calculator Does

This tool estimates terminal velocity — the constant maximum speed a falling object reaches once air resistance (drag) grows strong enough to exactly balance the downward pull of gravity, so the object stops accelerating.

The Formula

Terminal velocity is calculated using v = √(2mg / (ρ × A × Cd)), where v is terminal velocity in meters per second, m is mass in kilograms, g is gravitational acceleration (9.80665 m/s²), ρ is air density in kg/m³ (approximately 1.225 at sea level), A is the object’s cross-sectional area in square meters, and Cd is its dimensionless drag coefficient, which depends on shape (a skydiver in belly-to-earth position is roughly 1.0).

Practical Notes

A heavier object, a smaller frontal area, or a more streamlined (lower Cd) shape all increase terminal velocity, while a larger surface area or higher drag (like an open parachute) reduce it dramatically. This is why skydivers fall much faster before opening a parachute than after.

• Results assume constant air density and a simplified drag model, for general educational purposes only.