How to use the terminal velocity calculator
Estimate terminal velocity of a falling object with air drag. Enter mass, drag coefficient, frontal area, fluid density in the fields above; the terminal velocity, terminal velocity, terminal velocity are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- m — Mass (kg)
- Cd — Drag coefficient
- A — Frontal area (m²)
- rho — Fluid density (kg/m³)
Worked example
With mass = 80 kg, drag coefficient = 1, frontal area = 0.7 m², fluid density = 1.225 kg/m³, the calculator gives terminal velocity ≈ 42.7763 m/s; terminal velocity ≈ 153.9947 km/h; terminal velocity ≈ 95.68786 mph.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the terminal velocity calculation?
Terminal velocity (m/s) = √(2 × m × GRAV / (rho × A × Cd)). Terminal velocity (km/h) = [Terminal velocity] × 3.6. Terminal velocity (mph) = [Terminal velocity] × 2.236936. Here m is mass (kg), Cd is drag coefficient, A is frontal area (m²), rho is fluid density (kg/m³).
What inputs do I need for the terminal velocity calculator?
You need mass in kg, drag coefficient, frontal area in m², fluid density in kg/m³. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.