Terminal Velocity Calculator
Steady falling speed at which air resistance exactly balances weight.
Results
Terminal velocity
42.776
m/s
Speed
153.99
km/h
Weight
784.53
N
What this tool does
A falling object stops accelerating when drag matches its weight, and from then on it descends at a constant speed — no matter how far it still has to fall. Change the frontal area and you change everything: a skydiver spread flat falls at around half the speed of one diving head-down.
Formula
v = √(2 m g ÷ (ρ A Cd))
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
m | Mass | kg |
a | Frontal area | m² |
cd | Drag coefficient | — |
ro | Air density | kg/m³ |
V | Terminal velocity | m/s |
VK | Speed | km/h |
W | Weight | N |
Worked example
- Mass80 kg
- Frontal area0.7 m²
- Drag coefficient1
- Air density1.225 kg/m³
- Terminal velocity42.776 m/s
- Speed153.99 km/h
- Weight784.53 N
Limitations
- The formula assumes ideal conditions: no friction losses, no air resistance and no efficiency losses unless you enter them.
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.