About the Terminal Velocity Calculator
A falling object speeds up until the push of the air equals its weight. After that it falls at a steady speed, called terminal velocity. This calculator finds that speed from the mass, the area facing the air, the drag coefficient of the shape and the density of the air. It has presets for a skydiver in two poses, a sphere, a cube, a flat plate and a parachute. Type the mass, the frontal area, the shape and the air density and the terminal velocity appears at once, with a few related figures underneath, and you can copy the result with one tap. The sums run in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Terminal Velocity Calculator
- 1Enter the mass, the frontal area, the shape and the air density.
- 2Pick the units or options from the menus if the terminal velocity tool offers them.
- 3Read the terminal velocity in the large result box.
- 4Look at the extra rows for related figures.
- 5Press Copy result to keep the answer.
When you need the terminal velocity
Skydivers, engineers and teachers use the formula. It explains why a parachute works, why raindrops do not hurt, why a cat survives falls better than expected, and how the speed of a dive changes with body position.
The drag coefficient depends on shape and speed, and the frontal area is what the air sees from the front. Real skydivers reach about 55 m/s belly down because their effective area and coefficient differ from these simple presets.
How the terminal velocity is worked out
Terminal velocity = √(2 × mass × g ÷ (air density × drag coefficient × frontal area)). A skydiver of 80 kg with a frontal area of 0.7 m² and a drag coefficient of 1.0 reaches 42.8 m/s, about 154 km/h. Diving head down (Cd 0.7) raises it to 51.1 m/s, 184 km/h. With a 25 m² parachute (Cd 1.75) the speed falls to 5.4 m/s, a gentle 19.5 km/h.
Every answer on this page comes from that one rule, so you can check any result by hand with a calculator. The figures shown underneath, such as other units, are conversions of the same answer.
- Seven shapes
- Air density adjustable
- km/h and mph shown
Mistakes to avoid with terminal velocity
The formula assumes air of constant density. At altitude the air is thinner and terminal velocity is higher, so a skydiver speeds up in the thin air at the start of a jump and slows down as the air thickens. Use a lower air density to model height.
On phone and computer
On a phone, type into the boxes one after another and read the terminal velocity underneath; Copy result puts it on the clipboard for a message or a note. On a computer the inputs sit on the left and the answer on the right, so you can change one figure and watch the terminal velocity move. The terminal velocity calculator works the same on both. Falling speed depends on drag and mass. Compare a fall without air with the Free Fall Calculator, find mass from volume with the Density Calculator, and see the force with the Force Calculator.
Features
- Frontal area, not total area
- Thin air raises the speed
- Presets are approximations
- Clear messages when the terminal velocity inputs make no sense
- Copy the result with one tap
- Private: nothing is uploaded
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate terminal velocity?
Terminal velocity = √(2 × mass × g ÷ (air density × drag coefficient × frontal area)). A skydiver of 80 kg with a frontal area of 0.7 m² and a drag coefficient of 1.0 reaches 42.8 m/s, about 154 km/h. Diving head down (Cd 0.7) raises it to 51.1 m/s, 184 km/h. With a 25 m² parachute (Cd 1.75) the speed falls to 5.4 m/s, a gentle 19.5 km/h.
What is the formula for terminal velocity?
Terminal velocity = √(2 × mass × g ÷ (air density × drag coefficient × frontal area)). The terminal velocity calculator applies it exactly and rounds only the displayed answer to six significant figures.
Why does the speed stop rising?
Drag grows with the square of the speed until it equals the weight. After that there is no net force.
What is a drag coefficient?
A number describing how easily a shape moves through air. A streamlined body has a small one, a flat plate a large one.
Does a heavier object fall faster in air?
Yes, other things being equal, because it needs more drag to balance its weight.
Is this terminal velocity calculator free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no account and runs in your browser, so the numbers you type are not uploaded or stored.