Free Fall Time and Velocity Calculator
Enter a height to calculate how long it takes an object to fall that distance under gravity, and how fast it's moving when it lands.
Free Fall Time and Velocity Calculator
Calculates the time it takes an object to fall a given height and its velocity at impact, ignoring air resistance.
This calculator uses the standard kinematics equations for an object dropped from rest — solving h = ½gt² for time, then using v = gt to find impact velocity — to determine how long a fall takes and how fast the object is moving when it lands. As with most introductory free-fall problems, it ignores air resistance, which makes it accurate for dense, compact objects over modest heights but less accurate for light or high-drag objects like a feather or a piece of paper.
Example
- With the default values shown above, this calculator returns: Fall Time ≈ 2.02 s; Impact Velocity ≈ 19.8 m/s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this account for air resistance?
No — like most introductory free-fall formulas, this ignores air resistance and assumes the object falls purely under gravity from rest, so light or aerodynamically resistant objects will fall somewhat slower in reality.
What formulas are used?
Fall time uses h = ½gt² solved for t, and impact velocity uses v = gt, both assuming the object starts from rest and standard Earth gravity of 9.8 m/s².
Sources
- Standard formula, publicly documented method