Daily Archives: September 10, 2013

The typical speed of a falling raindrop depends on the size of the drop. Gravity pulls everything downward. As an object falls, it experiences a frictional drag that counters the downward force of gravity. When the gravity and frictional drag are balanced, we have an equilibrium fall speed that is known as the terminal velocity of the object. The terminal velocity depends on the size, shape and mass of the raindrop and the density of the air. Thus, it is worth talking a bit about the shape and size of raindrops. Continue reading →