Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 1 of 6

By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

Executive Summary
When a baseball falls through air, it’s inertia is opposed by air friction.
The ball will achieve a terminal velocity when the mass of the ball matches
the air friction forces which oppose it. To reach the terminal velocity the ball
must have reached a minimum altitude above the local elevation.
The following equations, charts and examples explore the
“Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball”.

Main
The mass (W) of the baseball must match the aerodynamic forces D (air
friction) to reach terminal velocity.
W=D (equation-1)
W = mass of the baseball
D = aerodynamic drag
Drag is represented by:
p
D = CD   V 2 A (equation-2)
2
where:
CD = Coefficient of drag (0.43 for a sphere)
p = air density taken at sea level
V = Velocity
A = surface area of the sphere (1/2 of the total area)
Substituting W for D we have:
p
W = CD   V 2 A (equation-2a)
2
Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 2 of 6
By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

Solving for V (velocity):

p 2 CD P  V 2 A
W = CD   V A =
2 2
Multiply both sides by 2:
CD P  V 2 A
2W = (2) = 2W = CD P  V 2 A
2
Divide both sides by CD P  A:
2W C D  P  V2 A 2W
= = V2 =
CD P  A CD P  A C D P  A
Take the square root of both sides :
2W
V= (equation-3)
CD P  A

Characteristics of a Baseball Table-1

Variable Metric System Inch-Pound System
CD 0.43 0.43
W 1.39 newtons 10.05 poundals
3
P 1.226 kg/m 0.0766 lbs/ft3
A 0.00877 m2 0.0944 ft2

Note:
A represents ½ of the baseball sphere because only half of the sphere
represents the frontal area that is acted upon by the air resistance.
Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 3 of 6
By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

A poundal is a unit of force equal to the force that imparts an acceleration of

1 foot/sec/sec to a mass of 1 pound; equal to 0.1382 newtons
1 newton (N) is defined as the force required to give a mass of 1 kilogram
an acceleration of 1 m s-2.
1 pound of force = 4.45 newtons, average baseball weighs = 5 oz
5 oz 1.39
= 0.313 lbs 4.45 = 1.39 newtons = 10.05 poundals
oz 0.1382
16
lb

Applying table-1 and equation-3 the terminal velocity of a baseball

in the metric (SI) system International :

2W 2 1.39  m
V= = ( ) = 24.521
CD P  A 0.43 1.226  0.00877 sec
m ft
24.521 = 80.44 = 54.84 mph
sec sec

Applying table-1 and equation-3 the terminal velocity of a baseball

in the Inch-Pound (IP) system :

2W 2 10.05  ft
V= = ( ) = 80.4
CD P  A 0.43 0.0766  0.0944 sec
ft
80.4 = 54.8 mph
sec
Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 4 of 6
By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

The baseball must achieve a minimum altitude or it will not be able to reach
terminal velocity on the way down. The following expressions allow the
calculation of this minimum altitude.

V 2 = U 2 + 2gS (equation-4)
where:
S = distance
g = gravitational constant
U = initial velocity
gt 2
S= (equation-5)
2
where:
S = distance
g = gravitational constant
t = time in seconds
2
Substituting 80.4 ft_sec for V into equation-4: 80.4  = U 2 + 2gS
2
80.4  = 6464  6464 = U 2 + 2gS
subtract U 2 from both sides = 6464-U 2 = U 2 + 2gS - U 2  6464-U 2 = 2gS
6464-U 2 2gS  6464-U 2
Divide both sides by 2g : =  S= (equation-6)
2g 2g 2g
U = 0 at the point where the ball begins to drop, and g = 32.2 ft_sec 2
6464-0 2
S= = 100.4 feet
2 32.2 
The baseball must be at least 100.4 feet above the ground to reach it’s
terminal velocity.
Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 5 of 6
By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

To calculate the time that it will take for a baseball to reach it’s terminal
velocity during a fall from the height that was calculated on page 4 of 6,
equation-5 must be used.

gt 2
S= solving for t (time) :
2
gt 2
and
multiply both sides by 2  2S = 2 
2
and 2S gt 2 2S
divide both sides by g 
this is what you get
 =  t2 =
g g g
2S
take the square root of both sides  t =
g
plugging in our g = 32.2 ft_sec 2 and distance of 100.4 ft altitude

2 100.4 
t= = 2.497 seconds to fall from 100.4 feet and reach terminal velocity
32.2

Terminal Velocity Characteristics of a Baseball

Terminal Velocity 80.4 ft-second
Minimum Altitude to required to reach Terminal Velocity 100.4 feet
Time from altitude to reach terminal velocity 2.497 seconds

When the baseball reaches the ground if traveling at it’s terminal velocity
it will have a force of :
ft 5 oz
80.4 x = 25.1 foot pounds
sec 16 oz
lb
Terminal Velocity Of a Falling Baseball page 6 of 6
By William Greco
Warrington, Pa.
July 2009

William Greco- 2404 Greensward N. Warrington Pa. w2gre@verizon.net