How long does it take a rain drop to fall from the sky to hit the floor?
Asked by
cage (
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July 6th, 2008
And if you can also tell me what the terminal velocity of a rain drop is, that would be very much appreciated.
If people are wondering about at what height the rain drop is falling, lets say it’s falling from the sky and hitting the ground at sea level.
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4 Answers
I’m no expert but I guess it would vary because of the pollutants and other various materials floating in the air. For example, if you lived in San Francisco it might not take as along for the drop to fall through the air as it would in a cleaner place like Alaska because of the terminal velocity increasing with the other materials getting mixed into it. Now this all a guess I really don’t have a clue if I’m right or wrong, but it sure sounds like I know what I’m talking about :)
Rain clouds form at an altitude of up to 65,000 ft., which is around 11 miles from sea level. Meteorologists commonly accept a falling rate of between 4 and 20 miles per hour , depending on the size of a droplet, wind conditions and other environmental factors. This means that a rain drop can often have been falling for an hour or more before it hits your head.
Source: http://www.wonderquest.com/falling-raindrops.htm
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_cloud
Here is a website that might help.
Correction: 60,000 ft. not 65. I am referring to the common cumulonimbus (rain) cloud.
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