Kinematics
Free Fall Calculator
Calculate distance fallen, velocity reached, or time in free fall. Supports initial velocity and works for any planet — Earth, Moon, Mars and more.
Solve for
Distance
490.5
m
Velocity
98.1
m/s
Time
10
s
Same fall on different planets
🌍 Earth
490.5 m
🌕 Moon
81 m
🔴 Mars
186 m
🟠 Jupiter
1239.5 m
🪐 Saturn
522 m
⭐ Venus
443.5 m
☀️ Sun
13700 m
Step-by-step solution
Equations used
v = v₀ + g·t
d = v₀·t + ½·g·t²
v² = v₀² + 2·g·d
Your values (g = 9.81 m/s²)
d = 490.5 m
v = 98.1 m/s
t = 10 s
Free fall equations
Velocity from time
v = v₀ + g·t
Distance from time
d = v₀t + ½gt²
Velocity from distance
v² = v₀² + 2gd
Time from velocity
t = (v − v₀) / g
Time from distance
t = (−v₀ + √(v₀² + 2gd)) / g
Distance from velocity
d = (v² − v₀²) / (2g)
What is free fall?
Free fall is the motion of an object under gravity alone, with no air resistance. Near Earth's surface, all objects fall with the same acceleration g = 9.81 m/s² regardless of mass — a fact Galileo established and which seems counterintuitive until you understand that heavier objects need more force to accelerate but also have more gravity acting on them.
Real falling objects experience air drag, which creates a terminal velocity — the speed at which drag force equals gravitational force and acceleration reaches zero. For a full treatment, see our article on Free Fall and Terminal Velocity.
Does mass affect free fall?↓
No — in a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of mass. On the Moon (no atmosphere), a feather and a hammer fall together. Air resistance in the real world creates apparent differences.
What is the difference between free fall and projectile motion?↓
Free fall is purely vertical motion under gravity. Projectile motion combines horizontal velocity (which stays constant) with free fall in the vertical direction.