Enter the velocity, cross-sectional area, drag coefficient, and air density into the calculator to determine the wind resistance on an object.
Wind Resistance Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the wind resistance on an object:
WR = 0.5 * Cd * ρ * A * V²
Variables:
- WR is the wind resistance (N)
- Cd is the drag coefficient (dimensionless)
- ρ is the air density (kg/m³)
- A is the cross-sectional area (m²)
- V is the velocity relative to the air (m/s)
To calculate wind resistance, multiply 0.5 by the drag coefficient, air density, cross-sectional area, and the square of the velocity relative to the air.
What is Wind Resistance?
Wind resistance, also known as air resistance or drag, is the force exerted by air on an object moving through it. This force acts in the opposite direction to the object’s motion and increases with the square of the velocity. It is an important factor in various fields such as automotive design, aerospace engineering, and sports science.
How to Calculate Wind Resistance?
The following steps outline how to calculate the wind resistance on an object:
- First, determine the velocity (V) of the object relative to the air in meters per second (m/s).
- Next, determine the cross-sectional area (A) of the object facing the wind in square meters (m²).
- Next, determine the drag coefficient (Cd) of the object, which is a dimensionless number.
- Next, determine the air density (ρ) in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³).
- Next, gather the formula from above = WR = 0.5 * Cd * ρ * A * V².
- Finally, calculate the wind resistance (WR) in Newtons (N).
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem:
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Velocity (V) = 15 m/s
Cross-Sectional Area (A) = 2 m²
Drag Coefficient (Cd) = 1.05
Air Density (ρ) = 1.225 kg/m³