Have you ever wondered how fast do raindrops fall? I mean, how long does it take for rain to reach the ground?
Let’s find out.
The speed of a raindrop depends on its size. The largest raindrops are about a quarter of a inch (0.65cm) and they fall at a speed of 20mph (32kmph). Smallest raindrops fall at a rate of 2mph (3.2kmph). This means that a large raindrop takes about 4 minutes to reach the earth when falling from a midlevel cloud (2000m from the earth’s surface). (the article continues after the ad)
By the way, even though we draw raindrops as a teardrop in order to give the image of falling, this is not the case. Raindrops are more shaped like a hamburger bun: they are flattened by the drag forces of the air as they are falling through.
If you like what you read, then you will definitely love this one: QUIZ: Test Your Knowledge With The Ultimate Science Quiz
Photo: Wikimedia
