Impact velocity is the speed of an object just before it collides with another object or surface. It is used in physics and engineering, particularly in fields such as mechanics, material science, and crash testing. The impact velocity can influence the severity of the collision, including the forces exerted during the impact, the potential for damage to the objects involved, and the energy transferred in the collision. It depends on factors such as the object's initial velocity, the height from which it falls, air resistance, and the gravitational acceleration acting on it. For free-falling objects (ignoring air resistance), the impact velocity can be calculated using the kinematic equation below.
Impact Velocity Formula |
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\( v \;=\; \sqrt{ v_i^2 + 2 \cdot g \cdot h }\) (Impact Velocity) \( v_i \;=\; \sqrt{ v^2 - 2 \cdot g \cdot h }\) \( g \;=\; \dfrac{ v^2 - v_i^2 }{ 2 \cdot h }\) \( h \;=\; \dfrac{ v^2 - v_i^2 }{ 2 \cdot g }\) |
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| Symbol | English | Metric |
| \( v \) = Impact Velocity | \(ft \;/\; sec\) | \(m \;/\; s\) |
| \( v_i \) = Initial Velocity | \(ft \;/\; sec\) | \(m \;/\; s\) |
| \( g \) = Gravitational Acceleration | \(ft \;/\; sec^2\) | \(m \;/\; s^2\) |
| \( h \) = Fall Height | \(ft\) | \(m\) |
