# What is the terminal velocity of an average person?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 3, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242 "2006-06-03T02:59:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/1 "2006-06-03T02:59:36Z")

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Any idea?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/2 "2006-06-03T03:04:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> “A person has a terminal velocity of about 200 mph when balled up and about 125 mph with arms and feet fully extended to catch the wind.”

[http://hypertextbook.com/facts/JianHuang.shtml](http://hypertextbook.com/facts/JianHuang.shtml)

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/3 "2006-06-03T03:04:09Z")

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Typically on the order of about 120 MPH, in a skydiving overall with arms and legs spread out. If the skydiver pulls his arms and legs in tight, he can get up to about 200 MPH, typically. Actual figures will vary depending on body weight, clothing and posture.

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/4 "2006-06-03T03:30:42Z")

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Nice simulpost.

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**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/5 "2006-06-03T15:55:47Z")

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> [@Surbey](#):
>
> Any idea?

Depends on the mechanism used to lower the casket.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/6 "2006-06-03T16:32:45Z")

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> [@CynicalGabe](#):
>
> Nice simulpost.

Perhaps they are tandem skydiving?

**QED** and **QtM**.

Hmmm.

Who’s on top?

😃

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**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2006, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-terminal-velocity-of-an-average-person/359242/7 "2006-06-03T16:38:41Z")

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> [@Surbey](#):
>
> Any idea?

The correct answer has already been supplied so …

Terminal velocity in the context of a sky diver is rather macabre. If continued it can turn the “average” person into a relative rarity and also quite short.