> I was always under the impression that air drag was the square of
velocity,
> and a search for "drag square velocity" on Google seems to return about
> 14,000 hits that agree.


The "traditional" drag formula, which give reasonable  results for subsonic
rockets, falling bowling balls,  skydivers and raindrops is

    Drag = 0.5 * Rho * Cd * A * V^2

Where Rho is fluid density
A is projected frontal area
Cd is drag coefficient
V = Velocity

In SI units:

For air at sealevel Rho is about 1.3 kg/m^3

Cd depends on frontal shape - use 1.0 for a flat plate, 0.3 is a super slick
low low drag design.

A in m^2, V in m/s

Drag in Newtons

Note that this formula is (as all are) a compromise solution which provides
reasonable results in many situations. Real drag calculations need rather
more than frontal area, density and velocity.



        RM

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