When rain falls why does it not hurt....?

Question

Why does rain not really hurt us when it travels at such a velocity from the sky? You would think that as far as it travels with gravity pushing it down that rain drops would be like tiny bullets...serious answers only please.

Answer 1

There is a terminal velocity ( due to air resistance) for raindrops as well as a maximum mass and size for the raindrops. The faster the raindrops, the lesser the volume of water in each raindrop because of the increasing pressure by the atmosphere, the raindrop has to break up. Notice how water from the tap narrows? Same principle. Because the mass is very little, even though it is travelling at a considerably high speed, the force is little.

Not only that, but most of the momentum is lost by the raindrop as it hits your skin. This is because the raindrop doesn't stay as a whole, but breaks up into many other droplets. The force by the raindrop is therefore not directed in a single direction on your skin but breaks up. Since there is less than 100% transfer of momentum, it doesn't hurt.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Seriously, the reasons are because:
1) Don't forget terminal velocity.
2) Don't forget air resistance. Rain droplets are extremely small & light (Does a feather hurt when thrown from the 100th floor? No. Does a leaf hurt when fallen from the tallest tree? No.).
3) Rain drops are too light.
4) Rain drops are not hard like a bullet. It is quickly flattened when it hits you, not like a bullet all concentrated on one point.

Actually the main reason is number 2 & 4. Rain is just like dust, billions of small lumps of dust dropping on you doesn't hurt.

Answer 3

In general terms

1) Rain doesn't actually fall from that high up so doesn't reach terminal velocity

2) Raindrops are very light

3) Raindrops deform on impact and therefore spreads the force transferred to the object it is hitting.

4) Air currents partially offset the effects of gravity

5) Air resistance adds to air currents in slowing down rain drops

As for rain not hurting at all;

Try standing in a proper tropical storm and then tell me that the rain doesn't at least sting.

Or stand in the rain when it is blowing a gale, it's near freezing, and the rain is coming at you horizontally.

Answer 4

There is something that is called "terminal velocity". It is the maximum velocity you can get from an object. For rain, the terminal velocity varies between 15-25 mph, depending on the size. But because raindrops are very light, it wouldnt hurt you.

Answer 5

It depends on the size of the water droplet, small droplets dont harm us but large ones can (given that the rain fall directly down and there is no wind). The speed at which they travel when they reach the earth it has already reached it terminal velocity which as I recall is at 10m.

Answer 6

Actually rain can hurt. It is a matter of degree. We have many terms to speak of rain. among them are soft rain, hard rain, driving rain, and stinging rain. The last two are so named because they DO hurt. They are usually associated with strong winds.

Answer 7

that too easily Have you heard of this

mass = gravity / time

for eaxmple the rain drop is weight abort 1 to 50g mi dunno
unless the is a rock it will hurt

the heavy thing the more powerful it became.

Answer 8

because it is light weight
it is spherical.
it has terminal velocity
therefore they did not hit us harshly like a bullet.