Projectile physics for stunt-style jumps: enter launch speed,
ramp angle, and ramp-lip height — get jump distance, air time, and peak height.
Mode 2 solves the inverse problem: what speed is needed to reach a target distance.
Everything is computed in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
⚠ Do not try in the real world
This calculator is purely a physics education tool. Real car jumps may only be performed
by trained professional stunt drivers with modified cars, engineered ramps, and a medical team on standby.
This model also ignores air resistance, so results are a theoretical upper bound.
Mode 1 — Distance from speed
How far does the car jump at this speed and ramp?
Jump distance
0m
Air time
0s
Peak height
0m
Horizontal speed
0m/s
Vertical speed
0m/s
Mode 2 — Speed for target distance (inverse)
How fast must you go to land exactly at the target distance?
Required speed
0km/h
0m/s
0mph
Worked examples
Car at 80 km/h, 15° ramp, 1 m height
80 km/h = 22.22 m/s. Velocity components: vx = 21.47 m/s,
vy = 5.75 m/s. Air time t = 1.33 s, peak height 2.69 m,
and jump distance R = 28.48 m.
Inverse: 30 m target, 15° ramp, 1 m height
Required speed: 82.35 km/h (22.88 m/s ≈ 51.17 mph).
Methodology
R = (v₀·cosθ/g)·(v₀·sinθ + √((v₀·sinθ)² + 2·g·h₀))
with g = 9.80665 m/s². Inverse mode uses the analytic solution
v₀ = R·g / (cosθ · √(2·(g·h₀ + R·g·tanθ))),
validated round-trip: feeding its result back into the forward formula yields exactly the target distance.
Honest assumptions: air resistance ignored (vacuum model), the ramp treated as a perfect incline,
and the car treated as a point mass — body rotation at launch is not modeled.
Scope: what is (and is not) computed
This tool = vacuum projectile physics. Answers “how far” and “how fast”
for ramp jumps using the standard projectile equations.
NOT a stunt simulator. Does not model air resistance, suspension, car pitch rotation,
tire deformation, or landing — all life-or-death factors in real stunts.
NOT a drag-ballistics tool. For projectiles where air resistance matters
(bullets, model rockets), use
ballistic-coefficient (#1521).
NOT a free-fall calculator. For objects dropped vertically with no initial speed,
use free-fall-velocity.
Jump distance is computed as projectile motion from the ramp lip: R = (v₀·cosθ/g)·(v₀·sinθ + √((v₀·sinθ)² + 2·g·h₀)), where v₀ is launch speed, θ is ramp angle, h₀ is launch height, and g = 9.80665 m/s². Time in the air t = (v₀·sinθ + √((v₀·sinθ)² + 2·g·h₀))/g, and peak height h_max = h₀ + (v₀·sinθ)²/(2g). Example: 80 km/h (22.22 m/s) on a 15° ramp 1 m high gives v_x = 21.47 m/s, v_y = 5.75 m/s, t = 1.33 s, and R = 28.48 m.
How do you calculate the speed needed to reach a target distance?
Use mode 2 (inverse): enter the target distance, ramp angle, and launch height, and the calculator solves the projectile formula analytically for v₀: v₀ = R·g/(cosθ·√(2·(g·h₀ + R·g·tanθ))). Example: to jump 30 m from a 15° ramp 1 m high requires v₀ = 82.35 km/h (22.88 m/s ≈ 51.17 mph).
Which speed units are supported?
Three units: km/h, mph, and m/s. Conversion uses exact factors (1 km/h = 1/3.6 m/s; 1 mph = 0.44704 m/s), so 80 km/h is exactly equal to 22.22 m/s — no hidden rounding.
Which ramp angle gives the farthest distance?
In projectile theory from flat ground (h₀ = 0), a 45° angle gives maximum distance. But real stunt ramps rarely use such steep angles: 10–25° is far more common because steep ramps risk pitching the car nose-up at launch and landing hard. This calculator accepts 0–60° so you can compare each angle result at the same speed yourself.
How does launch height affect distance?
Initial height adds air time, so distance grows, though the effect is small compared to speed. Example: a car at 50 km/h launching flat (θ = 0°) from 2 m height flies 0.64 s and lands 8.87 m from the lip — while from ground level (h₀ = 0) at 0° the distance is zero. On the other hand, adding height without angle never beats adding speed.
Does this calculator account for air resistance?
No. The computation uses the vacuum model (no air resistance), just like physics textbooks. At real stunt speeds (80–120 km/h) air resistance shortens the jump slightly versus the calculator figures, so treat results as a theoretical upper bound, not a guarantee. For serious air-drag modeling, see our ballistic-coefficient tool.
May I try a real car jump?
Do not. This calculator is purely a physics education tool. Real car jumps are dangerous stunts that may only be performed by trained professionals with modified cars, engineered ramps, a safe landing zone, and a medical team on standby — a small miscalculation can be fatal. Never attempt one based on the numbers on this page.
Can it be used for motorcycles, BMX bikes, or skateboards?
Yes, the physics is identical: anything launching from a ramp follows the same projectile equations as long as air resistance is ignored. Just enter the launch speed, ramp angle, and ramp-lip height for that vehicle.
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