If water is not a solid, why does a belly flop hurt so much?

Answer 1

It's not surface tension, it's inertia.
When you put your hand into the water, the water moves out of the way. But there is a limit to how fast water can move out of the way.
When something hits the water going fast, during the moment of impact, the water can't move very far at all so it is essentially solid.

If you can water ski across the surface of the water at around 20 mph because at that speed the water is "stiff" enough to support you. You can ski barefoot and a surface area of less than a square foot at 40 mph. They say at 70 mph, the water is as hard as concrete when you hit it.

Answer 2

because when a body with an impact area hits the water.. if feels like a solid.. becasue of surface tension

they say that at 100m falling to water is like falling into concrete.. unless you can break the surface tension with waves or air bubbles

Answer 3

Because you "belly" is what is breaking the surface tension of the water.

Answer 4

Because of the impact of your body hitting the water

Answer 5

because the momentum of your body and the water is great. the mass of your body colliding to the mass of the water, still gives you a force back, which is the pain.

Answer 6

Because of your skin/fat on top...it's like jelly...
And when you fall, the force of you hitting the water is pretty big, regardless of the fact that it is a liquid.

Answer 7

Surface tension.

Answer 8

because theres no real entry point, just a slap

Answer 9

if you do enough of them you will not fell pain any more so keep trying