2006-07-09 10:43:26 · 23 answers · asked by sparky 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Please answer quickly: I'm in the elevator right now!
2006-07-09 10:48:23 · update #1
I think James H above has it pretty well explained. As you plummet in the lift (I'm from the UK), you are accelerating towards the bottom of the shaft at the acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.81...ms^-2). As you get near the bottom of the shaft you will have a substantial velocity towards the base of the shaft. If you then jump upwards, to minimise the effect on your body you need to have slowed down quiet a lot. Your legs alone will not be able to produce the deceleration needed to reduce your speed to something safe for your legs to absorb. You will be going slower, this is true, but it will only be a slight change when compared with your speed before you jumped. This means you will hit the floor with a speed large enough to mash the lower half of your body.
Hope this does it.
2006-07-10 23:20:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 3⤋
Assuming you're on the floor of the elevator at that moment (you'd have to be in order to jump), and you jumped up as fast as the elevator was falling then you would not be impacted by the sudden stop of the elevator. But the shock of the acceleration of your jump would be exactly the same and have exactly the same effect. So I guess you would survive the falling elevator and be equally injured or killed by the force of the jump (this assumes that you CAN jump that hard).
2006-07-09 10:52:46 · answer #2 · answered by ranger beethoven 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, this is simply because jumping against the elevator does not really slow you down. Well, to some degree you will be slowed down, but more importantly you push the elevator down faster.
Also, it's really hard to jump in a falling elevator without smashing your head. (Assuming it's in a free fall) It tends to create a near weightless environment to you, so it's hard to get the footing to jump too.
Best bet is to wait and hope the emergency breaks catch it.
2006-07-09 11:00:28 · answer #3 · answered by cat_Rett_98 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not possible. Assuming the elevator is in free fall, gravity will cause it to hurdle downward at an acceleration of 9.81 meters per second squared (1g). As the elevator falls at 1g, so do you. Since no human on earth can leap upward at 1g, or anywhere close to 1g, your leap at the last instant will have very little affect at all.
2006-07-09 11:05:59 · answer #4 · answered by James H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no . the force of gravity applies to you AND the elevator. You will not be able to jump. Try to jump in an elevator going down . :)
2006-07-09 16:28:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
About the same chance as surviving a plane crash by doing the same thing. Nadda, Zip, Zilch, Zero, None and No.
2006-07-09 11:05:27 · answer #6 · answered by billydeer_2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you fell far enough then jumping at the last moment would not help at all. It's all to do with momentum and reaching velocities that would prove fatal on impact.
2006-07-09 10:50:50 · answer #7 · answered by Dazza 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in theory yes. all you have to do is push yourself in the opposite direction of fall with slightly more force than the elevator is pushing down with and ta-da!!!
in practice... no... you will most likely die or get very seriously injured!
2006-07-09 10:50:31 · answer #8 · answered by JC 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nope, see ya around matey . ohh by the way where are you so i can call the police and tell them that you are in a falling elevator , saying that , don't bother i haven't got the time !!
2006-07-09 10:51:32 · answer #9 · answered by 株式会THE CITADEL 株式会 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh well i answered to late, by now you are out of the elevator and dont need to know now.
2006-07-09 11:06:41 · answer #10 · answered by blr931 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋