What if you were running really fast towards a car speeding straight towards you and, at the last minute, you tried to jump over it and land on the ground behind? Is this possible? Would you land unharmed? How about a basketball player?? Just a thought...
2006-10-13 03:07:45 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
It possibly could be. Well conditioned athletes can get verticle jumps in excess of 40 inches (usually 44 or so). Now this is a measure of how high they can touch something above them versus how tall they flat footed with their arms extended over head. If you also add in that you could lift your legs to gain additional clearance they could easily clear something almost 6ft tall. This should be high enough to jump over a car. The question then is do you stay in the air long enough for the car to pass under you with you landing on it. A car going 60mph is going 88ft per second. Given a 15ft long car that means the car would be under the jumper in less than 1/5 of a second.
So I believe it is possible, however it would require great luck to jump in the split second window of opportunity you have to ensure that your hang time doesn't cause you to land on the car.
2006-10-13 03:18:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The answer depends largely on the relative (combined) speed of the man and the car, the length and height (and shape) of the car and the height to which a man can jump.
Let us assume that, in the high jump, a man can clear around 6 feet unaided. To achieve this, he usually has very little forward motion since all the energy of his legs is needed to propel his weight to the optimum height. Six feet is probably enough to clear most cars and if the body profile of the car will fit in a parabola with a maximum height of 6 feet (or less), then that will define what the relative speed of the man and the car must be, since we can easily calculate the time a man is off the ground during a 6 foot jump. It that time were t seconds and the car was d feet long, the car would have to be travelling at at least d/t feet per second with relation to the man.
My choice of car would be the VW Beetle ... Herby for preference!
2006-10-13 03:30:35 · answer #2 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Back in 1982 I saw a stunt man attempt this in Arizona. It was at a Golf and Games amusement park with go-carts and pinball video games plus goofy golf. It was a publicity stunt for a radio station (I think). He took a few test jumps along side of a closed roadway. His team observed his highest jump and assumed it would allow for a speeding car to pass under him. Paramedics were standing by as he made the first( and last) attempt. A small Car sped towards him and he jumped! He was hit and flew over the top of the car and tumbled to the ground with two broken legs and was taken away (screaming) by the paramedics. True event.
2006-10-14 10:04:46 · answer #3 · answered by djtzclark 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard this about several basketball players. It isn't really too hard, though the timing is tough enough that I would not want to try it. A car is about 15 feet long, 60 mph is 88 fps/ so it would take about 1/6 second to pass underneath a person. If you have a 6'6" person with a 40" vertical leap (basketball player)the center of gravity will be around 80 inches in the air, nearly 7 feet. (the world high jump record is around 8 feet, but their centers of gravity never clear that high).
So if a basketball player wants to try this I suggest he use his Ferrari and not his SUV.
2006-10-13 03:13:29 · answer #4 · answered by sofarsogood 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A couple of variables could answer this question. How high can the person jump? ( this info may be available somewhere for athletes). How high is the car? For how long does the jumper maintain a height that is higher than the car, and how fast is the car moving?
My guess is that it would definately be possible for an athlete.
As far as the average person, it would be hard to tell.
2006-10-13 03:34:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would depend on who. Some people can barely jump an inch in front of them:)
2006-10-13 03:12:20 · answer #6 · answered by icez 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people cant.
But I've always thought of jumping on its hood and then over it.
2006-10-13 03:18:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
strong pepole can but obiouslly not unharmed and if length of car is small
2006-10-13 03:13:20 · answer #8 · answered by tellme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chuck Connors can.
2006-10-13 03:11:06 · answer #9 · answered by luv2fish 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's been done. Exactly what you describe.
2006-10-13 03:11:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋