hold on or let go?

Question

A painter is high up on a ladder, painting a house, when unfortunately the ladder starts to fall over from the vertical.

Determine which is the less harmful action for the painter: to let go of the ladder right away and fall to the ground, or to hang on to the ladder all the way to the ground

Answer 1

Holding on to the ladder is best. The top of the ladder must rotate about its ground position as it falls, so it will accelerate less than a free falling body, so it will hit the ground going slower.

Answer 2

Well, if the painter can cling onto something without falling with the ladder or to the ground that would be the best option.

On the other hand, if the painter only have those two choices then it's best to fall with the ladder; some of the impact forces will be absorbed by the ladder.

Answer 3

I would say that it would be in the painter's best interest to let go of the ladder and fall straight to the ground. I think this because clinging to the ladder at the top would cause you to fall in a motion with a trajectory. Objects with a trajectory don't slow down when they reach their terminal velocity. (i.e. they fall very fast and don't slow down until they hit the ground. Whereas if he falls straight down he will not speed up as fast. Also clinging the ladder gives him longer to fall then falling straight down.

Answer 4

His chances are better if he rides it to the ground. I have written acoupla of ladders to the ground, and once i slid down the ladder as it was falling(30 ft extension ladder) and escaped with no harm.
I fyou ar eholding onto the ladder a sit falls you usually will try to jump away just as it hits the ground. This motion even small can sometimes save you form hrm as you ar e pushing away or up which decreases you rat eof faling in a small degree.
Moat companies which have safety harness rules for ladders will make you tie your safty line to the ladder if there is no other object such as a pipe or truss to latch onto except the ladder. (this I would not cared for unless I had help close by.).
If you fall and are wearing a safety harness and end up hanging downform it. you start to suffacate in about 15 minutes . If you ar ewearing a safety belt your chances is slimmer. you suffacatein about 8 to 10 miinutes. so in case of a fall it's important to get down fromthe belt or harness as quickly as possible.
A safety belt is muchmore likely to result in harm to your back which is why many companies do not use them.

Answer 5

your boring but thanks for the two points!!!