What's the worst that could happen to them (other than death)? What's the best outcome?
How about four stories?
2007-01-13 08:06:29 · 6 answers · asked by Kiwi K 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
People have died from tripping over their own shoe laces. People have also survived falling from heights greater than 8 stories. The majority of people falling from 8 stories would experience physical trauma sufficient to kill them. Sometimes this doesn't happen. No one knows why this occurs.
2007-01-13 08:15:46 · answer #1 · answered by Cain 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well there are several ways to look at this :
1st can they break bones ? They way that you calculate that is by using mgh to calculate the potential force. They you can use an engineering Equation (MODULUS OF RUPTURE - Compression forces) to see if that force is enough to break a bone. Keep in mind this is pretty rough approximation. You would need to do some finite element analysis.
2nd, What position do they land ? if they land on their head, compression of the spinal column would be enough to kill someone. If they land on their back, they maybe okay. because the forces are distributed over a larger area.
DO NOT JUMP OUT OF A BUILING AND TEST THESE APPLICATIONS !
2007-01-14 00:42:25 · answer #2 · answered by Titanium_Diboride 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are records of people falling from much higher than 8 floors. For example, in the war a bomber tail gunner had to bail out when his aircraft caught fire. His parachute had been damaged and did not work, He fell several thousand feet and survived. he broke most of the bones in his body. I'm not sure what he landed on.
2007-01-13 16:31:11 · answer #3 · answered by ZeedoT 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know of a person who fell 8 stories an lived. He broke a lot of bones and had internal injuries, but he lived. He landed on fresh snow, so that may have been a factor.
2007-01-13 08:15:08 · answer #4 · answered by michinoku2001 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure there has been exceptions but anything over 3 stories is usually fatal. Severe injuries with multiple broken bones.
You reach terminal velocity in free fall at 3 stories.
2007-01-13 08:16:00 · answer #5 · answered by cookinB4U 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most of the time, falling from eight floors is fatal, unless cushioned. It depends on how strong that person is: how strong their muscles and bones are...
If the person didn't die, they'd be extremely lucky to be paralised for life.
2007-01-13 08:15:38 · answer #6 · answered by Amy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋