If you jump in a falling elevator before it hits the ground, will you be okay?

Question

The age old question.

Answer 1

Not according to Mythbusters:

BUSTED:

The jumping power of a human being cannot cancel out the falling velocity of the elevator. The best speculative advice from an elevator expert would be to lie on the elevator floor instead of jumping. Adam and Jamie speculated the attendant survived because the tight elevator shaft created an air cushion. This together with spring action from slack elevator cable could have slowed the car to survivable speeds.

Answer 2

If the elevator was falling at a speed comparable to the speed you can achieve at the start of a jump, and if you jumped, say, .1 seconds before the elevator stops abruptly, you would not feel an impact. HOWEVER, you can probably only achieve a velocity of about 10 ft/sec in a vertical jump. Chances are if this is all the faster the elevator is going, you wouldn't suffer any serious injury if you just lay down on the floor instead and cushioned your head. An elevator which has gone nuts is likely to be dropping at more like 40 to 50 ft/sec, and you are in trouble.

Answer 3

OK, let's be fair with this question. First, the answer is no. Both you and the elevator are accelerating downward at the same rate, which is 9.8m/s^2 on earth, so you want to hope that it doesn't drop more than three floors or less, or you're dead. If, during this time of falling, you DO jump, then your downward velocity DOES become slightly less as you push off from the elevator. This then means the elevator begins falling slightly faster. The result is that you'll hit your head on the top of the elevator (while you're falling ever faster), which is the last thing to annoy you before you die.

Answer 4

i'm no longer a phyics considerable so i could no longer supply you the precise numbers yet it truly is what i understand: those 5 thoughts (or 60 ft I think of) might have you ever choosing up alot of speed and you may earnings countless inertia (that keeps you going). so which you're flying down truly quickly and so is the elevator or raise (while you're actually not a yank). in case you leap, meaning you're if truth be told only pushing the raise down quicker, no longer projecting your self upwards. If the raise has sufficient mass which you would be able to undertaking your self upwards, you may could desire to push your self up quickly sufficient to verify the cost of your desent to easily no have interia forcing you down. So in case you are able to leap up in the air on the cost of approximately 60 miles an hour, you may probable be ok. different smart, you would be owned. in fact rather of timing the leap, you should be asserting your prayers

Answer 5

no, you will still fall the same disance as the elevator. even if you do jump gravity will pull you right back to the same speed that you were going before you jump when you hit the floor.

Answer 6

No, because you are still traveling at the same speed as the falling elevator.

Answer 7

If the elevator is falling from a low enough height that you will be OK if you don't jump, then you will also be OK if you do jump.

Answer 8

Only if you are an animated cartoon character....In the real world, your jump (even if you are Michael Jordan) will only offset your impact force by a tiny fraction... in other words, "You Go SPLATT!"

Answer 9

It will change nothing, if the elevator fell far enough you are going to die.

Answer 10

Nope.