2007-07-02 06:59:48 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
In a vacuum they would both land together. However, air resistance will slow the smaller down a lot more.
Every falling object in air will eventually reach its "terminal velocity" -- the speed at which acceleration from gravity is balanced by air resistance and it does not accelerate any more. For a feather, this happens almost immediately, and the velocity is very small. For, say, a railway locomotive, it will take much longer, and it will reach a very high speed indeed, if the drop is long enough. You'd get a very big crater. It's a question of the relative mass per surface area -- smaller animals have less mass for the area in proportion.
Small animals often have a terminal velocity which is lower than that needed to injure them. This is why a beetle, for example, cannot be hurt by a fall -- but it will easily smash if your car windscreen (windshield) tries to accelerate it from stop to 40 km/h instantly. Its terminal velocity might be a metre a second or less.
An animal as large as a mouse would probably survive a long fall (but do not try this at home, kids!). A rat would be surprised, and perhaps injured, while a cat may well survive with a broken jaw (that's what usually hits the ground) if the fall is not too far.
If it's a pig about the size of a human, it would smash just like a human -- terminal velocity one or two hundred km/h. However, there would be very little left of a full-sized cow, if the building was tall enough, with a terminal velocity probably several times that -- and going faster, it would get there earlier.
Cattle are not well constructed for impact either, and even a a couple of metres onto hard ground could easily kill them (though they can stand some impact -- a bull of mine wrote off a car once without much injury to himself, nor fortunately any to the driver who ran him down).
Your question was the subject of a famous essay by J B S Haldane in 1928, who said "You can drop a mouse down a thousand-yard mine shaft; and, on arriving at the bottom, it gets a slight shock and walks away, provided that the ground is fairly soft. A rat is killed, a man is broken, a horse splashes." See link below.
2007-07-02 09:57:00 · answer #1 · answered by richard_new_forester 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there is negligible air resistance, both the cow and the pig would land at the same time. The speed of the fall does not depend on the mass of the objects. But only if there is no air resistance.
survival depends on how tall the building is.
2007-07-02 14:03:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It all depends on the hight of the building the weight of the cow and pig etc. The only thing for sure is that they will both land at the same time.
2007-07-02 14:03:26 · answer #3 · answered by damien d 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Both would fall at the same rate (9.8 m per second^2) at the same acceleration. This is because the cow and pig are both on Earth, so are subject to the same gravity.
If by "tall" you mean 20+ stories, I doubt either would survive.
2007-07-02 14:06:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Which will land first depends on whether they try to tuck their legs under them or stretch them out.
No, they won't survive the fall and you also will not survive the fall if the cow and the pig chase you on the terrace and make you jump from there.
2007-07-02 16:35:06 · answer #5 · answered by Swamy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The round pig over the rectangular cow. Better yet, you jump with them, feet first. You'd make the best projectile by offering the least wind resistance.
None of you would survive.
2007-07-02 14:06:42 · answer #6 · answered by Judy L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cow will land first due to the weight against the force of gravity. Non of them will survive
2007-07-02 15:12:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
It all would have to do with aerodynamics (wind Resistance) and weight. I would guess that the pig would have the advantage to reach critical speed first as he is more compact and stream lined. Either way they both are going to splat in the end. - Hey, send this question to Myth Busters and see if they try it - LMAO
2007-07-02 14:05:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
well if it a tall building they would be prob smash like a bug when they land and they will prob land around the same time.... i can picture this happening and it doesnt look pretty
2007-07-02 14:08:06 · answer #9 · answered by mila 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The cow would drop first because its heavier and both of them will die.
2007-07-02 14:04:17 · answer #10 · answered by spoof dude 1 · 1⤊ 3⤋