Is this true about Denver?

Question

I heard this on a TV show: If you drop a case of beer from a two story indoor balcony the case will bounce 20 feet. They said it was because of the thin air. True or false?

I don't really believe it, it was just out of curiosity. And I'm not about to go try it!

Answer 1

A crate of beer will not bounce off pavement anywhere.

Thinner air will allow for a slightly higher terminal volocity of a falling object. If the object is a bouncy item such as a ball it will therefore be moving faster when it hits the deck and will bounce a little higher - again the lower air resistance will allow it to rise slightly further before it stops. Since the difference (compared to sea level) is very small in real terms it would be harder to measure the difference in the height of the bounce than to do the maths to calculate what the difference should be - & that is a lot of maths!

HOWEVER: If you take a round bucket of water 2/3 full & float a rubber ball in the centre of the bucket, then drop the bucket the ball will bounce higher than the point it was released from (due to energy transfer from the water to the ball) but your crate of beer is doomed. The only difference is that it might be a slightly more explosive crash due to increased velocity in thin air & greater pressure difference inside/outside the bottles causing a bigger bang as they smash.

Also, if this is a well touted tale then the sound of laughter from locals laughing at you for trying it could be louder than would be the case in other cities.

Answer 2

Absolutely false, its not thin air that has as much to do with it as gravity...thin air will make a golf ball, football, etc go a little further...a case of beer weighs alot and a 2 story balcony is about 20-24 feet high, you Really think that it would bounce all the way back up to you?...p.s. im from Leadville Colorado the highest incoporated town in N. America.... just aint so.

Answer 3

sounds stupid....what a waste of beer

Answer 4

false