Is this an urban legend?
Truth?
Criminal mischeif?
waste of 5 points?
2007-08-22 13:02:21 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
All of the above.
The Mythbusters did it.
First the building is stacked so if you threw a penny off it would hit a lower level.
Second if the penny hit the sidewalk the force of the impact is not enough to kill or crack the sidewalk. It is enough to cause a wound and that would make it criminal. More likely your aim will be off due to wind, weight, movement of the crowd and you will just be dropping pennies on the ground.
According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building
"The Discovery Channel show Mythbusters tested the urban myth "If you drop a penny off the top of the Empire State Building will it kill someone or put a crater in the sidewalk?" By the time the penny hit the ground it is going roughly 65mph(terminal velocity for an object of its mass and shape), which is NOT fast enough to inflict lethal injury or put a crater into the sidewalk."
2007-08-22 13:07:08 · answer #1 · answered by Dan S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing, even if it hit someone directly on the head it may leave a bruise or a small cut, but nothing more. The penny's terminal velocity is too low for it to cause any real damage. The story that dropping a penny from the empire state building can kill someone is a total myth.
2007-08-22 13:27:38 · answer #2 · answered by ncremer89 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would reach terminal velocity for a penny and then hit the ground, or someone or something, but the important part is that it wouldn't kill someone, the penny is to blunt to pierce someones skull at terminal velocity, saw it on mythbusters.
2007-08-22 13:08:13 · answer #3 · answered by krysteven 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It reaches terminal velocity well short of having enough speed to kill someone, but it may give them a nice little headache. Oh and another thing would happen... you would go to jail as it is just slightly illegal to through ANYTHING of the top of the Empire State Building.
2007-08-22 13:08:07 · answer #4 · answered by Woden501 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nothing like you have heard. It wouldn't crack the sidewalk or bust a skull. If it did hit someone, it would hurt like hell, but they'd come out OK. Itd going fast but its mass isn't enough to cause damage.
Besides you can't throw things off the Empire State building anyhow. They have it screened up.
2007-08-22 13:07:53 · answer #5 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The penny myth was busted on Mythbusters. I don't think a dime is sufficiently different to change anything.
2016-05-20 03:24:57 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would fall to the ground at around ~50-60 miles an hour or so and bounce off the ground.
2007-08-22 13:07:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. The penny reaches terminal velocity long before it hits the ground.
2007-08-22 13:06:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It may hit someone down below in the head maybe. Make a wish before you throw it. Good luck.
2007-08-22 13:05:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Hah. I dont know..
the penny would fall probably. :/ what IS the myth, anyways?
2007-08-22 13:10:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋