4 ms·
> 120 divided by 5 = 24. Not bad! 24 mph is only a bit faster than the speed at which experienced parachutists land. There will be some bruising and breakage bu
by cecilpl2 5y ago
> 120 divided by 5 = 24. Not bad! 24 mph is only a bit faster than the speed at which experienced parachutists land. There will be some bruising and breakage but no loss of consciousness to delay your press conference. Just be sure to apportion the 120-mph blow in equal fifths. Concentrate!
Sadly this is not how it works. Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity, and so if you can equally split the impact energy 5 ways, it's as though each impact is at 54mph. A bit harder to absorb.
- LorenPechtel 5y agoAnd it's not something the untrained person is going to have any hope of pulling off. There is a grain of truth in the assertion--if the surface hit isn't too hard and the landing fall is executed perfectly survival is possible. Done correctly the energy is dissipated in breaking a whole bunch of bones but the truly vital areas aren't subjected to lethal force.