Bourne Ultimatum: Plunging Into Water - Estimating Force of Impact

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around estimating the force of impact when a character from the movie "Bourne Ultimatum" plunges into water from a height of 10 stories. Participants explore the physics of such a fall, considering factors like weight, height, and water density, while questioning the realism of survival from such an impact.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses skepticism about the survivability of a fall from 10 stories into water, suggesting it could be fatal.
  • Another participant argues that basic mechanics calculations may not adequately address the question and suggests looking for experimental data or military manuals.
  • A participant mentions that cliff divers regularly dive from heights of 135 feet, with records reaching 175 feet, implying that survival is possible under certain conditions.
  • One participant references a special on the Golden Gate Bridge, noting that impacts from significant heights can have forces equivalent to hitting a concrete wall at high speeds, raising questions about the physics involved in such falls.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the survivability of the fall or the adequacy of basic mechanics calculations for estimating impact force. Multiple competing views and uncertainties remain regarding the physics of the scenario.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the reliance on anecdotal evidence and the potential inaccuracy of the data referenced, as well as the complexity of calculating impact forces in real-world scenarios.

marcflores
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I have no idea if this is the correct part of the forum to be posting this in...

SPOILER WARNING FOR BOURNE ULTIMATUM!








My wife and I just saw "Bourne Ultimatum." At the end of the movie, Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon, plunges into a body of water from a height of 10 stories. Apparently, he survives. He weighs about 180-190, I'd guess, and I thought that hitting water at that height would be enough to kill him. Can anyone give a rough estimate on what that force of impact would be equivalent to under real-world circumstances?
 
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This isn't the type of question that can really be answered well using basic mechanics calculations.. you'd be better off looking for "experimental" records and statistical data, maybe a military training manual or similar.
 
cesiumfrog said:
This isn't the type of question that can really be answered well using basic mechanics calculations.. you'd be better off looking for "experimental" records and statistical data, maybe a military training manual or similar.
I suppose you're right. I imagined that the assumed mass of the person falling, coupled with gravitational acceleration at the given height, and the density of water might have made for good speculation.

I was watching a special on the Golden Gate Bridge the other day and it was mentioned by the engineers that the heights at which the workers were posted, hitting the water had the equivalent force of 1,540 p.s.i. It was compared to hitting a concrete wall with a car at 80 mph. Of course, the height of the two posts on the Golden Gate Bridge far exceed ten stories, which brought about the curiosity after seeing the movie.
Thanks for the interesting link, mgb_phys.
 

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