Can You Jump in a Free Falling Elevator?

[vruls]

In a free falling elevator, can you jump, my question is as simple as that, my teacher said you can't (due to newtowns 3rd law since there would be nothing with which I could cause the reaction of jumping) but still can you ?

 

[rock.freak667]

If the elevator is in free fall then you will probably be sort of "floating" as you aren't directly connected to it.

 

[SammyS]

Hello vruls. Welcome to PF !

If you are in the proper position you definitely could jump. If you jump very hard you would likely bang your head.

If you jumped up you wouldn't come back down unless you collided with the ceiling and rebounded from it.

 

[vruls]

Thanks, and hello to everyone else
but why exactly would I be weightless? And what about inertia wouldn't that make me have weight?

 

[Antiphon]

Thanks, and hello to everyone else
but why exactly would I be weightless? And what about inertia wouldn't that make me have weight?

The elevator is falling with you so you can't tell whether you're falling or floating weightless.

You still have mass and inertia. But it would look and feel like gravity had gone away.

 

[vruls]

The elevator is falling with you so you can't tell whether you're falling or floating weightless.

You still have mass and inertia. But it would look and feel like gravity had gone away.

But I could still jump right?

 

[BruceW]

you certainly could push off from the elevator floor (as sammy has said). Due to Newton's 3rd law, you cause a downward force on the elevator, which causes an upward force on you. But if you were in the middle of the elevator and weren't able to touch any of the sides, then you would be stuck (unable to jump), since you'd have nothing to push off from. (assuming the elevator isn't slowed down by air resistance).

 

[vruls]

K thanks a lot this was really usefull

 

[I eat Comets]

If you were on top of the elevator then you would have separated from it as you would weigh much less i think.