How do I estimate how tall this building is?

[Henrybar]

How do I estimate the height of the tall building spiderman swings to at 0:48? I need it for a physics assignment. What does you're intuition tell you? (I've never lived in a city full of buildings). Is there a way to estimate it using physics? I'm not sure that building actually exists.

 

[fresh_42]

If you can count the floors then you can multiply it by 3.50 m to get a rough estimate. Otherwise you will have to look for something with known height, its distance to the building and then do some trigonometry.

 

[Mark44]

Is there a way to estimate it using physics?

Take a barometer to the top of the building, drop it off the side, and time how long the barometer takes to reach the ground. From that time, you can calculate the height of the building.

BTW, is this a homework question?

 

[DrGreg]

Take a barometer to the top of the building, drop it off the side, and time how long the barometer takes to reach the ground.

Anyone want to buy a broken barometer? No pressure!

 

[Mohamad Kassar]

you can use the shadow made by the building and measure the shadow's length

 

[davenn]

you can use the shadow made by the building and measure the shadow's length

yes, but it cannot be done just on it's own, as depending on the time of day ( sun position) the shadow can be longer or shorter that what the building is tall

you forgot the important part ..
That is, you also measure the shadow length of a known height object ... yourself, for example
then the ratio of your shadow length to your height can then be applied to the building's shadow
This needs to be done quickly as the sun is always moving and the shadow length always changingDave

 

[CWatters]

The building looks to be about 10-12 floors. See post #2.