How many G's does a skydiver experience in freefall?

AI Thread Summary
Skydivers experience a G-force of 1g during freefall, which includes the effects of aerodynamic drag. The discussion highlights confusion over the comparison of G-forces between skydivers and an electric motorbike that accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under one second, claiming the bike generates three times the G-force of a skydiver. Clarifications indicate that during freefall, a skydiver initially feels 0g until reaching terminal velocity, where they then experience 1g. The conversation also touches on the dangers of sudden deceleration upon landing, emphasizing the significant G-forces involved. Overall, the comparison between the motorbike and skydiving raises questions about the interpretation of G-force in different contexts.
Physics news on Phys.org
DaveC426913 said:
"...All this gives the driver a G-force three times more than that faced by a skydiver during freefall!"

Isn't that ... zero?
But how many kW per second does it do.
 
Free fall under the influence of gravity means the force is 1g.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Electric Motorbike Does 0 to 60 in Under One Second!
http://gas2.org/2009/04/27/electric-motorbike-does-0-to-60-in-under-one-second/

"...All this gives the driver a G-force three times more than that faced by a skydiver during freefall!"

Isn't that ... zero?

Depends... if you mean when he's in free fall, then yes it's 0. If you mean when he hits the ground because his parachute failed to deploy... well, the g-force of that sudden deceleration is pretty hefty :)
 
For sky-divers the term "free-fall" includes descending through the air at constant speed, and the force felt is 1 G of aerodynamic drag, opposing gravity.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Electric Motorbike Does 0 to 60 in Under One Second!
That's almost 3times the G force felt by a Tuba player in a marching band!
 
mgb_phys said:
That's almost 3times the G force felt by a Tuba player in a marching band!

:smile:

The sense of associating the product with a cool item ...
 
A.T. said:
At the begin it's zero. Then 1g for a while. Maybe they mean when you open the parachute.

Perhaps they meant that, but they said "during freefall". (EDIT: However, this is the only answer that makes any sense.)

workmad3 said:
Depends... if you mean when he's in free fall, then yes it's 0. If you mean when he hits the ground because his parachute failed to deploy... well, the g-force of that sudden deceleration is pretty hefty :)

And a force 3 times greater than that means this is one dangerous motorbike!

mathman said:
Free fall under the influence of gravity means the force is 1g.

By that logic, an astronaut orbiting the Earth experiences slightly less than 1g, yet we refer to that as a 0g situation.
 
Last edited:
  • #10
?
 
Last edited:
Back
Top