Skydiving: No Sinking Stomach Feeling?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dtmmfam
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Stomach
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the absence of the sinking stomach feeling during skydiving, contrasting it with the sensations experienced on roller coasters. Participants explain that while roller coasters involve rapid vertical and lateral movements, skydiving primarily involves downward acceleration until terminal velocity is reached. At terminal velocity, the body experiences a state of relative stability, which mitigates the sinking feeling. Additionally, the horizontal velocity from the airplane does not contribute to this sensation, suggesting that a free fall from a mountain might induce the feeling due to different dynamics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of terminal velocity in free fall
  • Basic physics of acceleration and forces
  • Knowledge of human physiological responses to rapid movement
  • Familiarity with skydiving mechanics and equipment
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the physics of terminal velocity in skydiving
  • Explore the physiological effects of free fall on the human body
  • Learn about the differences between roller coaster dynamics and skydiving
  • Investigate the impact of horizontal velocity on gut sensations during free fall
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, skydiving instructors, thrill-seekers, and anyone interested in the physics of free fall and human sensations during extreme sports.

dtmmfam
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Hey all,

I went skydiving 2 days ago expecting to get that sinking stomach feeling that people typically experience during a roller coaster. Well, that didn't happen. It just felt like wind blowing on you. Can someone please explain?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Well I've never experienced skydiving and barely remember roller coaster rides but my guess is that on a roller coaster, you're being thrown up and down and side to side whereas when you're skydiving, you're only accelerating in one direction. I also THINK that once you hit terminal velocity, your organs won't be accelerating in any direction so it'll be relatively stable.
 
yea, i thought that organs are accelerating faster than the rest of your strapped body during a roller coaster drop. So the organs push up causing that sinking feeling. I was talking to another friend and he was saying how the horizontal velocity component (the airplane) does not cause the "gut sensation." So if you were to skydive off a mountain, you WOULD experience the sensation.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 36 ·
2
Replies
36
Views
5K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 45 ·
2
Replies
45
Views
9K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
642
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
6K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K