The Pink Panther: Can We Avoid Hurt?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers around the feasibility of using techniques demonstrated in a Pink Panther cartoon to mitigate injury from falls. Participants explore concepts such as inertia, impulse, and the physics of falling objects, specifically referencing the MythBusters' experiments with elevators. The consensus is that while climbing a ladder or pushing off another object may theoretically reduce impact force, practical application is unlikely to be effective due to insufficient inertia and the need for precise timing. Ultimately, the conclusion is that these scenarios are purely fictional and not applicable in real-life situations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly inertia and impulse.
  • Familiarity with gravitational acceleration (9.8 m/s²).
  • Knowledge of the MythBusters series and their experiments related to falling objects.
  • Basic comprehension of reference frames in physics.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the physics of falling objects and impact forces.
  • Study the MythBusters episode on falling elevators and their conclusions.
  • Explore advanced concepts in mechanics, such as momentum and energy transfer.
  • Investigate real-world applications of inertia in safety equipment design.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for physics students, safety engineers, and anyone interested in the practical applications of physics in real-world scenarios, particularly in understanding the dynamics of falling and impact reduction strategies.

asmani
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you mean can a ladder fall from such a height and be expected to land in the ground? i don't think so.
 
RK, I think he means climbing up to reduce the downward speed, thus reducing the hitting force at ground level

It would depend on the inertia of the object you're pushing off of (assuming you're in the same reference frame as it). If the object has a lot of inertia, pushing off of it right before you hit the ground will work against your hitting force a bit, but there's no guarantee it will be enough. If the object doesn't have much inertia (like if you pushed off of a penny) the penny would just fly away from you and you wouldn't move at all (within your falling reference frame, that is).

I've always imagined doing this in a falling elevator, pushing off right before it hit. I don't know if it would be enough, though. You could do the calculations though if you estimated the impulse of a human pushing off of a heavy object, assuming the person had already fallen some X feet in the elevator, gathering speed at 9.8 m/s per second. Maybe somebody is bored enough to try.
 
asmani said:
Hi all

Please watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVFGIle1Q70" of the pink panther, 1:40 - 2:00.
Can a similar thing be done in practice to avoid hurt?

No, it's just a cartoon.

Pythagorean said:
RK, I think he means climbing up to reduce the downward speed, thus reducing the hitting force at ground level

Except the PP was climbing down when the ladder hit... Good thing it's just a cartoon! :smile:
 
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berkeman said:
No, it's just a cartoon.
Except the PP was climbing down when the ladder hit... Good thing it's just a cartoon! :smile:

expectation dyslexia =/
 
Yeah, I think it is possible, too.

Not by climbing down, though, but by climbing up.

The thing is that you have to time it just right and you need another object to jump to other than the ground since you have to jump off before the ladder hits the ground. In other words, the center of mass of you and the ladder will continue to fall at the same rate whether the you climb the ladder or not...if you are fast enough (unlikely) and the masses are right, you could climb the ladder rapidly to the point where your speed is nearly zero and at that time jump off to a non-moving surface, like the roof of the building conveniently next to you.
 
The Myth Busters did this one, the elevator, not the ladder. Their conclusion was that a person couldn't jump upward with enough velocity to usefully reduce the impact. A ladder wouldn't have nearly enough inertia to slow you down, but you would speed up the ladder by climbing it.
 
Probably depends on the falling height. If you could model damage as a function of falling height, you might be able to find a critical starting height for which it's worth it.

With a stick ladder, there wouldn't be so much ladder climbing as mich as pushing the ladder down
 
DickL said:
The Myth Busters did this one, the elevator, not the ladder. Their conclusion was that a person couldn't jump upward with enough velocity to usefully reduce the impact. A ladder wouldn't have nearly enough inertia to slow you down, but you would speed up the ladder by climbing it.

And with that intelligent response, this cartoon thread is closed.
 

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