Thought Experiment (Jumping of a building)

[asc3nd]

1. This was just a quick question that I was thinking about.
If you jump of a really tall building, let's say 100-story building and you fall most likely you won't live to tell the tale.
But let's say you jumped with a cardboard (or any object) and a couple feet before you hit the ground pushed of the cardboard (like a skateboarder) and jumped and landed on the floor.
Would you survive because since you jumped you cancel the downward force.



2. None ... I just thought about it.



3. I pressumed that by jumping you stop the speed you are going down with and after you jump the downward force starts again. But since you are close to the ground your acceleration isn't large enough to do any damage.

 

[LowlyPion]

1. This was just a quick question that I was thinking about.
If you jump of a really tall building, let's say 100-story building and you fall most likely you won't live to tell the tale.
But let's say you jumped with a cardboard (or any object) and a couple feet before you hit the ground pushed of the cardboard (like a skateboarder) and jumped and landed on the floor.
Would you survive because since you jumped you cancel the downward force.

3. I pressumed that by jumping you stop the speed you are going down with and after you jump the downward force starts again. But since you are close to the ground your acceleration isn't large enough to do any damage.

How high can you jump?

At the bottom of your 100 story fall your m*g*h is m*v²/2

You think you have 100 stories of m*g*h packed in your legs?

 

[thomate1]

I would approach this thought experiment by breaking it down into its physical components and analyzing the principles of physics at play. First, we must consider the force of gravity, which is constantly pulling objects towards the Earth. When jumping off a building, the force of gravity is acting on your body, causing you to accelerate towards the ground at a rate of 9.8 meters per second squared.

Secondly, we must consider the concept of air resistance. As you fall through the air, the resistance from the air molecules will begin to slow down your acceleration. However, this is not enough to completely counteract the force of gravity, which is why you would not survive the fall if you simply jumped off a building without any other factors involved.

Now, let's consider the addition of the cardboard or object in this thought experiment. By pushing off the object and jumping at the same time, you are essentially creating a force in the opposite direction of the force of gravity. This force is known as the normal force and is equal in magnitude to the force of gravity in this scenario.

However, the normal force only acts for a brief moment before your feet make contact with the ground. At that point, the normal force is no longer present and the force of gravity once again becomes the dominant force, causing you to accelerate towards the ground.

In short, the act of jumping and pushing off the object does not cancel out the force of gravity. It simply momentarily creates an equal and opposite force. Therefore, even with this added factor, it is highly unlikely that you would survive the fall from a 100-story building.

In conclusion, as a scientist, I would say that the laws of physics do not support the idea that jumping and pushing off an object would allow you to survive a fall from a tall building. It is always important to approach thought experiments with a critical and analytical mindset, considering all factors and principles at play.