• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

Terminal Velocity Impact

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
Zurp said:
How do you get a blue whale into a plane? Do you take its favorite chew-toy and throw it into the plane and see if he tries to fetch it out?
Click to expand...
Didn't you ever watch that Star Trek movie where Scotty beamed up the whale into the ship? The problem was the weight of the water that also had to be teleported.
 
Upvote 0
Ok.. I don't know much about Star Trek or beaming or transparent aluminum. But what happens when we get the whale on the ship in the tank? Do we have a bomb-bay door we can just drop the whale out?
 
Upvote 0
Here is an article from The Official Site of the Veterinary Profession in Canada on the ability of cats to survive terminal velocity falls: (http://www.animalhealthcare.ca/contents/content.asp?id=70&cat=cats)

Cats Can Survive Falls From High Places

Cats seem to have an uncanny ability to survive falls from high places. For example, cats have been known to survive falls of up to 32 stories. By contrast, dogs rarely survive falls of more than six stories. Humans usually die when they fall from such heights.

In a study of cats that had fallen from up to 32 stories, an interesting finding emerged: while the rate of injury in cats seemed to increase linearly depending on the length of the fall, after seven stories, the rate of injury seemed to level off! In other words, the survival rate and severity of injuries were no more severe in a cat that fell seven stories than in one that fell 32 and in some cases, injuries were even less!

After further study, the reasons for this discrepancy became clear. When a person falls from a building, maximum speed or "terminal velocity" (120 mph) is reached after 32 stories. Cats, on the other hand, appeared to have the unique ability to achieve terminal velocity at 60 mph and after falling only five stories!

Until a cat reaches terminal velocity, it will experience acceleration and tend to reflexively extend its limbs, making it more susceptible to injuries. However, when a cat reaches terminal velocity, its vestibular system (i.e. the organs of balance) become less stimulated, causing the cat to relax. It will then orient its limbs more horizontally (splay-legged), thereby increasing air drag in much the same way a parachute does. In this posture, the force of impact also appears to become more evenly distributed.

Cats have an excellent sense of balance and most are unlikely to lose their balance and fall off a balcony. Unfortunately, falls from high-rise apartments do occur with some frequency. The term "High-rise Syndrome" (HRS) is used to describe traumatic injuries resulting from falls of more than two stories in cats and more than one story in dogs. According to veterinarians, the most common injury in cats with HRS is chest trauma, which is also the leading cause of death in falls. By contrast, head injury and internal haemorrhage are the leading cause of death in humans. Most dogs with HRS are usually euthanised by owners, often because of the high cost of treatment.

The types of injury and the survival rate after a fall depend to a great extent on both the height of the fall and the surface on which an animal lands. Other factors include the position of the animal at the time of landing, any obstacles that might break the fall, and the amount of air drag while falling. While humans invariably die after falls of more than six stories, the survival rate in dogs and cats that are treated is 99 per cent and 90 per cent respectively.

Because of the frequency with which High-Rise Syndrome occurs, apartment dwellers should take care to keep their pets properly restrained if they are permitted access to a balcony. For example, using a harness on a cat or small dog and supervising their stays on the porch can prevent this problem from occurring. Better yet, dogs and cats are best kept away from balconies altogether.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
One thing we do know is that humans have survived the highest falls....

People surviving free fall

At least three airmen have survived free falls of around 20,000ft without a parachute in the Second World War; Lt. I.M. Chisov was a Russian bomber, Sgt. Alan Magee an American gunner on a B-17, and Sgt. Nicholas Alkemade a British gunner on a Lancaster bomber. It is estimated that a person free falling horizontally, reaches a maximum velocity of around 120 mph after a fall of just 2,000ft, so the additional 18,000ft doesn't make these falls that much more dangerous, apart from the lack of oxygen at high altitude. All three men lost consciousness during their falls
 
Upvote 0
Cats should excluded from the experiment seeing how they have nine lives.



Cats Can Survive Falls From High Places

Cats seem to have an uncanny ability to survive falls from high places. For example, cats have been known to survive falls of up to 32 stories. By contrast, dogs rarely survive falls of more than six stories. Humans usually die when they fall from such heights.

In a study of cats that had fallen from up to 32 stories, an interesting finding emerged: while the rate of injury in cats seemed to increase linearly depending on the length of the fall, after seven stories, the rate of injury seemed to level off! In other words, the survival rate and severity of injuries were no more severe in a cat that fell seven stories than in one that fell 32 and in some cases, injuries were even less!

After further study, the reasons for this discrepancy became clear. When a person falls from a building, maximum speed or "terminal velocity" (120 mph) is reached after 32 stories. Cats, on the other hand, appeared to have the unique ability to achieve terminal velocity at 60 mph and after falling only five stories!

Until a cat reaches terminal velocity, it will experience acceleration and tend to reflexively extend its limbs, making it more susceptible to injuries. However, when a cat reaches terminal velocity, its vestibular system (i.e. the organs of balance) become less stimulated, causing the cat to relax. It will then orient its limbs more horizontally (splay-legged), thereby increasing air drag in much the same way a parachute does. In this posture, the force of impact also appears to become more evenly distributed.

Cats have an excellent sense of balance and most are unlikely to lose their balance and fall off a balcony. Unfortunately, falls from high-rise apartments do occur with some frequency. The term "High-rise Syndrome" (HRS) is used to describe traumatic injuries resulting from falls of more than two stories in cats and more than one story in dogs. According to veterinarians, the most common injury in cats with HRS is chest trauma, which is also the leading cause of death in falls. By contrast, head injury and internal haemorrhage are the leading cause of death in humans. Most dogs with HRS are usually euthanised by owners, often because of the high cost of treatment.

The types of injury and the survival rate after a fall depend to a great extent on both the height of the fall and the surface on which an animal lands. Other factors include the position of the animal at the time of landing, any obstacles that might break the fall, and the amount of air drag while falling. While humans invariably die after falls of more than six stories, the survival rate in dogs and cats that are treated is 99 per cent and 90 per cent respectively.

Because of the frequency with which High-Rise Syndrome occurs, apartment dwellers should take care to keep their pets properly restrained if they are permitted access to a balcony. For example, using a harness on a cat or small dog and supervising their stays on the porch can prevent this problem from occurring. Better yet, dogs and cats are best kept away from balconies altogether.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Alan said:
One thing we do know is that humans have survived the highest falls....

People surviving free fall

At least three airmen have survived free falls of around 20,000ft without a parachute in the Second World War; Lt. I.M. Chisov was a Russian bomber, Sgt. Alan Magee an American gunner on a B-17, and Sgt. Nicholas Alkemade a British gunner on a Lancaster bomber. It is estimated that a person free falling horizontally, reaches a maximum velocity of around 120 mph after a fall of just 2,000ft, so the additional 18,000ft doesn't make these falls that much more dangerous, apart from the lack of oxygen at high altitude. All three men lost consciousness during their falls
Click to expand...
This is amazing I checked out the link and look what it says about Nicholas Alkemade.

Nick Alkemade
Nick Alkemade was a tail gunner for an RAF AVRO Lancaster Bomber during World War II who is notable for surviving a "chuteless jump".

On March 23, 1944, Alkemade's plane was attacked by a German JU-88 fighter plane and began to spiral out of control. Because his parachute was in the cabin, Alkemade opted to jump from the aircraft, preferring his death to be quick.

Alkemade fell from 18,000 feet to the ground below. His fall was broken by pine trees and a soft snow cover on the ground. He was able to move his arms and legs and suffered only a sprained leg.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top