Elevator crash
Classical Mechanics
Level
2
If you are in an elevator that breaks at the 40th floor and starts to fall, will you be able to survive by jumping just before the elevator hits the floor?
Yes
No
This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try
refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and,
finally, (c)
loading the
non-javascript version of this page
. We're sorry about the hassle.
1 solution
Unless you can jump with such a force such that your upwards velocity cancels the extreme downwards velocity of falling 40 floors, then you won't change your downward acceleration enough to not be a human pancake when the elevator hits the floor.