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#21
02-23-2005, 07:02 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
[ QUOTE ]
Jumping will not help you survive at all. It won't even help a little bit if the elevator is in a true freefall, as the force exerted by your legs will not be pushed back on, as the elevator floor cannot exert it. Its the "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction law", etc. Imagine you are in an ice rink. The ice is covered in an oil slick, there is no friction. There is a block of ice (unattached to the floor) in the middle. If you push against it, you will not be able to push yourself backwards assuming there is no friction between the two surfaces. Analagous. [/ QUOTE ] actually when you jump you accelerate the elevator downward, so it does push back on you. just not nearly enough to slow you down much. 
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#22
02-23-2005, 07:52 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
It will move you slower relatively to the elevator but not the ground. It will move the elevator faster downward but since the elevator is in freefall it cannot exert a force back on you to move you.
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#24
02-23-2005, 07:56 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
Even if you could, the resulting explosion/crash would kill you.
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#25
02-23-2005, 08:01 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
There would be some force - it's provided by the same thing that limits the elevator to its terminal velocity. There'd also be other small effects that would provide some force for you.
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#26
02-23-2005, 08:03 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
Elevators fall "up". The are counterweighted and built to go to the top floor if the cables fail.
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#27
02-23-2005, 08:04 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
[ QUOTE ]
Elevators fall "up". The are counterweighted and built to go to the top floor if the cables fail. [/ QUOTE ] This is moot, since the OP stated the problem such that all safety measures have failed. The hypothetical situation is that the elevator is freefalling.
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#28
02-23-2005, 08:11 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
[ QUOTE ]
There would be some force - it's provided by the same thing that limits the elevator to its terminal velocity. There'd also be other small effects that would provide some force for you. [/ QUOTE ] The only force that you would get to use is the air resistance on the elevator, that would allow you a tiny bit of push. I assume thats what you mean by the terminal velocity force. Other than the air resistance you would have no push. Assuming we're in a vacuum/ physics problem you would get no push, or at least none relative to the ground. I'm not sure if you would move the elevator faster to you(but not you slower relative to the ground) or not at all.
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#29
02-23-2005, 08:36 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
[ QUOTE ]
Elevators fall "up". The are counterweighted and built to go to the top floor if the cables fail. [/ QUOTE ] I read this and thought, "wouldn't a counterweight require a cable?" This site says the counterweights are to conserve energy rather than for safety reasons. Nay? BTW, I agree with the posters who think almost everyone would jump. Most first timer parachuters try to run back into the plane. -- Pinga
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#30
02-23-2005, 10:49 PM
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Re: Surviving an elevator accident
[ QUOTE ]
Jumping will not help you survive at all. [/ QUOTE ] I'm still jumping until someone comes with a better idea. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
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