• Question: if a lift is falling downwards, and you jump up just before impact will you be saved?

    Asked by calvis to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 26 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      I’m just trying to imagine the scene. The elevator is falling at its terminal velocity (you were at the top of a very tall building) which is, say 100 mph. And somehow you time your jump perfectly. You might cope with hitting the floor at 20 mph, so your jump would have to send you travelling at 80 mph upwards. So, my answer would be no.

      Complete guesses at those numbers, but I would say you would be better off lying on the floor (think seatbelts in cars).

    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      No, sorry. I agree with Tom.

    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      No, you might slow the relative speed that you hit the ground at by a little bit, but you’ll still be hurtling downwards at almost the same speed, so you won’t be saved.

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