That’s not someplace energy goes instead of heat; that’s how energy goes to heat.
Not sure I follow what you are saying. Imagine two magnets stuck to one another - and a golf ball is dropped on them from a height h - that results in separating the magnets by a distance d. When the system comes to rest, the potential energy of the golf ball is converted finally to heat (thermal energy) **and **work (potential energy) - moving the magnets apart. Not the entire potential energy is converted to heat.
Granted - the majority is heat but a fraction will be stored.
Now think about breaking chemical bonds in the styrofoam peas, which are the same as magnets sticking together.
As a non-physicist, I have no idea. But I would wonder whether your body wouldn’t largely just be considered to be “part of” the big ball o’ water since your body is largely a big lump of water as well and your body would act along with the rest of the matter in the ball. So all questions of heating and pressure aside, as the big ball splashed and split into thousands of droplets, so would your body. I would expect you to be rent assunder and splattered in all directions.
Anyone see any reason to discount that possibility?
Actually, now that I consider that the OP leaves it open as to how much water there is, what the height is, and (presumably) the shape of the water, I would suggest that the following setup could possibly help you:
- Construct a giant column, e.g. a large pipe hoisted up vertically, maybe 3 feet in diameter and fill it to the brim with water.
- Get in at the top and hold yourself up by both hands on the lip, so that your legs are still in the water, but all of your major organs are out.
- Magically make the structure of the pipe disappear in an instant.
Now, since your lungs, stomach, intestines, etc. are out of the water, the effect of a shockwave passing through the water and destroying any pockets of air is reduced.
Since the water is already in contact with the ground, it will immediately start pushing horizontally, effectively creating a lever that pushes against the air (which is compressible) and reduce the speed at which it can fall. Since you’ll be part of the column, your speed will (theoretically) be reduced as well. That said, once you start getting towards the bottom, I wouldn’t be surprised if the horizontal flow of water rips your legs off and takes them with it, but hey, maybe that’s better than crushing your spine?
I’m doubtful that this strategy, if it would be helpful at all, would be of much use beyond a very small number of feet higher than lethal height could currently be pegged at. Potentially, it would be worse though. If it weren’t for the need of magic to produce this effect, it would be a good Mythbusters test.