Question about surviving an extremely high fall into water

[Gedd]

@tellyworth

Let’s assume that works, and creates a “crater” 10 feet deep. The only difference will be that you fall for an additional 10 feet before hitting the water.

You will also quickly have 10 feet more of water to swim through to reach the surface.

[dauerbach]

I remember learning that it is very helpful to not have a spleen at the time of the fall.

[bonitahi]

“but at least your skull won’t implode”

It most certainly will, as I can fully attest to.

[snailboy]

@chargerrich

How close would a cliff diver in a sleek diving position be to terminal velocity? I ask because once that is reached (about 1000 feet in a non sleek/jumping position) then the height does not matter.

So if terminal velocity in that position is at say 250 feet, then 250 feet and 10,000 feet produce the same result (although I imagine keeping body position at upper heights is increasingly difficult to maintain).

Terminal velocity in a diving position would actually take longer and farther to reach since it’s a higher velocity in such a position. I can’t figure it up since I don’t know what the terminal velocity in such a situation is, but the change in the amount of time it takes to reach it would be roughly proportional to the difference in the velocities and the distance would be roughly proportional to the square of the difference in velocities, ie if you double the terminal velocity, you double the time and quadruple the distance.

On the other hand, the time and distance it takes to hit 180 ft/s (terminal velocity while spread out) while in a diving position would be decreased, but not so low as 250 feet. Even in a vacuum, it would take over 500 feet to hit it so unless you’re on Jupiter, you can expect it to be between 500 and 1000 feet.

[Bones_Daley]

I knew a man who committed suicide by jumping off a bridge, some years ago. This bridge is one of the best known in the world, and is higher than 200 feet.

The story which filtered through the grapevine was that he had jumped naked, and that the impact of landing on the water had ripped the skin totally from off his body, although I stress that this story is anecdotal, I didn’t see the coroner’s report, and I certainly didn’t seek to confirm the story with his widow, who had the unpleasant task of identifying him …

[Nunzio_Tavulari]

@Bones_Daley

The story which filtered through the grapevine was that he had jumped naked, and that the impact of landing on the water had ripped the skin totally from off his body

If that’s completely true, I don’t think that anyone could identify a body by looking at only muscles and corpuscles. However, I can see the possibility of large pieces coming off.