# What makes a bungee jumper eventually stop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2022, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251 "2022-09-09T05:57:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251/41 "2022-09-15T00:21:05Z")
You might find this video interesting: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lfmrvxB154w/maxresdefault.jpg "A refrigerator that works by stretching rubber bands") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfmrvxB154w) He references this Wikipedia page which contains info on the thermodynamics of rubber bands: > **[Rubber band | Thermodynamics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_band#Thermodynamics)** > > Temperature affects the elasticity of a rubber band in an unusual way. Heating causes the rubber band to contract and cooling causes expansion. > Stretching a rubber band will cause it to release heat, while releasing it after it has been stretched will make it absorb heat, causing its surroundings to become a little cooler. This effect is due to the higher entropy of the unstressed state, which is more entangled and therefore has more states available. In other words, the ability to convert th The... Applied Science is a great channel. The guy builds all kinds of wild stuff including his own scanning tunneling microscope. It’s fun watching him solve problems. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251/42 "2022-09-15T00:45:44Z")
Sometimes I feel like I’m shouting into the void… > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > There’s a third, actually: through the refrigeration cycle. The energy loss is the same as if you had compressed a piston, let the hot gas cool, and then let it expand. You get back less mechanical work than you put in, but can use it to pump heat (in either direction). At any rate, I second that Applied Science is a great channel. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251/43 "2022-09-15T17:42:17Z")
Vacuum chamber will definitely slow the heat transfer. But it will radiate. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251/44 "2022-09-19T01:02:06Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Sometimes I feel like I’m shouting into the void… If you were directing that at me, I did see what you said. That’s why I thought you and others might like the video - a direct application of the thermodynamics of rubber bands. If you thought I was trying to make the point you already made, my apologies. I wasn’t very cleat about that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-a-bungee-jumper-eventually-stop/971251.md?page=2)