At 10:22 PM 5/1/01 +0000, Alberto Monteiro wrote:
>J. van Baardwijk wrote:
> >
> >The Case
> >--------
> >James Bond is in an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean; the plane is flying
> >at an altitude of 8,000 meters above sea level. James jumps out to land on
> >a small island, but unfortunately his parachute fails (d'oh!). For 007,
> >this means 8,000 meters of free fall before he plunges into the ocean.
> >
>Well, it's not _free fall_, because the resistance of the air slows him down.
>
> >The Questions
> >-------------
> >1. What is James' speed (in meters per second) when he hits the water? You
> >may assume that his initial speed (at the moment he leaves the airplane) is
> >0.00 meters per second.
> >
>Not enough data. He will be in the terminal speed [there's no way he would
>be falling with free fall's supersonic speed of sqrt(2 g h) = 400 m/s], but
>the calculation of the terminal speed depends on his arm/leg position, and
>on many other factors, like his clothes, etc.
>
> >2. Once James is under water, the water will slow him down. At how many
> >meters below the surface will his speed reach 0.00 m/s?
> >
>Again, not enough data - but he would probably sink forever. AFAIK, the
>density of a living human being is bigger than the density of water.
>
>
>BTW, this is not a _Math_ Challenge, this is a Physics Challenge :-)
No, it's a REALITY Challenge.
;-)
(Which doesn't mean I don't watch and enjoy the films anyway.)
-- Ronn! :)
