Steve Sloan wrote:
>
> It depends on how he catches her. He can do the egg-catching
> trick, by flying straight down to match her velocity/
> acceleration, grabbing her, then slowing down before hitting
> the ground.
>
If the terminal speed of a human being is 50 m/s [is it?],
and if a human body can survive 6 g [can it?], then the
deceleration distance [1/2 v^2 = g h] is about 20 meters -
there's no way Superman can save her after she gets below
the 6th floor [using 3 meters/floor]. But it might be
worse than that, because this aceleration limit was
measured [IIRC - Discovery Channel etc] for people that
are supported along their bodies, and not with just two
supports [around the neck and around the legs]
> Of course, if he catches her the way the problem
> describes, then she'll basically pass right through Superdude's
> arms, and land in three bloody piles on the ground... ;-)
>
Four parts, not three. Maybe six.
Alberto Monteiro
