"Erik" wrote in message
...

I understand that the terminal velocity of a spread-eagled human is
something like 120 mph. It doesn't matter if you fall from 2,000 feet or
50,000 feet, you hit the ground at around 120 per. Does anyone have
better
data on that?

Ed Huntress

120 mph is about right... you can vary it a good bit by body position
though... maybe 110 or a little under by 'getting big', and push 200 by
getting vertical and 'small'.

As I recall, it takes about 11 seconds, and 1,300 feet to reach terminal
in a relaxed 'frog' position. (This is what I recall, don't hold me to
it, if anyone's interested I'll look it up in some old jumping books.)

Maybe this will convince some that the velocity of an object hitting the
ground, after being sent up high, doesn't depend at all on the velocity at
which it left the ground.

I wan't trying to be morbid, only to provide an example that would help
clear up that point. Thanks.

Ed Huntress