The Rejuvenated Funny Pics Thread - NO VIDEOS (YouTube Included) (43 Viewers)

JuveJay

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Mar 6, 2007
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Cats actually do themselves less harm when they fall from 10 stories upwards (sometimes up to 30 or 40) than they do from 3-8 (roughly), because their body shape greatly reduces terminal velocity.
 

JuveJay

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Mar 6, 2007
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So basicly a cat doing a free fall from space is more likely to survive then falling from 5 stories building?
If we ignore temperature and lack of oxygen then in theory a cat could survive a fall from an airplane because their terminal velocity would not increase past a certain height, but then some humans also have in the right conditions. What's less likely at that height is that it will be able to right itself at the precise moment of impact.
 

Raz

Senior Member
Nov 20, 2005
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If we ignore temperature and lack of oxygen then in theory a cat could survive a fall from an airplane because their terminal velocity would not increase past a certain height, but then some humans also have in the right conditions. What's less likely at that height is that it will be able to right itself at the precise moment of impact.
Cool :tup:
 
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Sheik Yerbouti
Apr 15, 2006
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  • Thread Starter #26,869
    If we ignore temperature and lack of oxygen then in theory a cat could survive a fall from an airplane because their terminal velocity would not increase past a certain height, but then some humans also have in the right conditions. What's less likely at that height is that it will be able to right itself at the precise moment of impact.
    More on that:

     

    JuveJay

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    Mar 6, 2007
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    But why would falling from 3-8 stories cause them more harm if theoretically they haven't even reached terminal velocity?
    Because past a certain height they reach terminal velocity through their body shape (spread eagle) and the drag/resistance slows them down. Essentially over the shorter distance they are falling faster.

     

    JuveJay

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    Mar 6, 2007
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    but terminal velocity means they can't fall any faster, not that they're falling slower.
    I know, but it becomes reduced. Maybe 'terminal velocity' is not the right phrase in this instance, but overall velocity. I (and others) only use that as an example of constant velocity over a large distance.
     

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