Why is jumping into a body of water from high up so deadly? Can someone explain

Question

Why is jumping into a body of water from high up so deadly? Can someone explain

Answer 1

Hi!  It's because the resistance of a fluid increases as you move faster through that fluid.  Think of it like this: in order to move through a fluid (like air or water), you have to push the molecules out of the way.  Well, that takes energy.  To move FASTER through that same fluid, you have to push the molecules out of the way faster, which requires more energy.  Makes sense, right?  So the faster you move through a fluid, the more energy it steals from you.  We describe the loss of energy as being due to the fluid's resistance.

If you jump into a pool from five or ten feet up, you're not moving fast enough when you hit the water's surface to cause much resistance.  Your body can part the water molecules without too much force.  But let's say you fall into a body of water from 100 feet up.  Now you'll be traveling much faster when you hit, and your body will have to exert a LOT more force to push the water out of the way.  Remember Newton's third law: if you put a big force on the water, the water puts a big force right back on you.  The result is that falling from 100 feet, even into water, can still be a deadly affair.

I hope that helps.  Good luck!

Answer 2

it is the impact of the the body hitting the water's surface

Answer 3

i guess the -g forces of stopping suddenly  

Answer 4

Surface tension makes the surface of the water "hard as rock" at high speeds. A fun experiment to show surface tension is to place a clear cup or glass on a level surface then slowly, carefully fill it up. At some point it will fill up to the top, go a little bit over and spill. Clean up the water. Remember when the water went a little over the top of the cup?glass? Why didn't the water spill all the way? Surface tension.

Answer 5

Because your body falls heavier in the water, I guess you can say it gains gravity the higher it is. If you're in a perfect vertical 180 position, you're less likely to hurt yourself, but if you land on your side or something, you can break your bones and what not.