Terminal Velocity facts

While investigating facts about Terminal Velocity Formula and Terminal Velocity Human, I found out little known, but curios details like:

Although it sounds incredible that people have survived falls from aircraft as high as 20 000 feet, the extreme height makes little difference as anything above 10 or 12 stories and you've reached terminal velocity. So a fall from 20,000 is no different from a 500 foot fall."

how terminal velocity is reached?

Cats have a non-lethal terminal velocity, so they can survive falls from very large heights

What happens when you hit the ground at terminal velocity?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what happens to a body when it hits the ground at terminal velocity. Here are 27 of the best facts about Terminal Velocity Calculator and Terminal Velocity Speed I managed to collect.

what is the acceleration of an object at terminal velocity?

1. The act of Kinetic Bombardment (firing large metal rods from a satellite into the Earth's surface at terminal velocity as a weapon) remains legal

2. Cats who fall from heights lower than six stories and survive usually have greater injuries than cats who fall from heights higher than six stories and survive. This is because their terminal velocity is reached at around five stories, after which they will instinctively relax.

3. Solar panels are actually extremely resistant to environmental damage, holding 113 lbs/SQ ft and withstanding 1 inch hail at terminal velocity

4. A cat can survive a fall at Terminal Velocity

5. Cats have a non-fatal terminal velocity of around 60mph, and when falling (after relaxing and orienting themselves) they merely 'parachute' to earth like a squirrel.

6. A falling person will reach terminal velocity after about 12 seconds, falling some 450 m (about 1,500 ft) in that time

7. You could throw an ant from a skyscraper and it wouldn't be harmed by the impact, due to terminal velocity

8. Falling person will reach terminal velocity after about 12 seconds, falling some 450 m (about 1,500 ft) in that time. That person will not then fall any faster, so it makes no difference what distance they fall if it is more than 1,500 ft - they will still reach the ground at the same speed.

9. The peregrine falcon, a bird of prey in north America, is the fastest animal in the animal kingdom due to its speed during dive bombing. It has a terminal velocity of 200mph or 320km/h, they use this speed to hunt other birds such as pigeons.

Why terminal velocity is important?

You can easily fact check why terminal velocity gravity by examining the linked well-known sources.

In the Islamic vision of Hell, Jahannam, if a stone were thrown into it, it would fall for 70 years – assuming Earth gravity and atmosphere, and an 89.5 m/s terminal velocity, a distance of about 197,708,364km, or about the average diameter of the orbit of Venus before reaching the bottom.

Cats' ability to survive falls over two stories can be attributed to them reaching a terminal velocity that is half the speed of humans. - source

Cats can survive a fall from any height. When falling they relax, orient them selves, and spread out. Because of this their terminal velocity is a non-lethal 60 Mph. - source

Cats have a non-fatal terminal velocity, meaning that their maximum falling speed from any height is not enough to be deadly on landing

The Space Shuttle's descent rate when it was about that of terminal velocity of a person. WHOA - source

When terminal velocity is reached?

Domestic cats have a 90% success rate of surviving a fall of any height. Cats reach terminal velocity very quickly, and some only suffer bruising on impact. One even survived a 32 story fall directly onto concrete with only a chipped tooth and collapsed lung, and was released 48 hours later.

How terminal velocity works?

Cats that fall from greater than 6 stories to the ground receive less injuries than cats falling from lower heights. A phenomenon known as high rise syndrome is at 5 stories the cat will reach terminal velocity allowing it time to relax and take the fall in a safer fashion.

The farther a cat falls, the better. Cats are less likely to be injured if they fall from greater heights. When cats fall from 5 stories they reach terminal velocity and relax their bodies, which slows them down and protects them from the impacts.

Terminal velocity for cats isn't fatal , so that means they have a higher survival rate from higher falls because they have time to orient themselves better.

Cats can survive a fall from any height. Although its possible a cat can die from a fall or be injured it's also possible for them to fall off a sky scraper and survive due to the way their weight is distributed their terminal velocity is less than the speed required to kill them

I learned a PhD student designed a new form of Euthanasia called the "Euthanasia Coaster", designed to kill its passengers by reaching a height of 1670 ft, and then experiencing a 1600 ft drop, reaching terminal velocity, with several loops following afterwards.