Re: Henry LaMothe

[Tim Folkerts <tfolkert@FHSU.EDU>]

> This is in the 6th edition ofHalliday, Resnick,
> Walker Fundamentals. They give height as 30 m,
> water depth as 30 cm and say that M. LaMothe did
> his act until he was in his 90's.

This sounds incredible.  Whatever speed he reaches in the fall he has to
loose again in the tub, so v^2 = 2 a(1) x(1) = 2 a(2) x(2) , or

     a(2) = g x(1)/x(2) = g  30m/0.3m = 100 g

So his average acceleration is 100 g during the stop.  Is that survivable?
He's going from 90 km/hr to 0 in 0.025 s!


Tim