Question

Explain why there is more danger when you fall and bounce as opposed to falling without bouncing.

Answer 1

When a body falls from a certain height, it contains both potential energy( due to height from the ground) and kinetic energy(due to falling).

Initially the potential energy remains maximum. But while falling the kinetic energy increases and potential energy decreases. Just before hitting the ground ,the kinetic energy becomes maximum. Now -

1. If you fall without bounce-

Your kinetic energy will be fully transferred to the ground, of which some part will generate thermal energy, sound energy etc. and the rest will be absorbed by the ground.

2. If you fall with bounce-

Apart from all the happenings of case 1 , some part will be now absorbed by the ground and some part will be returned to you ! This energy causes you to bounce again. So now during the subsequent falls you will again develop some kinetic energy and strike again. This will hurt more ! You will keep on bouncing until your total initial potential energy which was converted to kinetic energy gets transformed totally into some other energy or completely absorbed by the ground.

Hence pray to fall for once and not to get bounce back !