\nRecently I was asked if a penny dropped from the Eiffel Tower could kill someone below. It’s a familiar question. Sometimes the penny (hypothetically) drops from the CN Tower or the Empire State Building.<\/p>\n
Because of air resistance, a falling penny accelerates only a short distance before reaching “terminal velocity” – the maximum velocity it can be pulled through air by gravity. The folks at Scientific American<\/a> put that distance at around 50 feet (15m). Therefore, after falling 60 feet or 6000, the penny will travel the same downward speed: about 25 miles per hour, or 40km\/h.<\/p>\n To gain some perspective, let’s compare the falling penny to a soccer shot.<\/p>\n Apparently, pro shots are typically 40 to 60 miles per hour, but can reach beyond 90 mph. Therofore, I suspect that a fit amateur can deliver a 30 mile per hour kick (50km\/h).<\/p>\n
| <\/td>\n | soccer ball shot at net<\/td>\n | falling penny<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| mass(g)<\/td>\n | 450<\/td>\n | 2.35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| speed(km\/h)<\/p>\n | 50<\/td>\n | 40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n Some might argue that the falling penny could still be dangerous due to its harder material and smaller contact point. Scientific American<\/em> says not really; the penny is round, after all, rather than tapered.<\/p>\n Perhaps a more meaningful question: Which would you rather be – a soccer goalie, or a person walking beneath a falling penny?<\/p>\n HTH:)<\/p>\n Other sources:<\/p>\n forums.bigsoccer.com<\/a><\/p>\n www.soccerballworld.com<\/a><\/p>\n Royal Canadian Mint<\/a><\/p>\n |