Can 1 square yard of material really slow someone down enough to survive?

Question

In Dan Brown's Angels and Demons it is stated that one square yard of material will slow down a fallin body by 20 percent. I'm just curious if that is true.

Answer 1

I agree with the first answerer about the max velocity of 150 mph. BUT Langdon had 8 square yards of drag, not just one. He would have (mathematically) slowed to about 25-31 mph. (Took 20% of 150 and got 120. Took 20% of 120 and got 96....etc,etc.... total of 8 times.)



Logically, a falling speed of 25-31 seems pretty "suvivable" to me..... Sorry...new word here, but you know what I mean.



Mathematically, it seems it is true. Scientifically, I don't know. Searched the net and there's not anything to verify OR debunk the "square yard of drag = 20%" line.

Answer 2

Not really sure what you are asking here but think of this: in a free fall a person probably would have a maximum velocity of about 150 miles per hour. So if a square yard of material could reduce that speed by 20% the person would be falling at 120 mph. Parachute jumpers have told me that you can survive an impact of about 35 miles per hour by proper landing and rolling technique. That leaves a lot of inertia to deal with. Still there is supposedly a Russian pilot that fell 35,000 feet without a chute opening and he survived. So it could be possible but I would not try it. Sounds like a good Myth busters Challenge to me.

Answer 3

Parachute Material By The Yard

Answer 4

Mythbusters did do this. The hooked Buster up to a square yard of fabric and dropped him from a crane. At the end of the experiment they had to make him a new head so don't try it yourself.