Parachute jump(Felix jump) - Essay Example

Topic Freefalling is falling without any forces that resist an object or person from the pull of gravity. All objects that fall down accelerates at an estimated rate of 9.8 m/s/s (nearly 10 m/s/s). A tape trace or dot diagram of the motion can illustrate the acceleration. The latter means a vector quantity which meant ‘the rate of an object as it changes its velocity’ (Physics Classroom, 2012). Often, when the distance travelled by an object in a freefalling mode increases its time, this is ascertaining that the object is speeding up its fall to the ground.

The numerical value of freefalling object is dubbed as acceleration of gravity which is symbolized by physicists as ‘g’ (gravity) with an equivalent value of 9.8 m/s/s and its slight variation is reliant on the altitude, hence the approximation of value at 10 m/s/s in classroom instruction. Thus, the formula is gleaned as, g = 9.8 m/s/s, downward ( ~ 10 m/s/s, downward) Freefalling objects are constantly accelerating at a given rate when the freefalling object changes its velocity. This is illustrated with the formula: A = ?v = -9.8m/s t 1s The other way of presenting the acceleration of 9.

8 m/s/s is to add figures in a dot diagram which is depicted in this figure below: Figure. 1. (Physics Classroom, 2012). Hence, computation are always gauged on the relation of the sum of distance travelled and time from the moment it commenced to fall with a constant acceleration. An expert cited that “if an object travels for twice the time, it will cover four times (2^2) the distance; the total distance travelled after two seconds is four times the total distance travelled after one second.

If an object travels for three times the time, then it will cover nine times (3^2) the distance; the distance travelled after three seconds is nine times the distance travelled after one second (Physics Classroom, 2012).” It is of this context that the new highest skydiver on record, Felix Baumgartner, could be understood. Baumgartner jumped from an elevation of 128,000 feet (39,000 meters or 24 miles) in a Red Bull Stratos mission at Mexico city on October 14, 2012 (Wall, 2012). Baumgarter made a free fall from his diving point for about 4 minutes but parachuted thereafter which readied him to a safe landing 20 minutes thereafter (Wall, 2012).

He now topped the skydiving record from the highest altitude and broke the record of former best skydiver who enjoyed the title for half a century (Wall, 2012). Indeed, there are few persons who are immune of acrophobia or the fear of heights and they can freely risk themselves to jump or dive and maintain their sense of balance. Psychologists explained that acrophobia is partially ingrained in all persons, including babies, caused likely by evolutionary survival mechanism (Gibson & Walk, 1960).

They argued that acrophobia is simply a hyper-reaction to fear-response which could either be a learnt response from an experiential fall or simply a nervous reaction to heights (Gibson & Walk, 1960). In the case of Baumgartner, it’s presumed that he has been undergoing training on skydiving and his constant exposure to this practice has reduced his level of fears. He knew too well that the most accelerated portion of this free falling was that 4 minutes period or from the moment he jumped off from the sky until he utilized his parachute to regulate his fall to the ground using the wind as balancing force (Wall, 2012).

He knew too well to that by the pull of gravity and by the rules of his acceleration (within the span of time and velocity), he is not going to drift elsewhere in the atmosphere but to certainly fall to the ground. The only aim to pursue was to land successfully and safely. Indeed, free falling or sky diving is too risky. The human flesh and bones are not made of stones that can sustain the impact when a person does it. Such mandatorily require an exceptional expertise that has mastered the rules of skydiving or freefalling.

References Fritser, L., Acrophobia, About .com Guide, New York, US. 2011. < http://phobias.about.com/od/introductiontophobias/a/acrophobiaprof.htm > Accessed: 17 December 2012. Gibson, E. J., & Walk, R. D. The 'visual cliff'. Scientific American. 1960, vol. 202,pp. 67-71. Physics Classroom. Describing Motion with Words. PhysicsClassroom.com, 2012. Accessed: 17 December 2012. Physics Classroom. Free Fall and the Acceleration of Gravity. PhysicsClassroom.com, 2012. < http://www.physicsclassroom.

com/class/1dkin/u1l5b.cfm > Accessed: 17 December 2012. Wall, M. World’s Highest Skydive! DaredevilMakes Record-Breaking Supersonic Jump, Space.com, Oct. 14, 2012. < http://www.space.com/17961-supersonic-skydive-worlds-highest-space-jump.html > Accessed: 17 December 2012.