Why is it that you can survive a high fall into deep snow but not water?
In: Physics
In large part it’s due to the compactibility of snow slowing your fall. There’s a lot of air trapped in there, and it will get packed more densely underneath you as it slows you down. Since water doesn’t compress, you need to displace it instead when you fall into it. If you’re moving faster than the water can get out of the way, it can feel like hitting a solid surface. It’s like the difference in pneumatic and hydraulic pressures.
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