Question

in my textbook , it states that athletes in a high jump competition are made to fall on either a sand bed or a cushion padding , as it increases the time of the athletes fall to stop after making the jump. This decreases the raye of change of momentum and hence the force.
However if this were the case , if I jumped off a building , my time taken is a lot and thereby rate of change of momentum is decreased so wouldnt i survive the fall ?

Answer 1

During Athletics meet, a high jumping athlete is provided either a cushion or heap of sand on the ground to fall upon.
⇒This is done to prevent injury to the athlete when he falls down after making a high jump.
⇒When he falls on a a soft landing site[either cushion or sand], then the jumper takes a longer time to come to stop.
⇒The rate of change of momentum of the athlete is less due to which a smaller force will act on athlete.
⇒ So, athlete does not get injury and cushion or sand reduces the momentum of athlete's .
If we fall on a hard surface like cement floor, then his momentum is reduced to zero in very less time and thus rate of change of momentum increases due to which large opposing force will act on athlete.
which can lead to serious injury.