The Fall

The greatest man I have ever known passed away today. I had to watch the horrible suicide of consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. I feel like the only way to come to terms with his death and respect my genius friend is to understand the science of his death. Or at least that's what my therapist claims. Sherlock was 1.828 8 meters tall and weighed about 71.66759446 kg. The four story building he fell from was 13.716 meters tall and gravity effects falling objects at 9.81 m/s². So how fast was he falling and how long did it take?

Final vertical velocity given vertical displacement: vf² = vyi² + 2g(xi-xf)

vyi²=0m/s  2g=19.6m/s²  xi=13.716m  xf=0m  vf² = 0 + 19.6(13.716-0)

This means that in a perfect system, meaning no air resistance, Sherlock would have been falling at 16.4m/s at the time of impact.

Final vertical velocity given time: vyf = vyi + gt

vyf =16.4m/s vyi=0m/s g=9.81 m/s² t=?  16.4 = 0 + 9.81t

This means Sherlock's fall would have taken 1.67s in a perfect system.

How much kinetic energy did Sherlock have on impact? mgh=GPE 

m=71.66759446kg g=9.81m/s² h=13.716m  (71.6675944)(9.81)(13.716) = 9640J

Because GPE=KE, Sherlock's kinetic energy was also 9640J.

That fall would have killed anyone, so how is Sherlock still alive?