/sci/ - Science & Math

Conservation of Energy:

In elastic collisions, the sum of kinetic energy before a collision must equal the sum of kinetic energy after the collision. Conservation of kinetic energy is given by the following formula:

(1/2)(m1 * v21)i + (1/2)(m2 * v22)i = (1/2)(m1 * v21)f + (1/2)(m2 * v22)f + (Pulverize) + (Fail Floor Supports)
where (Pulverize) is the energy required to pulverize a floor and (Fail Floor Supports) is the energy required to fail the next floor.

If (1/2)(m1 * v21)i + (1/2)(m2 * v22)i = (Pulverize) + (Fail Floor Supports), there well be no momentum transfer.
In reality, (1/2)(m1 * v21)i + (1/2)(m2 * v22)i < (Pulverize) + (Fail Floor Supports),

So, for conservation of energy, we must assume there is some additional energy such that,

(1/2)(m1 * v21)i + (1/2)(m2 * v22)i + (Additional Energy) = (Pulverize) + (Fail Floor Supports),

where (Additional Energy) is the additional amount of energy needed to have the outcome we observed on 9/11/01.

Top

Appendix B: Assuming elastic collisions:

Assume that the top floor stays intact as a solid block weight, Block-A. Start the collapse timer when the 109th floor fails. At that instant, assume floor 108 miraculously turns to dust and disappears. So, Block-A can drop at free-fall speed until it reaches the 108th floor. After Block-A travels one floor, it now has momentum. If all of the momentum is transferred from Block-A to Block-B, the next floor, Block-A will stop moving momentarily, even if there is no resistance for the next block to start moving.

(m1 * v1)i = (m2 * v2)f

If Block-A stops moving, after triggering the next sequence, the mass of Block-A will not arrive in time to transfer momentum to the next "pancaking" between Block-B and Block-C. In other words, the momentum will not be increased as the "collapse" progresses.

However, as we can observe, the building disintegrated from the top down and there was no block of material.