P1_6 Escaping a Fire Using a Mattress

Abstract

This article considers the net energy of a body jumping from a first floor window onto a mattress below, comparing it to the energy needed to break a leg bone. It is found that the final energy of the body after landing is 2738.5J, and calculations show that it takes 385.71J to break two legs. Therefore a mattress does not absorb enough energy to avoid injury.