William ChopsWestfield wrote:

> Momentum is still conserved in an inelastic collision (and a fully 
> inelastic collision is the maximum "energy absorbed by destructive
> processes, I think.)  

It probably looks a bit different when you consider pulverization of a
considerable fraction of the mass. While momentum is still conserved, it is
highly dispersed now, and the particle speed is very quickly reduced by air
resistance. So the pulverized part probably doesn't contribute momentum or
energy to the impact on the lower floors.

(Just an observation, not an opinion about who's right :)

Gerhard

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist