Gravitational acceleration is approx 32ft/sec^2 (drag-less freefall at the Earth’s surface)

Doing some algebra to solve for the time to reach 25 fps results in:  (25/32)^.5 = 0.88 seconds

Doing some integral calculus (not shown) results in a distance traveled of approx 7.5 feet

Thus, 25 f/s is about the impact speed from falling off the top step of an 8’ step ladder

Be careful when cleaning your gutters out there J

 

Or another analogy (in case you haven;t fallen off the top of a 8’ step ladder lately), terminal velocity from the top of a 34” bar stool would be approximately 12.5 fps (note: 1/2 speed = 1/4 of the impact energy).

Rick,

 

You have ignored the slowing effects of being outside a vacuum.  Furthermore, I have fallen off a standard barstool at 21C, dalt 1114 MSL, 67% humidity.  It wasn't all that bad they tell me.  Apparently, I was unconsciously loose when I hit the stop.  This is not a suggestion on how to reduce the personal effects of such a sudden deceleration as there isn't enough time available to reach the state of relaxation that I was in - either by meditation or, uh, other means.  I hear I bounced, thus reducing the impact because of the rebound elasticity and the final plop was from a much lower AGL.  Alas, if only a strain gauge had been attached so I could report actual data rather than these theoretical computations being tossed about.

 

Grayhawk