Office Challenge:
Rolling chair to rolling chair leap of faith
This physical challenge has been haunting me. I started pondering the physics behind the office chair jump a month or two ago, but I've been too chicken to test it out (if I still lived in the Slatch house, Dave and Pete would have mastered it on day 1). The basic idea:
- Take two rolling office chairs.
- Place in an open area. Office cubicle = bad idea.
- Separate them with something that is a standard length, soft enough to fall on without causing serious injury. (empty shipping box?)
- Stand on chair 1.
- Jump to chair 2.
I think that separating the two chairs with an object is an important step which should not be overlooked. It avoids any unnecessary "I totally jumped farther than you" arguments, while at the same time providing something for the jumper to fall on, perhaps injuring themselves further - at very least adding to the comedy. Now, like I said, I have not tested this yet, but I'm fairly certain that the majority of failed attempts/injuries will occur due to a failed takeoff rather than landing. It will be very difficult to avoid the chair-kick-out effect. I have discussed this with my officemates and they have all agreed.
I would not try this in a non-carpeted office - I'm not saying this from an injury standpoint, you're going to get injured no matter what - I just don't think that a hardwood/cement/linoleum floor will provide enough friction to stabilize the chair rollers.
