User talk:AtomicPunk23

Force of Impact of United 93
The kinetic energy of the plane at impact can be calculated using the equation $$E = 1/2mv^2$$, where m is the mass in kilograms of the plane, and v is its velocity at impact in meters per second.

A United Airlines Boeing 757-200 has a minimum takeoff weight of around 220,000 pounds (99,800 kilograms).

If the plane was travelling at 563 mph (906 km/h) at impact, its velocity in meters per second is $$((906 km/h)*(1000 m/km))/(3600 s/h) = 251.67 m/s$$, which is nearly 3/4 the speed of sound (the speed of sound is 340.29 m/s).

At that speed, the plane's kinetic energy at impact would be $$1/2*(99800*251.67*251.67) = 3,160,555,666$$ joules, or $$3.161 x 10^9$$ joules. This is the equivalent of a blast of over 3/4 of a ton of TNT directed toward the ground (the energy from one ton of TNT is $$4.184 x 10^9$$ Joules).

This is enough information to surmise that Flight 93 was possibly one of the most extreme plane crashes in history, which would help explain why the aftermath was so different from the other plane crashes that are shown in the media.