FactSentinel

A penny dropped from the Empire State Building cannot kill a person due to basic physics principles involving terminal velocity and air resistance. When any object falls through the air, it accelerates until the force of air resistance equals the force of gravity, at which point it reaches a maximum speed called terminal velocity. For a penny, which is small, flat, and lightweight, this terminal velocity is only about 30-50 miles per hour. At this speed, a penny lacks sufficient mass and energy to cause lethal injury. In fact, if a penny were to strike someone, it would likely cause nothing more than a mild sting, similar to being flicked by a finger.

The myth persists because people intuitively assume that objects dropped from extreme heights continue accelerating indefinitely, becoming increasingly dangerous. However, air resistance prevents this from happening. The penny's flat shape causes it to flutter and tumble as it falls, further slowing its descent and dissipating energy. Multiple physics experiments and calculations have confirmed that the impact force would be far too small to penetrate skin or cause serious harm.

This misconception also overlooks practical considerations. Wind currents around tall buildings would likely blow a falling penny away from the base rather than allowing it to fall straight down. While dropping objects from buildings is dangerous and illegal for other reasons, the specific claim about a penny being lethal has been thoroughly debunked by physicists and has even been tested on popular science programs.