less time than the first three? Actually, this also applies to a falling rock… but

比前三者的時間更短？其實，這也適用於落石......但是。

rocks aren't nearly as good looking. Anyway, by the time a diver (or rock) has fallen three

岩石並沒有'那麼好看。總之，當一個潛水員（或岩石）已經落下三個。

meters, they're already going about 17mph, and as they fall farther, they continue to

米，它們的速度已經達到了17英里/小時左右，隨著它們的遠去，它們繼續

pick up speed so that they cover the remaining distance in less time.

加快速度，以便在更短的時間內走完剩餘的路程。

But now suppose a world record sprinter races our olympic diver - that is, Usain Bolt starts

但現在假設一個世界紀錄的短跑運動員與我們的奧運跳水運動員比賽--也就是說，烏塞恩-博爾特開始了

ten meters from the finish line, and the diver starts ten meters above it. Who gets there

距離終點線十米，而潛水員在終點線上方十米處開始。誰能到達那裡？

first?

第一？

Well, Bolt's actual running time through the first 10 meters of his world record was 1.74

嗯，博爾特'的實際運行時間通過他的世界紀錄的前10米是1.74。

seconds, while a rock falling 10 meters takes only 1.43 seconds… so victory to the rock

而一塊石頭落下10米，只需要1.43秒... 所以石頭勝利了

by a slim margin. But of course, an olympic diver is NOT a rock, and in particular they'll

以微弱的優勢。但當然，奧運跳水運動員不是一塊石頭，尤其是他們'會。

jump upwards off the platform - this means they'll be in the air for an additional third

向上跳離平臺--這意味著他們會在空中多停留三分之一的時間。

of a second, or a total of about 1.78 seconds before they hit the water. So it's actually

的一秒，或者說在它們落水前總共約1.78秒。所以它實際上

a close race, and Bolt wins the photo finish!

一場激烈的比賽，博爾特贏得了攝影比賽的勝利!

However, while we continue to be amazed by how fast Usain Bolt is, the fact that he could

然而，雖然我們繼續驚訝於烏塞恩-博爾特的速度有多快，但事實上，他可能會有更快的速度。

beat a diver in free fall is more of a reminder that gravity, while a law of nature and thus

擊敗自由落體的潛水員，更多的是提醒人們，重力雖然是自然規律，因而

consistent, doesn't give you a blazing start. That's why it's easiest to catch something

始終如一，並不能給你一個熾熱的開始。這就是為什麼最容易抓住一些東西的原因'。

in the first instant after you drop it. If you wait even a second, it'll be 15 feet down

在你放下它後的第一時間。如果你等哪怕一秒鐘，它'就會在15英尺的下面

and already traveling 20 miles per hour. Bye bye!

而且已經行駛了20英里每小時。再見！