“Dropping a penny from the Empire State Building could kill someone”

The notion that a penny dropped from the top of the Empire State Building could become a deadly projectile is a pervasive urban legend that has captured imaginations for decades. This classic misconception likely stems from our intuitive understanding of gravity: the higher an object falls, the faster it goes, seemingly gaining limitless (Review) destructive power. The dramatic height of iconic skyscrapers like the Empire State Building only amplifies this perceived danger, making for a compelling, albeit false, narrative.

However, the laws of physics tell a different story. While gravity certainly accelerates falling objects, another force, air resistance, acts in the opposite direction. For a small, lightweight, and relatively flat object like a penny, air resistance quickly becomes significant. As the penny falls, it rapidly reaches what is known as "terminal velocity," a maximum speed at which the force of air resistance balances the force of gravity, preventing further acceleration. For a penny, this terminal velocity is typically between 25 and 50 miles per hour, depending on how it tumbles.

At this speed, a penny would deliver an impact comparable to being flicked on the forehead, causing a sting but certainly not a lethal injury. People often believe the myth because they underestimate the power of air resistance on light objects and overestimate the continuous acceleration of gravity without considering this counteracting force. While heavier, more aerodynamic objects dropped from great heights can indeed be dangerous, a penny simply lacks the mass and shape to become a deadly missile.