Can Ants Survive High Falls?
WouterWhether or not ants can survive high falls depends on the size and mass of the ant. The smaller the ant, the slower its fall. The more mass the ant has, the higher the terminal velocity.
The ant’s exoskeleton is a strong, durable substance. The outer layer is made of a tough substance called chitin, which is similar to keratin. It surrounds the ant’s body like an armour. It also braces for impact.
Because of their light weight, ants have very little mass compared to the air resistance they experience. This means that they do not take any damage from falling. They also fall at a fast terminal velocity. They achieve this within seconds of dropping. They then continue to fall at a constant pace.
If an ant falls from a height of 380m, it may not reach the terminal velocity of 3.9mph. It may instead impact tens of meters away from the building.
While this means that the ant will not die, it also means that it will not reach the highest possible height, where it could be crushed. It is also possible that the ant would get shocked, and that its head would be damaged. This is because its head would take blows that would knock vertebrates unconscious. It would also not hit the ground, which would cause little bleeding.
Even if the ant did hit the ground, it would not cause much damage. This is because it would hit with a minimal collision force.
