The Physics of a Falling Cat
About this video
Why do cats always land on their feet?
In a nifty move known as the 'cat righting reflex', falling felines can reorient themselves to always land on their feet.
But how do they do this?
With the help of GiGi the stunt cat* and a high-speed camera, Dustin from Smarter Everyday reveals the complex physics behind the righting reflex. How can the cat right itself without violating the conservation of angular momentum – i.e. how can it rotate in space in the absence of an external force?
You can watch more from Smarter Everyday over at his YouTube Channel or learn more about the physics of falling cats by exploring the additional links to the right.
*GiGi the cat was not hurt during the making of this video.
Related Links and Media
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Diagram of a falling cat rotating with zero net angular momentum
Diagram of a falling cat rotating with zero net angular momentum
License: Creative Commons
