[r9etb]

Let's say she reached a height of 6 feet, and rolled/slid for 12 feet -- leaving a distance of 60 feet in the air.

Using d = 1/2 a t², it would have taken her about 0.6 seconds to drop six feet. Total flight time would therefore have been about 1.2 seconds, meaning that her speed was something like 50 feet/second, or 34 mph.

If we assume a radius of 4 feet for the merry-go-round, the ejection speed of 50 feet/second corresponds to an angular rate of 12.5 radians/second, or about 120 rpm.

We have to assume, btw, that the dumbass kids wrapped the ropes around the outside handles of the merry-go-round.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Gentlemen, we call it the Darwin Equation.

[Maigrey]

That, unfortunately, isn't the ride that kills, but the very sudden stop without a sumo sushi suit!

[lelio]

If we assume a radius of 4 feet for the merry-go-round, the ejection speed of 50 feet/second corresponds to an angular rate of 12.5 radians/second, or about 120 rpm.

Phew! Looks like I did my math right.

The next step is to figure out the acceleration of the truck and how many yards of rope they needs to wrap around the merry go round.

This should be given to the friends of the victim to do. Turn that frown upside down!

[Old Professer]

You beat me to it - I fix lawnmowers for neighbors; every year I have to remind them of the incredible force a one pound steel blade spinning at 3000RPM possesses and the need to keep body parts outside the cutting deck area and children and "spectators" outside the path of flying objects neglected in the cutting path.