Does it matter how long the rope is for a parachute? – SEE SAW Comics, Webcomics from the Sequential Artists Workshop

Does it matter how long the rope is for a parachute?

Panel 1:
At the top of the panel is the question, “Does it matter how long the rope is for a parachute?” Right below this is a drawing of a single-engine, propellor airplane somewhat like a Piper Cub. To the right and below, a skydiver falls under an inflated parachute. To the left of the skydiver is the text. “It does matter. Too little or too much rope can cause different kinds of problems.”
Panel 2:
The text continues, “With too little, the parachute may be more likely to collapse and it will also tend to swing you back and forth.” Below this text we see three images of the skydiver who sways back and forth drastically.
Panel 3:
The text continues, “With too much, the added weight of the lines will make you fall faster. It will also take somewhat longer for the parachute to open and there may be a greater risk of tangling of the lines.” To the left of this is a drawing of a parachute with extremely long lines, so long in fact that the skydiver is not visible on the page.
Panel 4:
The text continues, “One good rule of thumb is that the length of the lines should be equal to (or somewhat larger than) the diameter of the open parachute.” To the left of this is another illustration of the skydiver. This time, arrows indicate the diameter of the parachute and the length of the lines. Below is more text that reads, “Note to Students: If you are working on an ‘egg drop’ science experiment, extra protective packaging will likely work better than a parachute.”
This cartoon is part of a series called Falling. It is written and drawn by Jim Hamilton who can be found on Instagram at Green Harbor Publications (all one word, greenharborpublications).

Published On: April 16, 2025

"Thinking in Panels: the cadence of comics, part of free Friday workshops with the Sequential Artists Workshop. When? Friday, May 23, 4pm PDT, 7pm EDT, streaming on Zoom, Youtube. RSVP here: bit.ly/SAW-ElleLimChan. with Elle Lim-Chan aka @phishr-price"

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