# Calculate magnitude of force acting on some area by falling object

I have simple question: is it possible to calculate magnitude of force acting on some area by falling object?

Let's say I have an object with mass $5\text{ kg}$. I drop that object in height 1 meter. It potential energy was

\begin{align} E_p &= hmg \\ E_p &= 5(9.81) \\ E_p &= 49.05 \text{ J} \end{align}

Near the ground, kinetic energy of object is

$$E_k = E_p$$

So the velocity is

\begin{align} E_k &= \sqrt{2\frac{E_p}{5}} \\ E_k &= \sqrt {19.62} = 4.429 \frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}} \end{align}

Is there any way how to calculate force of object against ground when it falls on it? If not, what something (against ground) can be calculated for this problem?

EDIT: Let's say that ground is from glass, thickness $10\text{ cm}$. What properties would be affected?

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There is no way at all in using physics 101 type skills unless I tell you something like "the ground acts as if it were a spring with constant $10^4\text{N/m}$". In a typical serious application this would be either computed (say FEA) or measured with a pressure transducer, or very often both. – dmckee Jun 10 '13 at 15:23
For many calculations of forces you can assume everything is absolutely rigid, but that approach can't work here. If the falling object and the ground were both completely rigid then it would have to go from speed to stationary in no time at all as it hit the ground, which is clearly impossible. – bdsl Mar 20 at 17:14
The harder the object and the ground the greater the force when they hit. If you imagine harder and harder objects the forces get bigger and bigger, and there is no upper limit. – bdsl Mar 20 at 17:15