So... if we all agree that the lower structure (below impact floors) could have held the weight of the upper mass in a hypothetical situation where the impact floors were removed, and the upper mass was slowly lowered onto the lower floors/structure... than what we are saying is that the force from this weight (of the upper mass) falling 50-70 feet is what caused all of the lower floors to fail.
Now NIST...claims this force increased as the collapse progressed because the upper mass was increasing in size (presumably from the floors stacking in some capacity) so, my question is... when the upper floors fell down, and first made impact with the lower structure (below the impact floors) did those floors create any resistance... or do the laws of science not apply here? If they did absorb some of the energy released by the falling upper mass... than did the floors below this point, create any resistance to the upper mass that was hurling downward? And, if so... did they absorb any of the energy? Repeat scenario for remaining floors...
The point I am trying to make... is why doesn't the resistance from each floor... slow the movement of the upper mass... and if you say the mass was growing in size due to pancaking... than what happened to the core columns, since we have all seen that a pancaking of floors wouldn't have taken out the core columns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weqBynRZGG8
Bonus Video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Awq6q5ZZUO4
Thanks.