My Fly Question

Cleat Eastwood
Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
edited April 2012 in The bottom bracket
One for the science bods - On the train today there was a fly. If the train had suddenly stopped would the fly have jolted like passengers do or would he carry on flying - and if so why?
The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.

Comments

  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,098
    Well, he was within a body of air which technically was not moving, only the fly was moving through that body of air, so no. (unless he was on some fixture on the train, then the answer is yes)

    Fly question?! - You've lost it mate. Victoria is going to have a talk with you.

    In the meanwhile, ponder a fly going at 10 mph or 16km/h (or 4.44 m/s for the tech heads), travelling along a railtrack and he flies in a striaght line right into the Eurostar travelling at 180mph in the other direction. There is a split milliscule second where the fly is stationary as it changes direction during his/her 190mph collision.
    And you thought I was faintly interesting before this post.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Yes, the fly would carry on moving, but not to the extent that a person does. It's all down to the conservation of momentum, but we had friends round for a very boozy sunday lunch so I'm afraid I can't be a*sed to give you a detailed explaination :lol:
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,965
    pinarello001 wrote:

    In the meanwhile, ponder a fly going at 10 mph or 16km/h (or 4.44 m/s for the tech heads), travelling along a railtrack and he flies in a striaght line right into the Eurostar travelling at 180mph in the other direction. There is a split milliscule second where the fly is stationary as it changes direction during his/her 190mph collision.
    And you thought I was faintly interesting before this post.

    You missed the opportunity to mention the last thing that goes through his tiny mind as he hits the train........

    His bottom.


    In answer to the original question,

    YES
    as MattC59 says, the fly experiences the same changes that you do, but relative to his mass.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • mudcow007
    mudcow007 Posts: 3,861
    whats the last thing a fly sees when it hits the front of a train?



    its arse obviously!!
    Keeping it classy since '83
  • cornerblock
    cornerblock Posts: 3,228
    This is the three R's
    The three R's:
    Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTKCKBu8CLI

    :wink:
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,098
    Its one of those 'Oh fuk' moments - just like coming off the bike: you know its going to happen, you can't do anything about it and you think 'oh fuk' just before you hit the deck... Just wonder if our doomed fly would have enough time for that thought.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!

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