General humor

[davismanLV]

I see the ramp. Someone got some good air.....

 

[GAD]

You need more than a ramp for that kind of takeoff. I’d love to know what speed they were traveling.

 

[JohnW63]

I would think some simple math and a few guestimates on distances up and from the ramp would do it.

Projectile Motion Calculator

Use our projectile motion calculator to analyze a projectile in parabolic motion.

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At 40mph max height from road surface is 12 feet and distance to top of arch is 42 feet. I assumed 45 degree angle.

I would say it's in that ballpark. Slower than I thought, to be honest.

 

[Nuuska]

Assuming the barn is about 10-15 meters from this side of the road where "the ramp" is - normal 80kmph = 50mph will do that nicely

For whatever that might be worth - that picture is not from Finland - but our reputation as rally-nation supports it - we do have our good share of loonies here, too

 

[GAD]

I have a hard time processing how mass isn't a part of that equation, but then I guess the energy imparted by acceleration and velocity would be where the mass numbers would need to go and those would be vastly different for an arrow vs. a car. Once the car becomes a projectile the necessary energy has been delivered and I guess is no longer relevant.

Fascinating.

 

[davismanLV]

I have a hard time processing how mass isn't a part of that equation, but then I guess the energy imparted by acceleration and velocity would be where the mass numbers would need to go and those would be vastly different for an arrow vs. a car. Once the car becomes a projectile the necessary energy has been delivered and I guess is no longer relevant.

Fascinating.

Gary I don't believe this photo for a minute!! Look at the angle of the car!! The whole gravity thing and it would've gone into that place transmission first!! There is no way this is real.... And that's okay because it's funny. But I can't suspend the science!!

 

[GGJaguar]

I can't suspend the science!!

 

[GardMan]

Gary I don't believe this photo for a minute!! Look at the angle of the car!! The whole gravity thing and it would've gone into that place transmission first!! There is no way this is real.... And that's okay because it's funny. But I can't suspend the science!!

Might be real... if you watch a few videos of stunt cars jumping buses, cars, bridges, they tend to lead with their noses. They take off, level at about mid-arc, then nose over and hit first with their front wheels. Hard to tell the distance the car actually traveled in the air, looks to me like the photo was taken with a telephoto which will foreshorten the perspective. So the car MIGHT have hit the barn already past the peak of its arc, when it was beginning to nose down...

 

[JohnW63]

Gary,

I'll have to pause or look up some parabola ideas, but , I think the difference in mass is the HP it takes to get that extra mass up to the same speed as the smaller mass. Once they are both in the air, it is all gravity at work and it doesn't care. They both fall at the same rate. Once they hit something, barn door or ground, the mass comes back into play. A tennis ball does less damage than a lead ball.

Still college was some years back and I could be wrong.

 

[Cougar]

They both fall at the same rate.

Well, that is certainly a key point, something Aristotle got wrong and the world in general didn't know until around 1590 when Galileo actually conducted an experiment (what a concept!). By the way, I highly recommend the book To Explain the World: The Discovery of Modern Science by Steven Weinberg (2015).

 

[Nuuska]

 

[Prince of Darkness]

The late Dr. Magnus Pyke, from the video of She Blinded Me with Science by Thomas Dolby. He was a very popular figure on British TV at the time

 

[GGJaguar]

 

[Rich Cohen]

GG,
How did you do that?

 

[Midnight Toker]

This, too - is one of the situations where "Once In A Lifetime" by Talking Heads would make perfect soundtrack.

"And you may ask yourself - how did I get here?"

I believe it! That is one heck of a takeoff ramp to get that kind of air and distance if going fast enough...and like most accidents, the result of going way too fast! A front engine car also helps keeps it level in the air.

Fast forward to the 4:15 mark!! Serious air....and had they not clipped the bridge abutment, they likely would have easily soared in the air far enough to wind up un that barn loft!!



When we lived in Germany, my dad once bought a early 60's chevy impala w/ the big batwing fins on the back from a US military officer. It even said in the manual that going over 75 mph can result in the car lifting off the ground. Well that's exactly what happened one day on the autobahn, winding up going up and over the center partition. That was the end of that car! A VW square back was in our driveway the next day!

 

[davismanLV]

Those batwing fins were 1959, and then in 1960 they just squared them off some, but kept the basic design. By 1961 they downsized their Impalas and regained some control of the design. I'd heard of the 59's catching some air with those fins. I thought they were making it up!!

 

[Midnight Toker]

Those batwing fins were 1959, and then in 1960 they just squared them off some, but kept the basic design. By 1961 they downsized their Impalas and regained some control of the design. I'd heard of the 59's catching some air with those fins. I thought they were making it up!!

Yep, had to be 59 then. There was even a warning in the manual!!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

 

[Rich Cohen]

DAAAAAAAAAMN!

 

[Nuuska]

Is it psychick Mirja?
I am.

I've heard you can communicate with deceased.
Yes. I have a slot on thursday.

Thursday:
So we came then . . .