A Very Random Hypothetical Question:

[ehyouwhat]

There is a scenario over which I am in dispute with a friend. It is as random as random could be. Roughly speaking, it goes as follows:-

There is a 42" Plasma TV sat on a stand. Which of the following instruments would do the most damage if smashed, at full pelt, against the side of this TV:

1) A metal metre-ruler. 100cm long (obviously) and about 4-5mm thick. There is some flex in this ruler, as you would expect.

2) A wooden baseball bat.

So, which would do the most damage? One of us thinks that the metal ruler would do the most damage, as it's slim profile would "slice' through the casing on the television. The other of us believes that there is too much flex and too little weight in the metal ruler, and that the baseball bat would do the most damage.

So, which of us is right? Incidentally, would the results differ if the object being 'hit' was a person (their arm, let's say)?

And yes, I am disturbed.

[JJCW]

i'd have to say bat, i would think the ruler wouldn't piece the side of the tv

[Heskey]

A.) Why would you want to know this?

B.) Baseball Bat

[anonymous-user]

Baseball bat!

[johnfm]

define damage.

Look at it from anenergy analysis point of view.

The baseball bat, if at the same velocity at impact (assumption 1) would have more energy to dissipate as it is probably heavier than the ruler.

But, you need to look at the ruler/tv interface to see how that energy is disspated. How much is trasnferred to the telly? How much is retained in the ruler / bat on rebound...


questions questions..

I think the bat would do the most damage.

[bigTee]

Bat

[NobleLord]

The bat, without any doubt. More weight and inertia.

Yes, you are disturbed

NL

[guffhoover]

Baseball bat.

Ruler would have to much flex to go through the side of the TV, and in practice it would probably do more damage to your hand than the tv.

[carter711]

Yea i think Bat

[rude-boy]

I would say Basebell bat for the TV as it is a failry 'rigid' item.

As for humans the Ruler if used 'thin' side on as it would cut flesh and bone with less surface area to disipate the force of the impact.

Both items would still chuffing hurt though!!!

[DIW35]

Which would you more rather be hit with? Use the other one to cause most damage to the telly.

[DrTre]

If it's a Beko tv then the baseball bat would do the most damage.

In a curious coincidence of fate, if it's a Biko human then same can also be said.

[Gun]

Well, metal rules tend to have sharp edges so it could tear the screen.

[RobM77]

Slice through the case of a TV with a ruler?! Possibly if you tied the ruler to the tail of a very angry killer whale and rammed a christmas tree up its arse then it might make a slight impression.

My vote goes to the object with the most momentum, so it's the baseball bat.

[satchbot]

I've never seen a baseball being hit out of the ball park with a metre rule so I'm going with the bat.

[carter711]

The thing is, if you chose ruler you will keep quiet about this thread and not bring up the subject.
If you chose bat you are right and will have to prove why you think you are right by showing him this thread, and he will think you are a pissy y fronted nerd

[obstreperous]

I used to go to football matches with a lad nicknamed Bat , boy he could do some damage , is it him ???

[Lemmonie]

If its an insurance scam you are going for you are better off "dropping it whilst moving it" ...........

[ehyouwhat]

carter711 said:

The thing is, if you chose ruler you will keep quiet about this thread and not bring up the subject.
If you chose bat you are right and will have to prove why you think you are right by showing him this thread, and he will think you are a pissy y fronted nerd

Well you're right there, although I think it's pretty clear from my original post which direction I favoured.

My point to my friend was that a lot of energy would be wasted with the metal ruler as it flexes quite a bit. Additionally, there just isn't enough weight in the ruler to do as much damage. I also dismiss the notion that the ruler would slice through anything with solid sides, as it simply isn't thin or sharp enough. I agree that both would do damage, but I've never really heard of a metal ruler being used as a weapon in the same way that I've heard of baseball bats being used.

It really was a random hypothetical question, but one that I wanted to try and gain a defined opinion on so as to prove my point. So, err, thanks all!