Physics conundrum

[fatboy b]

What would be the worst outcome for the occupants of the best selling car in the uk in the following cases?

a) hit an immovable concrete wall at 60 mph

b) hit head-on another car of the same make & weight, and both cars doing 60 mph

[dave0010]

surely the worst outcome would be death?????

[*Al*]

dave0010 said:

surely the worst outcome would be death?????

+1 Can there be worse?

[JonRB]

fatboy b said:

What would be the worst outcome for the occupants of the best selling car in the uk in the following cases?

a) hit an immovable concrete wall at 60 mph

b) hit head-on another car of the same make & weight, and both cars doing 60 mph

Mythbusters categorically proved that both cases are equivalent.

[PoleDriver]

The plane will take off!

[fathomfive]

PoleDriver said:

The plane will take off!

Now, about those twin towers...

[Blue Oval84]

JonRB said:

fatboy b said:

What would be the worst outcome for the occupants of the best selling car in the uk in the following cases?

a) hit an immovable concrete wall at 60 mph

b) hit head-on another car of the same make & weight, and both cars doing 60 mph

Mythbusters categorically proved that both cases are equivalent.

^^ What he said!

[NorthernBoy]

In theory, if the situation is symmetrical, and if the wall is immovable, then it's the same.

In practice it'd be hard to say. If the other car manages to come through your windscreen, or deposits its hot heavy and rapidly whirring engine in your lap, then you may well prefer the wall.

[parapaul]

Surely it depends on the cars? I'd never argue with mythbusters but that can only be the case if the cars absorb exactly enough of the impact to halve the closing speed?

[spyder dryver]

Already covered today over in the "Lounge"
The cars were doing 50mph though.
Surely a more representative "real world" speed would be 42mph.
Or 100 leptons.

[JonRB]

parapaul said:

Surely it depends on the cars? I'd never argue with mythbusters but that can only be the case if the cars absorb exactly enough of the impact to halve the closing speed?

They were actually pretty scientific on this one. Their small-scale test was pretty conclusive even before they went full-scale.

The small scale used clay patties to simulate the deformable aspect of the cars. I think they also ran them with force gauges too (not totally sure on that). Anyway, they were pretty methodical and scientific on this one.

[omgus]

fathomfive said:

PoleDriver said:

The plane will take off!

Now, about those twin towers...

Helicopter on a turntable?

[PoleDriver]

Your wish is my command!

Edited by PoleDriver on Sunday 12th December 21:00

[omgus]

PoleDriver said:

Your wish is my command!

I consider myself meme'd

[RichTT]

Who doesn't like a good thought virus eh? Memes aside, example one is a collision at 60mph whilst collision two is a 120mph impact.

[v8will]

RichTT said:

Who doesn't like a good thought virus eh? Memes aside, example one is a collision at 60mph whilst collision two is a 120mph impact.

Example 1 yes, example 2 no.

[JonRB]

RichTT said:

whilst collision two is a 120mph impact.

That's the myth that was busted.

[busta]

RichTT said:

Who doesn't like a good thought virus eh? Memes aside, example one is a collision at 60mph whilst collision two is a 120mph impact.

Example 2 is two 60mph collisions.

[Rubin215]

dave0010 said:

surely the worst outcome would be death?????

Permanent paralysis, massive disfigurement, brain trauma injury...

For some people, there are many worse outcomes than death.