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Apparently so.
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I would have started this with:
A Ford Maverick leaves Chicago, headed east at 50 miles per hour...
A Ford Maverick leaves Chicago, headed east at 50 miles per hour...
Meanwhile, an identical Ford Maverick, down to the paint color, heads west leaving Detroit at 93 miles per hour. How far from Downtown Grand Rapids will they meet?
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I wanted a big sample size, before discussion so a lot of people could have a meaningful conversation. Together. Not 4 people.
Knowing truth is like knowing the solution to a magic trick. Once you see it, you can never unsee it.
A few, couldn't wait due to their "instant gratification" mentality.
Knowing truth is like knowing the solution to a magic trick. Once you see it, you can never unsee it.
A few, couldn't wait due to their "instant gratification" mentality.
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I don't want to find out the hard way, that is certain.
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jsus ≠ wrong in his descriptions
jsus ≠ model of courteous though
P.S. (whisper) I'm not conducting physics research here.
jsus ≠ model of courteous though
P.S. (whisper) I'm not conducting physics research here.
Should I take kindly to being attacked for attempting a discussion on a discussion forum? Yet I am "not the model of courteous though", eh?jsus ≠ wrong in his descriptions
jsus ≠ model of courteous though
P.S. (whisper) I'm not conducting physics research here.
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LMAO did you really think, us, of all people, were going to wait...
I think the mass majority of us have done more than our fair share of waiting lately.
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Why was this topic on MythBusters?
Because it was so divisive.
Why is it so devisive?
Because the answer does not jive with intuition.
Is there a correct answer?
There is a correct answer.
I was waiting for the pool of answers to be large enough to be split roughly down the middle. We're close. With about 50 replies.
Biologists will say intuition is good.
Intuition keeps us alive.
Intuition is necessary because we don't have time (or ability) to thoroughly research every single thing in our lives.
We know driving fast and hitting something is bad. We expect it to do damage and to hurt. We know the faster the speed, the more it's going to hurt. Intuition tells us hitting something at 100 mph is going to hurt more than hitting something at 50 mph without going out and actually trying it. We don't have to try it to prove it. We just "know".
But the poll question is a little weird. People don't just "know" the answer to this one. But people strongly trust their intuition, and will fight and argue over it. And for some, they can't hold their feelings in for even a day!
Such is true for things like the "tank size" in our trucks as well. Intuition tells us "There's only one correct value for how many gallons it holds" and furthermore "the manual is always right, because, dammit, it's called a manual after all!"
But intuition is not always right. "Tank size" means different things to different people in different contexts.
Tank size physical displacement in air: 17 gallons.
Tank size physical capacity of air inside: 16.5 gallons.
Tank size physical ability to hold liquid while inverted: 16.0 gallons.
Tank size physical ability to hold liquid while not inverted: 15.9 gallons.
Tank size of usable gas while keeping fuel pump submerged: 15.25 gallons.
Tank size what the average person will refill when the yellow light first comes on: 13.0 gallons.
Tank size assumed for computer MTE calculations: 13.8 gallons.
Tank size in the original manual: 14.3 gallons.
Tank size in the revised manual: 13.8 gallons.
Tank Size: small
Tank Size: medium
You get the idea. For a simple question: What is the tank size? There can be many correct answers.
There is a strong intuition to trust the "manual" because dammit! It's a manual! But manuals can be wrong. There can be typos, human errors, lost revisions, even "undefined" terms.
I would say "tank size" is actually an undefined term in the case of the Maverick because, read around, there are so many disagreements about it.
In short, I think we should trust our intuition for those split second, life or death moments. For most other things, question it. Verify your intuition. Explore. Keep an open mind.
We can not change the laws of physics.
This poll was not about laws of physics or solving any problem. It was meant to be an illustration.
For something with a 100% verifiable one correct answer, there can still be nearly 50% disagreement. That was my point.
I too waffled on this poll question (35 years ago). A "head on" collision with another truck doing 50 MUST BE worse than hitting a wall at 50. Right? It seems so right. It feels right. The intuition is so strong it must be right. Right? But it isn't.
Two (same weighted) trucks hitting each other head on each going 50 mph will have the same net effect as each car hitting a wall at 50 mph. The occupants will feel the exact same sensation. If you instrument the hell out of the trucks, the instruments will record the same data, wall, or head on.
Two trucks, equal speed is the key.
The energy is double 2x
The number of trucks deformed: 2x
The amount of force per truck: 1x
One truck vs. wall:
The energy is single: 1x
The number of trucks deformed: 1x
The amount of force per truck: 1x
It really is that simple. In the perfect case. Which is what is was since it was a thought experiment.
In real life, one truck MAY get deformed 99% and one may get deformed 101%. But that's due to an imperfect experiment, not imperfect physics.
I just wanted to show a way intuition is imperfect, and sometimes can steer you in the wrong direction.
This applies to theories on oil change intervals, best speed for MPG and a lot of things in these forums.
I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Because it was so divisive.
Why is it so devisive?
Because the answer does not jive with intuition.
Is there a correct answer?
There is a correct answer.
I was waiting for the pool of answers to be large enough to be split roughly down the middle. We're close. With about 50 replies.
Biologists will say intuition is good.
Intuition keeps us alive.
Intuition is necessary because we don't have time (or ability) to thoroughly research every single thing in our lives.
We know driving fast and hitting something is bad. We expect it to do damage and to hurt. We know the faster the speed, the more it's going to hurt. Intuition tells us hitting something at 100 mph is going to hurt more than hitting something at 50 mph without going out and actually trying it. We don't have to try it to prove it. We just "know".
But the poll question is a little weird. People don't just "know" the answer to this one. But people strongly trust their intuition, and will fight and argue over it. And for some, they can't hold their feelings in for even a day!
Such is true for things like the "tank size" in our trucks as well. Intuition tells us "There's only one correct value for how many gallons it holds" and furthermore "the manual is always right, because, dammit, it's called a manual after all!"
But intuition is not always right. "Tank size" means different things to different people in different contexts.
Tank size physical displacement in air: 17 gallons.
Tank size physical capacity of air inside: 16.5 gallons.
Tank size physical ability to hold liquid while inverted: 16.0 gallons.
Tank size physical ability to hold liquid while not inverted: 15.9 gallons.
Tank size of usable gas while keeping fuel pump submerged: 15.25 gallons.
Tank size what the average person will refill when the yellow light first comes on: 13.0 gallons.
Tank size assumed for computer MTE calculations: 13.8 gallons.
Tank size in the original manual: 14.3 gallons.
Tank size in the revised manual: 13.8 gallons.
Tank Size: small
Tank Size: medium
You get the idea. For a simple question: What is the tank size? There can be many correct answers.
There is a strong intuition to trust the "manual" because dammit! It's a manual! But manuals can be wrong. There can be typos, human errors, lost revisions, even "undefined" terms.
I would say "tank size" is actually an undefined term in the case of the Maverick because, read around, there are so many disagreements about it.
In short, I think we should trust our intuition for those split second, life or death moments. For most other things, question it. Verify your intuition. Explore. Keep an open mind.
We can not change the laws of physics.
This poll was not about laws of physics or solving any problem. It was meant to be an illustration.
For something with a 100% verifiable one correct answer, there can still be nearly 50% disagreement. That was my point.
I too waffled on this poll question (35 years ago). A "head on" collision with another truck doing 50 MUST BE worse than hitting a wall at 50. Right? It seems so right. It feels right. The intuition is so strong it must be right. Right? But it isn't.
Two (same weighted) trucks hitting each other head on each going 50 mph will have the same net effect as each car hitting a wall at 50 mph. The occupants will feel the exact same sensation. If you instrument the hell out of the trucks, the instruments will record the same data, wall, or head on.
Two trucks, equal speed is the key.
The energy is double 2x
The number of trucks deformed: 2x
The amount of force per truck: 1x
One truck vs. wall:
The energy is single: 1x
The number of trucks deformed: 1x
The amount of force per truck: 1x
It really is that simple. In the perfect case. Which is what is was since it was a thought experiment.
In real life, one truck MAY get deformed 99% and one may get deformed 101%. But that's due to an imperfect experiment, not imperfect physics.
I just wanted to show a way intuition is imperfect, and sometimes can steer you in the wrong direction.
This applies to theories on oil change intervals, best speed for MPG and a lot of things in these forums.
I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Last edited:
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Go on and enlighten us about how crumple zones work differently in a crash against said wall vs. an identical vehicle on an equal but opposite trajectory meeting centered, head on.
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