What is the speed of vomit?

Question

I assume that it will vary from person to person, and also depending (possibly) on the content of one's stomach, so just looking for an average.

Answer 1

Another factor to consider....is the person just sick or have they been possessed (ie. the Exorcist)... over all, I would estimate it at 0.33 m/sec....just my opinion....good luck in your research ;)

Answer 2

That would depend on the force of vomit elicited by the vomiter.
Take for instance, the scene in the exorcist during the exocism. That was very high speed vomit, like the Porsche of vomit.

However a regular shmuck puking in the toilet will have low speed vomit.

There will be a directional cosine speed (velocity) vector to the vomit as it exits the mouth. There may be a greater or lesser X-axis component, depending on the initial force and directionality exerted by the vomiter. There will always be a Y-vector component of vomit velocity due to gravity. Sorry Anita, but vomit may accelerate in the negative Y-direction to 9.8m/(s^2), but that is not the velocity of vomit.

The terminal velocity of vomit impacting a floor after exiting the mouth, and considering only the Y-vector component will yield: Vf = Vo + at, where Vo is the Y-direction velocity at the mouth, a = acceleration, in this case, gravity, and the time elapsed from when the vomit left the mouth and hit the floor.

We can plug in some arbitrary numbers to get a result.
1 m/s is a reasonable initial exit velocity if the vomiter is pointed downward. Let us assume the vomiter is standing at the top of a building and we time the puking event.

It takes 20 seconds (s) for the vomit to leave the mouth and hit the ground. Plug in the numbers, where a = g = 9.8m/(s^2), we have:
Vf = Vo + at = 1m/s + 9.8(m/s^2)(10s) = 99 m/s.
If we convert to English units, we have 1 mi = 1609.344 m.
So in velocity, 99m/s = 0.0615 mi/s = 22 mph.

Answer 3

What an awesome question. I laughed my @ss off..

I agree with the varying thing, I have seen a guy hit a car from at least 10 feet away (no kidding.. major pressure there too) but personally have also been hugging the bowl, begging for the sweet release of death as it just wont come UP dammit! LOL

I would say zero to 0.75m/second, if not higher (unless the dude that hit the car was an exceptional case).

Answer 4

Much too fast to get away from. And did you know that there are a variety of ways to vomit. A person who projectile vomits can stand up and turn around while vomiting and hit every wall in a standard sized room

Answer 5

it depends on what it coming out but mostly it is all in mostly a liquid form anyway. also depends on how hard the person regurgitates. some it comes out easy and some it is very hard and the contents of there stomachs are heaved pretty far. anyway thats what i have good luck.

Answer 6

When I worked EMS in Las Vegas, we used to say that vomit traveled at 42ft. per/sec ;)

Answer 7

Depends on how much you resist the desire to embrace the porcelain god.

Answer 8

9.8 m/s2