Okay. If there's a tornado coming, and your in the car, and there's no shelter or ditch, and you get out and lie in the flatest area possible, why would a tornado pick up your car instead of you?
2007-03-08 10:21:14 · 8 answers · asked by Celes Chere 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
I don't want any stupid answers either. There are more intelligent people on here.
2007-03-08 10:26:39 · update #1
Because, believe it or not, a car's density is LIGHTER than that of a human! Cars with closed windows will float easily in water, for instance. A human body's average density is about the same as water, or about 66 lbs / cu.ft. A typical 4,000 lb car has an effective "exterior volume" (which, in strong wind conditions, can extend to the undercarriage) of at least 200 cu.ft. giving it an average density of 20 lbs / cu.ft. So, tornado winds have less trouble picking up a car than a human. It's all about the ratio of surface area vs weight, which is another reason why roofs tear off pretty easily in tornados and hurricanes.
2007-03-08 10:30:56 · answer #1 · answered by Scythian1950 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It picks up the car because air hits on the side and moves it. Once inertia is overcome the car starts spining sideways and upward .. it doesn't necessarily lift straight up. If you are below the ground surface the air simply blows over you. I have been under small tornadoes twice in my life ... quite a hoot. (actually I hope it never happens again).
Easy to figure the side force .. a 100mph wind will produce a 30 lbs/ft^2 pressure on a projected surface area. So if the car were 15 feet long and 5 feet high (assuming rectangular for simplicity) .. that would yield a 2000 lb side force. This is linear so if a F-5 is rotating at 250mph then you are talking
about 5600lbs ... believe me that will roll a car and probably launch it who knows how far. If you are laying in the ditch you don't care what the wind speed is...but you will care about flying debris. I knew a man once who elected to pull over and "ride it out" and a highway sign flew in the front windshield - decapitating him. So it is best to get out of the car if you can.
2007-03-08 23:11:58 · answer #2 · answered by Texas Mike 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because your car weighs more than you do. A tornado can't really pick something up that's lightweight if the winds can't get under it as well. With a car, it can, and it also has enough mass to be sucked up into the vortex.
2007-03-08 18:36:05 · answer #3 · answered by Giliathriel 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its very simple, if you are flat on the ground, air cant easily get under you where as a car the wheels have the car propped up thus allowing the tornado to pick it up or toss it around
2007-03-08 23:07:57 · answer #4 · answered by Kevin B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably because you are flat while your car is on four wheels allowing for air to flow underneath it.
2007-03-08 18:35:30 · answer #5 · answered by ButterFli 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The car is more higher than you are when you are lying flat.
2007-03-08 20:57:00 · answer #6 · answered by Chess 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
car has more body mass than you!
2007-03-08 22:17:02 · answer #7 · answered by ntobryan 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
good question, i think that you would (if you have a storm spotter network) like storm spotting.
2007-03-08 19:26:30 · answer #8 · answered by jjohnson52388 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋