My friend wants to jump over my pool on a moped.
Top speed of the moped is 35mph-ish. The swimming pool is 40' long. If I don't want to end up with motor oil in my pool, should I let him try (besides the obvious legal implications if he totally eats it, of course).
2007-04-20 09:20:20 · 5 answers · asked by dudeallimsayin 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Just for the record, no one is actually going to attempt this. A long-standing bet has been settled on the physics of the answer. Thank you.
2007-04-20 10:44:44 · update #1
Depends on the angle of the ramp.
The equation for range (how far he can travel) is:
R = (v^2 sin 2T)/g
where v is speed in ft/sec, T is the angle of the ramp, and g is acceleration due to gravity.
35 mph is about 51 ft/sec.
Acceleration due to gravity is 32 ft/sec^2
With a ramp angled at 45 degrees, he could travel over 80 feet.
Of course, his maximum height is found by:
h= (v * sin T)^2 / 2g
A 45 degree ramp will send him about 20 feet in the air. That might be a little scary.
2007-04-20 09:39:14 · answer #1 · answered by Bob G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you ride off the edge, regardless of your forward speed, you will fall at 9.8m/s^2: so in 1s you have dropped 5m i.e. you are now very wet. Therefore you need a ramp of some sort.
He would be nuts to try and you would be nuts to condone it but his best take off angle would be 45 degrees (assuming no wind) which would have him landing at a very steep angle. The only way to survive the landing would be a landing ramp (consider the way ski jumpers land on a very steep hill) this could reduce his deceleration to something manageable.
If he hits level ground or, worse, the edge of the pool he's history. DON'T TRY IT.
2007-04-20 16:54:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This becomes a question of getting some altitude to compensate for the downward pull of gravity after he is air-borne. While he can do 35 "on the flats", I doubt if he could do this on a 20 deg slope or something like that.
2007-04-20 16:27:20 · answer #3 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is his name Steve O? The only way a moped would make that jump is with nitrous hooked up and a long ramp.
2007-04-20 16:29:35 · answer #4 · answered by sonofmary 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ARE YOU KIDDING? Would you really endorse your friend, support his risking his life AS A FRIEND? R U NUTS????
-And yeah, here come the "obvious" -Do you want your family to be held responsible if something occurs? Injury? Death? Because they would be you know, the law/lawyers won't come after you kiddo if something happens, they'll sue the crap out of your parents.
Better rethink this one dear...all the way around.
Grace
2007-04-20 16:29:57 · answer #5 · answered by bunnyONE 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋