if an insect can fly at a speed of 8 miles an hour, why does it not hit the back windscreen in a moving car?

Answer 1

That's a good question!
Sticky's right though - it must be because the air in the car is moving too. That's why if you were to take an orange in a car and toss it in the air in front of you, it won't smash your teeth out by flying backwards, it just lands back in your hands/lap. Or perhaps on the floor, amongst all that fluff.
Or - pouring milk on a moving train would be interesting!

Answer 2

I am guessing you are talking about an insect inside the car. That is because the insect is flying but is also moving with the car.

If you are sitting in a chair, you are moving at 0 mph. However, if you are sitting in a moving car, you do not hit the back windscreen of the car. You are sitting still but moving with the car. It is all about your frame of reference. To someone in the car with you, you are still. To someone outside of the car, you are moving.

Lets say that the car is sitting still and then moves. The fly also moves with it. That is because the air inside the car is moving with the car and the fly is suspended in that air. The air will carry the insect. It will feel the acceleration of the car.

Ok, lets remove the front and back windows from the car. The air can now flow freely thru the car. When the car takes off the fly will now go out the back of the car. The air inside the car was not contained and it goes thru the back window. The fly is suspended in the air and will go with it.

Answer 3

BECAUSE, it's traveling relative to the speed of the air in the vehicle right-- not the air outside the vehicle. If the vehicle is doing 30-- the insect is doing 38 mph relative to the road and standing air outside-- it's doing 8 relitive to the rear window.

Answer 4

If the car is moving at less than 8 miles an hour it's possible.

Answer 5

Because the air inside the car is held at a constant speed, the same speed as the car. That's why all your stuff inside doesn't go shooting to the back too.

Answer 6

Your car is moving at some speed, so the speed that is relative to the bug is the same as you, only if you were to hit a semi truck head on, then that might demolish the bug, but as you know, you would also.......

Answer 7

Thats easy. Its closing speed is around 8mph at best. At that speed it can avoid the object, just as it avoids the front when the vehicle is stopped.
It usualy hits the front when the vehicle is moving rather fast, giving high closing speeds.

Answer 8

Most cars are moving a lot faster than 8 miles per hour:)

Answer 9

This question does not make any sense. If you spread honey flavoured glue on the rear screen like I do you will find a lot of flies get stuck on it in the summer,

Answer 10

because the front windshield smooshes it before it can reach the rear windshield