How fast would a man's combat speed be if he kicked a Cannonball?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a hypothetical scenario where a man weighing 1400 lbs performs a jump and a kick to propel a cannonball. Participants explore the implications of this scenario on the man's combat speed and the physics involved, while also addressing the assumptions made about durability and physical properties.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asks for clarification on whether the question pertains to the speed of the kick or the overall movement of the man.
  • Another participant suggests that additional information, such as the length of the man's legs, would be necessary for calculations.
  • Concerns are raised about the physical consequences of such an action, with one participant stating that the man would likely lose a foot due to the cannonball's energy.
  • Participants argue about the nature of the hypothetical scenario, with some insisting that it should not ignore physical realities, while others assert that assumptions about durability allow for the exploration of the scenario.
  • One participant points out that ascribing "magical properties" to the situation complicates the physics calculations and suggests that reality cannot be selectively ignored.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the validity of the assumptions made in the hypothetical scenario. There is no consensus on how to approach the physics of the situation, with some insisting on adherence to physical laws and others advocating for a more flexible interpretation of the scenario.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the limitations of the discussion, including the reliance on hypothetical assumptions about durability and the challenge of integrating fantastical elements with real-world physics.

promeus
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Ok another speed question thread.

If a man who is 1400lbs jumped 5 feet in the air and performed a 360 degree spin and kicked a cannonball away,then how fast would he be?

Assumptions:

Lets assume that the CanonBall moves at 1500fps
Lets assume that the Cannonball was 2 feet away from him before he performed this feat.
Lets assume that his body is durable enough to do so.
 
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Are you asking how fast his kick would be? I think we need a little more info, like the length of the mans legs.
 
Well no his movement as a whole but if you want you can calculate his kick.His feet would be about 3ft.Look,at the Op,for what his body would look like
 
Well, we can say one thing- he will have lost a foot and would quickly bleed to death!

(There are tales of soldiers in the American Civil War sticking a foot out to stop a cannon ball rolling slowly past at the end of its trajectory- not realizing that the ball still carried enough energy to take a foot off.)
 
HallsofIvy said:
Well, we can say one thing- he will have lost a foot and would quickly bleed to death!

(There are tales of soldiers in the American Civil War sticking a foot out to stop a cannon ball rolling slowly past at the end of its trajectory- not realizing that the ball still carried enough energy to take a foot off.)
Umm I put up a hypothetical setting.
 
"Hypothetical" shouldn't mean "ignore reality"!
 
HallsofIvy said:
"Hypothetical" shouldn't mean "ignore reality"!
I said let's assume that his body is durable enough to do so,so that means that his foot won't be taken off by the Canon-Ball if he "performed this feat".

This is based off of a fictional character btw.
 
The problem is you are ascribing a number of magical properties to the situation, and asking what the physics would be. That tends not to work - you can't do a calculation "sometimes" ignoring reality.
 

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