Curious: Car vs Plane - Who Gets There First?

  • Context: High School 
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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the comparative travel times of a car and a plane, both moving at 100 mph, to a selected latitude or longitude, with the plane flying at an altitude of 10 miles. The focus is on the implications of distance traveled due to the curvature of the Earth and the effects of ground speed versus airspeed.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the car would arrive first because it has a shorter distance to travel due to being closer to the Earth.
  • Another participant agrees with the initial claim.
  • One participant notes that the difference in travel time might be minute.
  • A participant states that if considering ground speed, the car would arrive first for the reason of a shorter arc, but mentions that airspeed of the plane could be affected by wind conditions.
  • Another participant questions whether both vehicles are covering the same amount of ground if measured by ground speed.
  • A later reply expresses a moment of realization or correction regarding the previous statement.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the car has a shorter distance to travel, but there is uncertainty regarding the implications of ground speed versus airspeed, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall impact on travel time.

Contextual Notes

There are assumptions about the definitions of ground speed and airspeed, as well as the effects of wind on the plane's travel time that remain unresolved.

Hinozuki
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Okay. Don't worry about 'where' or things in the way, and anything of the sort.

A car and a plane both going 100mph and the plane being 10miles up in the air. Which one gets the the selected latitude ( or longitude I forget which is up and down) first?

Wouldn't the car get there first? Because on a sphere the car being closer the the Earth would have a shorter distance to travel than the plane.

Just curious.
 
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Exactly
 
Yes but I imagine the effect would be essentially minute.
 
If you're going by ground speed, the car will arrive first for the very reason that you mentioned... shorter arc. If the aeroplane is measuring airspeed, then it's up to the wind to decide.
 
Actually, would that be true? If you go by ground speed, they are botyh covering the same amount of ground, aren't they?
 
Oops... :redface:
 

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