G-force of wind on a persons body.

  • Thread starter Thread starter cjjjohn2469
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Body G-force Wind
AI Thread Summary
When a person's arm is extended out of a car window traveling at 70 miles per hour, there is no g-force acting on the arm itself. The force felt is due to drag, which is a constant force rather than an acceleration, resulting in a g-force of zero. If the airstream causes the arm to flap, there could be some acceleration, but quantifying it is challenging. The drag force can feel similar to gravity, potentially equating to 3-5g in sensation. Overall, the discussion clarifies the distinction between drag force and g-force in this scenario.
cjjjohn2469
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
After doing some work with a painter friend we were coming home and I put my arm outside of the window as we were going 70 miles an hour. Wondering what the g-forces would be on my arms and hand?

Thank you
 
Physics news on Phys.org
There would be no g-force on your arm...

Presumably your arm didn't disappear behind that car and you were able to hold it out in a more or less stable position? In that case you will feel a force on it due to drag, but it's a constant force not an acceleration so the "g-force" would be zero.

If the airstream was turbulent and your arm flapped up and down then there would be acceleration. Quite hard to quantify though.
 
Thinking about it some more I suppose you could say that the force due to drag _feels_ like the force due to gravity. I'd estimate it as equivalent to 3-5g.
 
Thank you for your reply and explanation you gave. I was just curious and you satisfied that curious thread. Thank you.
 
Assume that this is a case where by sheer coincidence, two sources of coherent single-frequency EM wave pulses with equal duration are both fired in opposing directions, with both carrying the same frequency and amplitude and orientation. These two waves meet head-on while moving in opposing directions, and their phases are precisely offset by 180 degrees so that each trough of one wave meets with the crest of the other. This should be true for both the electric and magnetic components of...
Back
Top