How Can You Move Ten Feet Without Motors, Wheels, or Human Propulsion?

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Homework Help Overview

The problem presented involves finding a method to move at least ten feet without using motors, wheels, or human propulsion. The original poster mentions that their teacher hinted at a simpler solution involving soap, which may relate to reducing friction, but they are struggling to identify a less complex approach than building a ramp.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants have suggested various unconventional methods, including using gravity on a steep hill, throwing someone into orbit, and shifting the frame of reference to the center of the Earth. Some participants also question the implications of movement in a horizontal direction and the complexity of proposed solutions.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with multiple interpretations and creative suggestions being explored. Some participants have offered humorous or extreme ideas, while others are attempting to stay within the constraints of the problem as stated. There is no explicit consensus on a viable solution yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of not using motors, wheels, or human propulsion, and the movement must be horizontal. The original poster's teacher has indicated that a simpler solution exists, which adds to the complexity of the discussion.

micron
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My physics teacher presented us with an interesting problem, but I can't think of a resonable solution. The task is to:

Move at least ten feet without the use of a motor, human propulsion or wheels.

I have thought of several ways of solving this problem, but all of them would involve creating complex apparatuses. For example using a ramp and a "sled" with ice or soap on it to reduce friction, but my teacher said that their was a less elablorate way of doing it. She did say that the way she was thinking of involves soap, which I'm guessing is to reduce friction, but she hinted that it was not necesary to use a ramp, so therin lies my problem:

How do you move someone ten feet without using human propultion, motors, or wheels, and with less complication then making a ramp?
 
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This could be dangerous to your health, but if you are perched on the edge of a roof, the 10 feet of movement becomes pretty danged easy.
 
Throw them in orbit. They'll move a lot more than 10 feet without any added force.

cookiemonster
 
I forgot to mention that the movement must be in the horizontal direction, in other words a straight line measure of ten feet parallel to the ground.
 
I still say throw them in orbit. The "straight line" is a little curved, but it's still always parallel to the ground (in a circular orbit, anyway)!

cookiemonster
 
Thats at least a little bit more ellaborate then creating a ramp, which my teach said is more ellaborate then necessary.
 
Get on a steep hill then roll down. Gravity is propelling you and you are still moving parallel to the ground.
 
Shift your frame of reference to the center of the earth, and you just moved a lot more than 10 feet while you read this.
 

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