Is it better to walk or run in the rain?
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On those cold, rainy days when you forget your rain jacket or umbrella and you want to stay as dry as possible… should you walk or run? Minutephysics explores the age-old question of which will keep you drier.
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When you’re caught in a downpour with no umbrella, should you run or walk? Running will get you out of the rain faster, but at the risk of encountering more drops along the way — and therein lies the dilemma. Now, science gives the go-ahead: in most cases, run.
In the European Journal of Physics, Franco Bocci has shown that the optimal travel speed varies depending on how thin you are, the wind speed, raindrop size and the angle between your path and the wind direction. Certain combinations of these factors set an optimal travel speed, which may occasionally be slower than a flat-out sprint.
If the wind is blowing in the direction you’re traveling, attempt to jog at a speed equal to the wind speed. That’s the pace at which you feel the least wind (and rain) smacking against you. If the wind is hitting your back at an angle, jog a little faster than you think it’s blowing. (The larger the angle, the more you should hustle.)
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Sunlight is way older than you think
It takes light a zippy 8 minutes to reach Earth from the surface of the Sun. But how long does it take that same light to travel from the Sun’s core to its surface? Oddly enough, the answer is many thousands of years. Sten Odenwald explains why by illustrating the random walk problem.
Football physics: the “impossible” free kick
In 1997, Brazilian football player Roberto Carlos set up for a 35 meter free kick with no direct line to the goal. Carlos’s shot sent the ball flying wide of the players, but just before going out of bounds it hooked to the left and soared into the net. How did he do it? Erez Garty describes the physics behind one of the most magnificent goals in the history of football.
When you’re caught in a downpour with no umbrella, should you run or walk? Running will get you out of the rain faster, but at the risk of encountering more drops along the way — and therein lies the dilemma. Now, science gives the go-ahead: in most cases, run.
In the European Journal of Physics, Franco Bocci has shown that the optimal travel speed varies depending on how thin you are, the wind speed, raindrop size and the angle between your path and the wind direction. Certain combinations of these factors set an optimal travel speed, which may occasionally be slower than a flat-out sprint.
If the wind is blowing in the direction you’re traveling, attempt to jog at a speed equal to the wind speed. That’s the pace at which you feel the least wind (and rain) smacking against you. If the wind is hitting your back at an angle, jog a little faster than you think it’s blowing. (The larger the angle, the more you should hustle.)
Watch these recommended TED-Ed Lessons:
Where does the smell of rain come from?
Have you ever smelled a storm approaching? It’s Okay To Be Smart explains how you don’t have to check your phone to see if it’s about to rain, you can use your nose!
How heavy is air?
Too often we think of air as empty space — but compared to a vacuum, air is actually pretty heavy. So, just how heavy is it? And if it’s so heavy, why doesn’t it crush us? Dan Quinn describes the fundamentals of air pressure and explains how it affects our bodies, the weather and the universe at large.
Sunlight is way older than you think
It takes light a zippy 8 minutes to reach Earth from the surface of the Sun. But how long does it take that same light to travel from the Sun’s core to its surface? Oddly enough, the answer is many thousands of years. Sten Odenwald explains why by illustrating the random walk problem.
Football physics: the “impossible” free kick
In 1997, Brazilian football player Roberto Carlos set up for a 35 meter free kick with no direct line to the goal. Carlos’s shot sent the ball flying wide of the players, but just before going out of bounds it hooked to the left and soared into the net. How did he do it? Erez Garty describes the physics behind one of the most magnificent goals in the history of football.
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