• db2@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    8 hours ago

    If they’re being launched by the same spring mechanism you’re better off with the bowling ball than a little glass bullet.

    • redlemace@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      18
      ·
      8 hours ago

      Depends, how tight is the spring? At high velocity i’d guess a marble will penetrate the body, where at low velocity a marbel would be easier to stop

      • deranger@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        7 hours ago

        I think they’ll both be exactly the same difficulty to stop due to conservation of energy. If the spring used is the same for both the bowling ball and the marble, the bowling ball is going to be going much, much slower than the marble.

        • JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          5 hours ago

          This feels wrong to my brain. Something that is much heavier must take more energy to move, and therefore to stop. The same velocity doesn’t necessarily imply the same amount of kinetic energy right? Now I gotta go look this up or wait for someone to tell me why I’m stupid

          • deranger@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            edit-2
            5 hours ago

            The spring imparts the same amount of energy to the marble and bowling ball. The two objects are not at the same velocity, the marble would be moving significantly faster.

            The same velocity doesn’t necessarily imply the same amount of kinetic energy right?

            Not at all.

            E = 1/2mv^2

            Since energy (E) is provided by the same spring in both cases, the energy of the bowling ball and the marble are equal. Since mass (m) is much higher for the bowling ball, the bowling ball’s velocity (v) must be significantly lower.

            • JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              4 hours ago

              That’s why I’m stupid! End of shift sleepy brain forgot about the parent comment talking about the spring because of the confusion about velocity. Seems so silly to forget a piece of the conversation while I’m having it, but this happens a lot. I really oughta get an ADHD diagnosis lol

        • RmDebArc_5@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          7 hours ago

          You also have to consider air resistance, that should reduce the energy of the bowling ball when hitting you, making it easier to stop

          • earphone843@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            6 hours ago

            Friction would be way more of a determining factor than air resistance, assuming they’re traveling along the ground.

          • deranger@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            6 hours ago

            Air resistance will affect the marble more since it’s traveling faster. I also feel like either mass (or more likely, density) of the object matters, which would advantage the bowling ball in this aspect too.

            Where are the physics nerds at, we need answers!