How do gazzelles outrun lions using their zig zag motion?

[chiwawa626]

How do gazzelles outrun lions using their zig zag running motion? I know it has to do with newton's 2nd law of motion, which states if you apply an unbalanced force to an object, that object will be accelerated...

This was a question i had last year in physics and someone was asking me about it just now...i cant rememebr what the answer was...

 

[Marshallj]

You're thinking into the problem too much. No need to get Newton involved.

 

[HamSupLo]

they just run hella fast

 

[OulOat]

Isn't it just that the gazzelles are trying to cause the lions to slip?

 

[chiwawa626]

Originally posted by: Marshallj
You're thinking into the problem too much. No need to get Newton involved.

This is a physics problem, from a physics book, ive seen the answer before, newton is invloved.

 

[erikiksaz]

you apply an unbalanced force to an object, that object will be accelerated...

I don't know why, but Counterstrike bunny-hoppers come to mind...

But anyways, just think of how a running back would avoid a defensive back, it should apply here as well.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: jooksing
they just run hella fast

 

[her209]

Newton's 2nd Law: F = ma

What does that have to do with a gazelle other than its running away from the lion?

 

[chiwawa626]

The gazelle has less mass thus can decelerate and accelerate quicker, to cut into a zig zag pattern that would help the gazelle, since the lion is hecka heavyer it will take em longer? hheh, nice bs answer huh...but damnit i cant remmeber the stupid answer.

 

[Rkonster]

It has to do with mass.

F = ma

Since the gazelle's are light, they can change direction without lots of force. The lion try and follow the gazelle, but since the lion weighs much more, it needs to generate more force to move as fast and is unable to.

 

[Marshallj]

Being that lions eat gazelles, I don't think Newton is able to help them all that much.

 

[brxndxn]

Newton's 2nd Law: F = ma

The gazelle is running in a zigzag motion and the lion tries to follow exactly. Lions are stupid... so they don't always know to just run in a straight line that is the shortest distance to the gazelle.

So, this big heavy line is trying to change direction as fast as the tiny little fvcker Gazelle... and it just doesn't work for the fattie lion.

Basically, even the mightiest lion can't possible hope to have the same amount of force to mass as the gazelle. So, Newton's 2nd Law comes into play there.

 

[yellowperil]

Usually the lions eat the sick and old gazelles, the young ones can get away using the zig zag method.

At least, that's how the nature shows make it seem.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Newton? Unbalanced force? All that means is that the force of the gazelle's feet on the ground exceed forces pushing it the other way.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: her209
Newton's 2nd Law: F = ma

What does that have to do with a gazelle other than its running away from the lion?

That is for a point mass.

A gazalle is not a point mass.

The equivalent of 2nd law for a rigid body is t = (moment of inertia) * (angular acceleration)

You would have to assume that the Gazalle was a uniform rigid body.

I think that if you could reduce the zigzag motion down to a series of infintesimle distances, I think you could possibly assume that each jump is tangent to some circle, and thus an angular acceleration?

 

[Goosemaster]

Gazelles use the zig zag pattern to catch the lions off guard. Trying following someone zigzaging at random.

Such acutes moves require premonitions or at least a fare warning. The gazelle shifts its entire body weight and thee is not immediate response from the lion...until at least a few milliseconds later.

f=ma explains the physical advantage that the gazelle has over the lion, but intelligence came up with the zig zaging in the first place.

 

[beer]

oops

 

[MrDingleDangle]

for some reason i was reminded of this-

Few people Understand the psychology of dealing with a Highway traffic cop. Most people will panic and immeadiately pull over to the side.

This is wrong.

It arouses contempt in the cop heart. Make the bastard chase you. He will follow.

But he won't know what to make of your blinker signal that says you're about to turn right. This is to let him know you are about to turn off for a proper place to talk.

It'll take him a minute to realize he's about to make an 180 degree turn at speed, which you'll be ready for

 

[rgwalt]

Essentially gazzells can turn much faster than lions since they have less mass. While they might not be able to outrun a lion in a straight-line race, by zig-zagging they can effectly slow the lion down as the lion can't change direction as fast. Lions have considerably more momentum when running, and trying to accelerate that momentum in a diagonal direction is difficult.

The same is true for alligators and bears. If you are ever chased by a large animal, run away in a zig-zagging fashion as they can't corner as fast as you can. This policy does not hold true for sharks, so be warned.

Ryan

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: rgwalt
Essentially gazzells can turn much faster than lions since they have less mass. While they might not be able to outrun a lion in a straight-line race, by zig-zagging they can effectly slow the lion down as the lion can't change direction as fast. Lions have considerably more momentum when running, and trying to accelerate that momentum in a diagonal direction is difficult.

The same is true for alligators and bears. If you are ever chased by a large animal, run away in a zig-zagging fashion as they can't corner as fast as you can. This policy does not hold true for sharks, so be warned.

Ryan

Right

The larger animals have a higher moment of inertia (equivalent to mass, for the most part). Since they'll try to follow you in a zigzag motion, they need to use more energy to change their inertia from one direction to another (angular acceleration) and therefore, less energy can be converted into energy of motion.

 

[NewSc2]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Gazelles use the zig zag pattern to catch the lions off guard. Trying following someone zigzaging at random.

Such acutes moves require premonitions or at least a fare warning. The gazelle shifts its entire body weight and thee is not immediate response from the lion...until at least a few milliseconds later.

f=ma explains the physical advantage that the gazelle has over the lion, but intelligence came up with the zig zaging in the first place.

I don't think the Gazelles are using it to catch the lions off guard, but rather the opposite. It's not like they run up in front of them and go "try to eat me!"

 

[tcsenter]

A gazelle doesn't outrun the lion or cheetah using their zig-zag motion, they out zig-zag the lion and cheetah using their zig-zag motion. If they could outrun either, they wouldn't need to zig-zag.

 

[0roo0roo]

its called an evasive maneuver

 

[Mallow]

I'd say the stamina of the gazzell wins over the burst speed of the lion sometimes

 

[RalphWiggum]

Hehe, did this thread remind anyone else of Tecmo Super Bowl? This was how a RB would outrun the entire secondary... For whatever reason, the defense would always have at least equal speed to the offense, so you'd have to zig-zag all the way to the goalline.

But, so my thread is completely pointless, I think the guys got it right about changes in direction and mass.