Eli5: when traveling on a boat going 40 mph, how can a bee hover with the boat if it wasn’t already in motion?

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I get that when you throw a ball in the air while traveling, it will go up at the same speed you’re moving at, but for a bee to be going on about it’s business like it’s nothing, traveling at 40 mph.. it doesn’t make any sense

In: Mathematics

11 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

A boat traveling on the surface has some areas around it that are more-or-less protected from the wind. Especially if you’re behind the main deck protrusions (usually some sort of cabin), there will be an area of negative pressure that drags air along with the boat.

Similarly if you’re low in front of protrusion, then the air piles up. Most of the wind goes over this “pile” of air, so if you’re inside of it, there isn’t much wind.

Other than that, if the bee gets out of the lee of the cabin or isn’t in one of those relatively calm areas in front of the cabin, it’ll instantly get blown away by that 40 mph wind rushing over the deck.

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