If I drive my car through a corner slowly I’ll be fine. If I go fast, the car will skid off the road. All the materials are the same, the execution is the same. The only difference is over what amount of time this happens? The example is not important, the same goes for pretty much anything. Filling a bottle, ripping a sheet of paper..
I understand this from a intuitive perspective, but I wonder if someone can explain why time matters in physics in a simple way. What is the fundamental difference between doing something fast vs. slow.
I’m sure this is a silly question if you know some thermal dynamics or special relativity, but remember, I’m only 5!
In: Physics
Other people have addressed the question, so I’m just going to point this out which may help you understand it in the context you’ve presented the question:
A similar question you could ask is “Why does the width of the car matter?” Even at the same speed and same height, a skinny car tips over whereas a wide car is able to make the turn.
That might be something you can wrap your head around easier if you can visualize why that’s happening, and it may be a good stepping stone to understanding how time becomes relevant in that situation.
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