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
Accelerations are changes in velocities over time. When you turn, for instance, an acceleration is needed in the direction you are turning. This acceleration is bigger the quicker the movement is, and it’s caused by the friction, or grip, of the tires with the ground. If you do the movement too fast, the acceleration needed might exceed what the friction can provide, given that the friction is not dependent on time. If the turning is slow, the friction is more than enough to give the acceleration needed. For other examples, you have to find out what variables are time dependent, like viscosity, and they would explain the variation in behavior between quick and slow versions of the same movement.
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