If I'm driving 60mph and I stick my hand out my window, am I feeling 60mph winds?

J

Jarrod

Member
Apr 7, 2008
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I know it's a strange question. lol I was driving home from work and I was sticking my hand out of my sunroof when that thought popped in my head.
To clarify the hypothetical situation. lets say there is no wind at all.
 
Yes, more or less. Obviously if there is a 20mph tail wind, then you're only feeling 40mph winds.
 
It's not a strange question at all. That all depends. If you are going into a headwind that is 10 MPH, and you were going 60, you'd add them together for a 70 MPH wind. If the wind was on your back, you'd subtract for a 50 MPH wind. Some people have seen an airplane appear to be hovering. This is possible if it's airspeed was equal and opposite of the wind. If the wind is at an angle, the math gets complicated.
 
In general yes, but it also depends on several variables, such as outside wind speed (with or against you) and the shape of your car (because the curvature can increase air flow thus increasing wind speed or a little pocket can be formed around certain parts of the vehicle.
 
It would depend on the direction and speed of the wind...but yeah pretty close to the speed you are driving I suppose
 
Yes, more or less

Plus remember your speedometer gives your LANDSPEED, if you're driving into a 20 mph headwind you're feeling 80 mph winds!

If you have a 20 mph tailwind then you're feeling 40 mph winds
 
well if you want to get technical, then no, wouldn't the front of the car slow the winds down? and by time it gets to your hand on top of the car it would be a little slower. thats my guess
 
it depends. if the wind speed when you are stationary is 0 mph, then yes, you will feel 60 mph winds.

If there is a tail wind acting against you it will be slower by as many miles as the wind is.

If youve got a 20 mph headwind, youll be feeling 80 mph winds.
 
Yes... assuming the air outside is still.

If you are driving into an 8 mph wind, you're actually experiencing 68 mph. Or, if you're driving with a 20 mph tail wind, you're only experiencing 40 mph. It's all relative.
 
it depends! is the wind blowing from behind or from infront. If the wind is comming from infront of you, you have to add the speed of the car and the wind since you are feeling it more! if the wind is blowing from behind, you subtract the speed of the wind from the speed of the car!
 
What an interesting question... I had never thought of such a thing. On one hand, I want to say yes, because every action has an equal and opposite reaction and you are displacing the atmosphere at a rate of 60 mph... but on the other hand, I want to say that since air is matter, it has inertia (albeit a very, very small amount) and so while it is being displaced rapidly, I don't believe the displacement would be equal to the speed of the moving vehicle.

In short, I have no idea, but I will probably lay awake tonight thinking about it!
 
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