Page 1 of 1
Mercedes rolls
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 7:16 am
by kleinkid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K851MrZXfu0
Seen this? Cool video, interesting production.
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 7:24 pm
by Legacy777
Interesting.....I love how car commercials imply that by making something faster they can defy the laws of physics/gravity/etc

Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 4:09 am
by beatersubi
Disappointed. I was hoping to see it actually roll.
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 4:13 am
by BSOD2600
While that Mercedes is no F1, apparently those do produce enough downforce to theoretically drive upside down...
Formula 1™ - Aerodynamics wrote:
A modern Formula One car is capable of developing 3.5 g lateral cornering force (three and a half times its own weight) thanks to aerodynamic downforce. That means that, theoretically, at high speeds they
could drive upside down.
Sounds like an episode for the Mythbusters to try

Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:27 am
by AWD_addict
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 8:17 am
by kimokalihi
Top Gear is familiar with this stunt. Clarkson briefly goes over the precise science of the stunt before executing it flawlessly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEF_Vir2-Fs
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 8:52 am
by Apex3
While this one is clearly fake, that does not defy the laws of physics, by going around in a spiral like that you're creating a lot of normal force downwards with respect to the car. It's not the same as just driving upside down in the tunnel. And it has nothing to do with cornering force or "downforce" in the sense of aerodynamics, though the downforce would have some effect obviously.
You clearly did not have one of those hot wheels tracks with the launcher things when you were a kid.
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 9:36 am
by kimokalihi
Nothing more than inertia.
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:43 am
by Apex3
kimokalihi wrote:Nothing more than inertia.
Ahh, yes, there's the word, been 4 years since I've taken a physics course

I'm about to graduate in ME, so I got the concepts, the words tend to slip away though.
Re: Mercedes rolls
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 7:05 am
by kleinkid
Being that you are a Cougar, a lot of words are going to slip away.
Just kidding, of course.
If you want a tip for a job after you graduate, pm me and I'll communicate with you about it.