Physics question... (WARNING: Science content)

[sloth_mobile]

So, I'm sitting down at Shari's with eyeamme123  and we start getting into a deep physics discussion on how bicycles work....

The scenario:
If someone who was pedaling at maximum speed on a road-bike (the one with the thinner tires with the bigger circumference) with a very light frame on a flat surface, would the output of energy they'd have to create all of

Comments

[fearless_son]

Well, while you are at it, it would be better to clarify the distinction between mass and weight. Mass is a measure of how much "stuff" there is in a give system. "Weight" is how much force gravity puts on a mass, being expressed as Weight = Mass * Gravity. Now the standard measure of gravity is "G" defined as the gravitational strenght of the Earth at sea level being a single G. This means that, in most on-Earth contexts, mass and weight can be used interchangable (since anything times one equals itself) but it is good not to get in that habit too much.

Now, inertia and mass have a direct relationship. More mass means more inertia. Inertia is how hard something is to change it's state of motion. A more massive (and this more inertial) object takes more force to accelerate at the same rate as a less massive object. This applies both at getting a mass at rest to move, but also at getting a mass already moving to stop. This taken as a system, a bike/rider with less mass will require less force to accelerate than a bike/rider with more mass. Assuming both riders expend the same amount of bodily energy to generate force then the less massive one will reach top speed sooner. Disregarding other factors, both should have the same top speed though.

[fearless_son]

That would depend on the RPG context itself.

I do know that in the D20 system, the bulk of worn armor does place restrictions on maximum dexterity available.

[sloth_mobile]

This is hilarious.