I Rented A Helicopter To Settle A Physics Debate

The story of a controversial physics question on the qualifying exam for the 2014 US Physics Olympiad team. How does a uniform cable beneath a helicopter hang? Visit SimpliSafe.com/veritasium to learn more and to get at least 30% off your SimpliSafe security system! Thanks to SimpliSafe for sponsoring a portion of this video.
Thanks to Scott Smith and the Perris Valley Airport for hosting us. You can follow their social media @skydive_perris and learn more about them at skydiveperris.com/
Thanks to Craig Hosking for being our expert helicopter pilot.
Thanks to Professor Paul Stanley for the interview and for writing such an interesting question.
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References:
The Exam - ve42.co/AAPT2014Exam
The Solution - ve42.co/AAPT2014Solutions
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Special thanks to Patreon supporters: S S, Andrew, Benedikt Heinen, Diffbot, Micah Mangione, MJP, Gnare, Dave Kircher, Edward Larsen, Burt Humburg, Blake Byers, Dumky, Evgeny Skvortsov, Meekay, Bill Linder, Paul Peijzel, Mac Malkawi, Michael Schneider, Big Badaboom, Ludovic Robillard, jim buckmaster, Juan Benet, Ruslan Khroma, Robert Blum, Richard Sundvall, Lee Redden, Vincent, Marinus Kuivenhoven, Alfred Wallace, Clayton Greenwell, Michael Krugman, Cy 'kkm' K'Nelson, Sam Lutfi, Ron Neal
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Written by Derek Muller, Emily Zhang, and Petr Lebedev
Filmed by Derek Muller, Trenton Oliver, and Emily Zhang
Edited by Trenton Oliver
Animation by Mike Radjabov
Music from Epidemic Sounds
Additional video supplied by Getty Images
Produced by Derek Muller, Petr Lebedev, and Emily Zhang

[@MattiaConti]

"air friction is not negligible" is the worst statement somebody ever told me

[@ekksoku]

But it is negotiable

[@karhukivi]

It is for some things, like a heavy aerodynamic bomb shape.

[@RipleySawzen]

This reminds me of an XKCD *What if?* where he states "Well, this is one of the very, very rare situations where bringing in general relativity makes a problem easier to solve."

[@steemlenn8797]

@@karhukivi Or for that matter a heavy earodynamic atomic bomb explosion if you are near to it.

[@Candority]

I made a video solution for this. Click for a mathematical explanation 😀👍👍

[@CheapMessiah]

Pilot: "if it goes wrong it would mean total destruction of the aircraft" Everyone: ok, lets try it

[@bigying]

yeah i wonder how many meetings (and time) and arguments they have to make between everyone, the pilot, SimpliSafe, the filming crew, to get this experiment approved!

[@AxxLAfriku]

I have fewer than 1 friend in the World. That's right. Everybody disses me for making bad videos. I think they are perfect though. Who is right? My dissers or me? Which side are you on, dear alex

[@copypastor]

Thats all about aviation.

[@keerthan7558]

@@AxxLAfriku your channel says something else mister

[@DoiInthanon1897]

Derek:

[@madelinepacis3333]

I can imagine someone in the area taking the test and miraculously looking outside to see the answer.

[@Daveeeeeeyhowyoudoing]

I was there and I saw it when taking the test

[@skoopdewoop]

deus ex machina

[@PoliticalyEducated]

​@@Daveeeeeeyhowyoudoing no way

[@markdstump]

Pilots are a very cautious bunch. For me the most surprising part of the video is not the Physics, but... That you found someone willing to do all this.

[@patricksohacki9737]

maybe he gave him $20

[@jeanneymar2390]

money.

[@star_of_light]

@@patricksohacki9737 it's worth doing it for $20

[@sirwhitemeat9785]

not all are as cautious as him to be honest i know a guy flying a crop duster and hes willing to do anything you ask him

[@markdstump]

@@sirwhitemeat9785 Now that you mention it I really only know USAF pilots.

[@overwerk]

Lots of trust in seatbelts for this video...

[@richardross1166]

Whenever we do doors open work like this, we have a harness as well as the seatbelt (2 points of contact). It's hard to tell if they're doing something similar here, but you can see something around his outside leg which could be a part of a harness.

[@MetalAsFork]

Seriously... Was it truly just a single buckle belt? Crazy.

[@richardross1166]

@@MetalAsFork I'd be very surprised if that was all they used!

[@FrozenFacade]

Yeah I would have had a parachute on just in case leaning that far out with just a seatbelt. Maybe they were too low for parachutes but I imagine it couldn't hurt.

[@Tristoo]

fancy seeing you here. was surprised it was actually you. I don't listen to any one musician religiously but I've been listening to your stuff on and off since toccata - which is still one of my all time favorite songs. great stuff. also yeah that man leaning over with nothing but that seatbelt to hold him... he's clearly not been in enough cars to know how often those just don't work.

[@orionred2489]

When i was very young, I asked my dad why the kite string was curved downward instead of a straight line. he said "That's the weight of the string." I didn't quite understand him and thought he said "the way of the string." I spent YEARS with that kind of Zen like understanding of nature in my head.

[@chertfoot1500]

lol

[@matpk]

@@chertfoot1500 compare 1930s Nazi Germany Vs 2020s Communist Chinazi IN YOUR NEXT VIDEO Project before it's too late

[@Lulu_Lime]

@@matpk Yo CIA come get your bots I think they’re broken.

[@aaronchrusniak1169]

i love this

[@BizVlogs]

“The string that can be strung is not the eternal string”

[@simpsonmbm]

The pilot is a personal friend of mine...great guy! Funny to stumble onto him in this video. I've flown in his helicopter :)

[@Ronald1324]

😕

[@Buttercup7889]

Cap

[@bigbyrome]

@@Buttercup7889 why would they be capping about something so trivial. People like you ruin the internet

[@cihper6203]

@@Buttercup7889 bro stuck in 2021

[@star_of_light]

@@Buttercup7889 I prefer Spiderman

[@MindfulDisc]

Veritasium is the type of person that when he gets a question wrong on the test, he spends $10k to prove them wrong lmao

[@stone5against1]

Not a lot of money for them though, with all the revenue they get from their videos

[@sabrewolf4129]

He attempts to anyway, his methods in every video are wrong. This guy is a physics version of Scopes fact checking.

[@krovelMx]

Getting a "we need to talk." message from your girlfriend gives off the exact same vibes as an "air resistance is NOT negligible" statement on a physics test. You might be 100% sure you did nothing wrong and still you will feel insecure about it.

[@nenmaster5218]

I am worried: If Genetics evolve and dangerous people like 'Autism Speaks' (generally seen as an enemy of autistic people) is never stopped... will both issues... eventually fuse?!

[@dabbopabblo]

@@nenmaster5218 what the hell are you talking about

[@krovelMx]

@@nenmaster5218 what.

[@felixbeaulieu852]

@@nenmaster5218 no

[@derelict3015]

@@nenmaster5218 maybe.

[@CarthagoMike]

That Pilot seems like such a nice guy. He was really into the experiment as well, rather than just flying.

[@hotaru6765]

he was paid generous

[@Francisco-jk3dg]

@@hotaru6765 u know how much gas that thing cost, plus training, and stuff , i mean, the pilot should have a KZbin channel

[@christopherboyle2403]

You heard how many hours flying he had. Flying would be like walking for him probably where doing all this stuff he was told never to do... THATS exciting...

[@kether2717]

He's very skilled, he shows this by flying horizontally in a diagonal almost perfectly while making sure the rope doesn't get sucked into the rotors. Helicopters are hard to manipulate.

[@Toastmaster_5000]

@@christopherboyle2403 Yeah, nothing like doing your daily job for however many years and finally get something that isn't the same routine over and over

[@odinburks]

The feeling of superiority you get from answering the theoretical questions in a veritasium video correctly is far higher than any other feeling in the world

[@BrutalProductions194]

The fact that you mention your sponser and then do the explenation at the end is almost enough reason to watch, let allone the awsome content you make!

[@brightoff]

“Interestingly no one chose E” Me whispering sadly: *”I chose E”*

[@cortbean]

Well if your put a parachute in the middle and a weight at the bottom I think it's gonna do shape E

[@jaymethodus3421]

I'm with ya brother. Together we weep

[@deyesed]

I chose E as well :)

[@TanzanianRoots]

I chose E cause I thought it was the most counterintuitive so must be right :(

[@DP-ot6zf]

If it will make you feel better, there is bound to be a rope out there that feels like doing that shape, and is just waiting for its chance. It appreciates your confidence.

[@ViewtifulTj]

This is one of those physic questions where I would have the right answer on my first attempt, then second guess myself after reading the question for the 10th time to make sure I wasn't overthinking it

[@Novajowea]

Under thinking

[@raymondqiu8202]

Sure ur overthinking it when most people have a challenge knowing what it is and haven't seen it in real life before, but yeh, ur overthinking it like the question is easy

[@cookiee818]

@@raymondqiu8202 I mean his first answer is probably just instinct or feeling, then when he starts thinking about it and visualizing it in his head the answer changes

[@bradcollier7249]

Veritasium, is a great video show. But at the university I attended, that question would have been a composition question and all of the answers shown would have been incorrect. You would have to have pointed out that the shape of the rope does not change by hanging it out of a helicopter. By stretching it, possibility it could have gotten smaller around but the shape would not have changed. The pictures drawn were only a distraction to keep someone from reading the question how it was written. Most Veritasium videos would have never overlooked this point.

[@NavarroRefugee]

@@bradcollier7249 Sounds like a great way to turn a mildly interesting question about how forces act on an object into pedantry.

[@Taupila]

Hi Derek, all I wanted to say was just thank you for having a very sensible and non-intrusive approach to sponsorships in your videos.

[@sanjeen2503]

There is a harmonic oscillation occuring in the rope too. The tension is lower away from the copter hence the frequencies are lower and amplitude is higher. The tip of the rope is free so there's an antinode there, thus the high amplitude, so it's flipping between exp graph shape and log graph shape.

[@iammattbarker]

So nice to see Derek back to his roots - polling random people on the street (so to speak). Just like "how far away is the moon" and "which object is colder".

[@DP-ot6zf]

The moon is a myth. There's no such thing.

[@Hydranox]

@@DP-ot6zf yes truly

[@-danR]

@@DP-ot6zf Yes there is. I have one.

[@iammattbarker]

@@DP-ot6zf Funny joke

[@rusty9705]

It’d be nice to see some content like that but I quite like the direction he’s gone now and I definitely don’t want him to turn to just that.

[@agustinfranco0]

i love how the teacher is like "this is hard AF to answer, i dont think even i could get it right, lets put it in an important exam, it will be FUN"

[@loganlm10]

Right? Like wtf. If someone with a masters degree is wrong how do they expect 18 year olds who don’t even wanna come to class to get it 😂

[@jeninjose911]

It's for the US Physics Olympiad entrance exam. Those kids are ridiculously smart.

[@blibbertibs]

"Let's increase the fun by removing the weight"

[@loganlm10]

@@jeninjose911 oh kinda nvm then, for some reason I was comparing this to the ap physics I took in highschool which I’m sure is very different then this 😂

[@Eckred]

He said counter intuitive. Everyone taking that exam should have the tools to answer this question even if it's against their intuition.

[@midwestrebel2]

That pilot is the will hero here 💯 those skills allowed us " you & your team to be specific " to take this question to the fields in come to a conclusions ! Great work & love the content !

[@chiragdalwani4422]

Happy to see a mainstream channel discussing a Physics Olympiad Problem and that too so nicely Would love to see more of these !

[@ikhsanpermadi]

"The proof is left as an exercise to the reader" The reader:

[@shubhamshreyashkr4238]

😂

[@haroldgilbert9202]

horrendously underrated comment

[@jedinxf7]

LOL

[@chroma9848]

Lol

[@ih8stuff3]

SHEEEEEEESH!

[@jacobdancey145]

" that's neat, it could make a good multiple choice question" is something only a die hard teacher would say

[@leoleo7047]

More like: "Thats a difficult to reach and counter intuitive conclusion to make, those suckers are never gonna get it right"

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Everything in the universe is a potential multiple choice question.

[@ZombieSS77]

A real die hard teacher would say "Yippee Ki-yay MF'er"

[@bryanmavis8771]

@@leoleo7047 that's how the dumbos are filtered out among intellectuals.

[@christiandaniel9881]

My guess was E, for what it's worth. But I don't know much about helicopters, so I was factoring in the downforce from the rotors, which as was explained in the video, is pretty much a non-issue. I'm also not a Physics major, so there's that.

[@pouyan_m]

Good

[@seankrolyk5814]

Im a physics major and it was obviously B and D in the two scenarios. Really surprised that this is a "challenging" question to some pysicists

[@gurzafarsingh469]

@@seankrolyk5814 Could you please help me understand that why in 8:40 the air resistance is increasing as we go up the rope whereas it was constant in the other two cases ?

[@WitherLele]

@@gurzafarsingh469 it's explained at 5:00

[@proximitygaming8253]

I put E while taking the test; I thought air resistance would act equally and make it a straight vertical line at a constant velocity other than near the helicopter.

[@bat__bat]

Fun video as usual. Education, when done properly, is the best form of entertainment.

[@nasus3274]

Him in the future: "going into a black hole to settle a physics debate"

[@ArpanD]

🤣🤣

[@Ponta-Kun_Official]

How will he return tho? 🙄

[@yorhaunit8s]

Him in the video from before channel creation: "so this finally sets the 2088 time travel debate."

[@csibesz07]

@@Ponta-Kun_Official It would be a clickbait title, cause he wouldn't.

[@dadodado1876]

I know

[@alphacore4332]

"what would be the risk of my veritasium flag idea?" *'complete destruction of the aircraft'* "ok cool lets do it guys"

[@joelbadger9661]

They put a smaller flag

[@matpk]

Compare 1930s Nazi Germany Vs 2020s Communist Chinazi IN YOUR NEXT VIDEO Project before it's too late

[@dinamosflams]

@@matpk Are you sure you are spamming this in the right vídeo, bot?

[@Gabriel-yd4bq]

@@matpk They have nothing in common, that's what they have 😂

[@stephhhie17]

@@Gabriel-yd4bq -Both are one party states -Both persecuted a religious/ethic minority and concentrated them in camps -Both practiced state-mandated eugenics programs and population control -Both punished political dissidents -Both used the legal opinions and philosophy of Carl Schmitt to justify power grabs and expansion of state authority -Both have similarities in the treatment of The Free City of Danzig/Gdańsk and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

[@JOpethNYC]

Great experiments! Definitely going to show to my physics class. 👨‍🏫👨‍🔬

[@mikestl100]

Great video. I loved seeing these multiple choice options replicated in real time. I guessed C (wrong) with the plain rope scenario.

[@youtubersingingmoments4402]

Now add the parachute to the middle of the rope with the kettlebell at the end to get answer E.

[@jowjowbro]

Or answer F, a crash press F to pay respects

[@PedroHenrique-ig6cw]

and fly the helicopter in the vacuum (lets think that helicopter rotors would work in vacuum) and the answer will be A

[@stormrungaming]

@@PedroHenrique-ig6cw The answer is A if you are in the correct field of view. ALL of these answers are correct because it doesn't account for speed.

[@bobzombie2710]

@@stormrungaming "Constant speed"

[@stormrungaming]

@@bobzombie2710 Which constant speed?... If the helicopter is going at .02mph constant.. the rope wont budge. If it's going 200mph.. the rope will be straight behind.. even with the weight. Like I said.. It doesn't account for speed.

[@AGlimpseInside]

Derek wakes up in the morning and says, “you know what I need a helicopter today“ and then makes it happen to make us smarter👊👍

[@LightningSquad]

To the person reading this comment you are awesome & hope you having a great day My dream is to hit 30K I hope you can help me accomplish my dreams.

[@LightningSquad]

I uploaded my Face Reveal.

[@Candority]

I created a video solution for this question and yesss it's correct. Click my profile for a theoretical explanation !

[@p3aoh161]

@@Candority how is this a question

[@p3aoh161]

@@LightningSquad you had us in the first half

[@jaywalker1233]

Neat experiment. As a non-physicist the “weight” + “parachute” shape answers for me were immediate, intuitive and seemed obvious but *not* the first one, the rope by itself… Great fun video!

[@Mr.Ekshin]

The correct answer would have been (F) impossible to say without knowing the length of the rope and the rotor wash speed to forward velocity ratio. You've got downward wind from the rotors and wind from the forward speed. As the length of the rope increases, some of it will eventually fall outside of the rotor wash (losing the downward wind).

[@xavisdos3675]

@@Mr.Ekshin He actually mentioned that the downward wind from the rotors wasn't actually relevant.

[@whitehawk5493]

I love that counterintuitive aspect of physics. All variables must be considered, then reconsidered over and over until the model/solution is exact/correct.

[@SchrodingsCat]

Classic physics teacher/professor; goes on hike in nature, comes back with difficult exam question.

[@prabjeetsingh1954]

Lol

[@Roman-kk1ic]

That's not a difficult question, a child would get it right without hesitation

[@Roman-kk1ic]

In fact it blew my mind how easy it is and how in the world it could make its way into qualifying exam, thats basic inertia, anyone who ever been in the moving vehicle can get that right without any physics background.

[@noonehere6994]

@@Roman-kk1ic funny thing is that the explanation did not have anything to do with inertia

[@fenhen]

@@Roman-kk1ic How is it basic inertia?

[@DeusExHomeboy]

"how's it feel when it's dangling?" "No lateral displacement at all." Feeling's mutual.

[@bubbaguy4411]

obviously you forgot to factor in sticking to the thigh.

[@apexvodss]

🤝

[@datboi1026]

💀👌

[@DeusExHomeboy]

@@bubbaguy4411 widen the legs, my friend. Widen

[@JoBot__]

WTF is going on here?

[@alexodom358]

when I was initially presented with this question the weight and length of the rope as well as the speed of the helicopter where not specified which I thought were all important factors as a lighter rope at lower speeds might actually manifest the more intuitive answer. while that same lighter rope at speeds sufficiently high would be practically horizontal to the ground as the wind from the helicopter moving forward would completely negate any effects the wind from the rotors themselves caused.

[@kanemeasham-pywell92]

I honestly thought it’d be b but have a curve in the last roughly 1/8th of the rope where the air resistance had overcome the downward force towards the bottom. Really interesting to see

[@integza]

I whish I had a physics professor that would go to such lengths to prove a concept

[@Julian1T1]

dont we all wish our teachers could rent helicopters lol

[@baileyjerman5573]

Well you'd need to find a teacher who makes enough to afford the rope

[@olssong7941]

eyy rocket man

[@maximumdosage]

ok cool comment but how do you misspell uujicsh

[@LDSG_A_Team]

Hi Integza! Please make a 3D printed frog costume for a cat this Halloween

[@kevinbee25]

As a physics student, I love that you took a question and practised it in real to find the answer. I'm sure every physics/engineering student will appreciate this video

[@matpk]

Compare 1930s Nazi Germany Vs 2020s Communist Chinazi IN YOUR NEXT VIDEO Project before it's too late

[@Cyanide_Infused]

@@bikashpatra what do you need the pan for?

[@NeonNotch]

@Kishore Anand no one asked

[@Opossumi2010]

I actually thought it was most likely C or E, since I imagined the main rotors wind having having a lot of effect on the wind. I guess E would work if the rope was really wide and there was a weight. Same as C requiring a lot more surface area and downward wind for it to work

[@SoldrfMfortune]

Yeah, my prediction for E seems to be something more likely with a flat strap with minimal or no weight beyond the hook or shackle. As the rope is round and sheathed, it isn't affected by airflow as much as I predicted. Answer D is accurate for ropes with hooks or shackles. I've seen it like that when watching Blackhawks fly away after dropping a cargo load while I was in service.

[@jeff99williams]

I'm impresed you were so calm being half-way out of a moving helicopter!

[@lake5044]

What I like the most about this video is that it shows that realism rules; we can model the rope, the air friction and make predictions all day, but nothing feels more satisfying than seeing reality confirm our prediction.

[@kaizakiarata9313]

Right

[@steemlenn8797]

More importantly if reality does not confirm to our prediction ;)

[@bhz8947]

I agree with the sentiment, but I think what you’re praising is the scientific method (or perhaps empiricism generally), not realism. One can be a realist (committed to an objectively existing “real world”) while at the same time rejecting science as a method for acquiring knowledge.

[@electronresonator8882]

that's why going full sheep in science is a brain dead move

[@41-Haiku]

"Sure it works in practice, but what about in theory?"

[@epr8974]

Professor: "This is completely counterintuitive. Let's put it as a multiple choice questions to my students on a selection test."

[@TheHuesSciTech]

Makes sense to me; better than having a bunch of questions that are intuitive and therefore answered exactly the same way by people regardless of whether they have an ability to break problems down and think them through...

[@kruksog]

That's physics bud.

[@dannydevito7000]

Like 99 percent of physics is counterintuitive, that's why it took so long to figure out.

[@damartimantilla]

This is not a regular test. This is for a physics Competition. Challenging it must be.

[@DP-ot6zf]

@You are correct But It's not like there are any other possibilities.

[@AlphaGator9]

Being a soldier trained in Air Assault school, this fascinated me very much. :) Thank you for doing this experiment. :)

[@l250563]

Always interesting. I never know what you will think up next for a video.

[@A.Mere.Creator]

This video is giving me MythBusters vibes.

[@Hexstream]

Except they didn't blow up the helicopter at the end...

[@fmga]

The best kind

[@0rphros]

Its about time we had someone to assume that mantal.

[@A.Mere.Creator]

@@Hexstream but they were talking about the helicopter blowing up the whole time which was reminiscent

[@simon_far]

And in proper Mythbusters fashion, they quickly jumped to a conclusion after a single test. What about a longer rope? A short segment of a curve will always appear straight. But my biggest peeve about this video is that he used such a ridiculously heavy rope, which, of course would have very little effect from the vertical airflow of the propellor and called it done.

[@Benny_Blue]

Meanwhile, in an alternate universe: “You are flying a helicopter. Assume air resistance is negligible.”

[@AL-wv8jx]

Well then the answer is you are cosplaying flying a helicopter

[@Benny_Blue]

@@AL-wv8jx Not necessarily - it could also be “You are falling in a helicopter.”

[@vitriolicAmaranth]

"You are sitting on the ground in a helicopter while the rotor spins"

[@gamersroost]

@@AL-wv8jx /bow

[@JimmyZeng]

You know what, -you don't need air resistance to fly a helicopter,- reduce air resistance alone will actually increase efficiency of said helicopter.

[@Jarmezrocks]

That was awesome! Never realised how much I wanted to know about this subject until I say the subject of this clip. Thanks for satisfying some curiosity

[@andrebenites9919]

I think it is pretty neat to spot that this happens because it is a flexible rope. In all of my tests, I'm not sure if the rope was not flexible, but the tension was always the same along the whole rope. I even thought it was some kind of property. That is why my first guess was B (straight line) but I thought that with weight, you would just get a different slope and a straight line. Really neat the animation. I was confused at first why the weight is not pulled enough, but they are all in constant velocities, also, it is just a comparable air resistance that is small, but it is still the same as at the top, right? It is just smaller because there is more weight... And it dissipates along the rope?. Again, I'm not sure

[@taylorhickman84]

I’m confused as to why we are assuming the helicopter is moving forward, as the only direction given in the question relating to its horizontal movement, is “through the air to the right”. To me this reads as the helicopter would be facing north, but traveling due east.

[@bubbafett9210]

I feel like my insanely low understanding of physics led me to the correct answer. Thank you brain for that one.

[@bim_bio9486]

now I feel like an idiot even tho I got (guessed) the right answer :(

[@Chad-qk1ig]

lol, me too. good at mathematics, terrible at physics.

[@Coecoo]

It's not your fault. This is one of these questions that shouldn't be present in any sort of exam because there are just too many different factors for there to be any logical conclusive answers. Seeing all the controversy that naturally spurred up because of it, it's no wonder our education systems today are complete f*cking jokes.

[@angycf98]

@@Coecoo It's not controversy, it's debate. The right answer is clear from this demo beyond reasonable doubt and you could conceivably work through the same reasoning in an exam to arrive at the answer. So long as the premise is laid out clearly this is not a bad question.

[@pennyless4tea]

Oh you mean common sense?? Lol

[@TinusOC]

I've seen this experiment numerous times while piloting helicopters in Arma 3. The game perfectly simulates the unweighted and weighted experiments. Quite incredible imo :)

[@gamer_man_4350]

no way fr?

[@chriskush4058]

I miss arma 2 dayz :(

[@dapotatoguy7019]

damn

[@chedidkamal837]

@@dilkush_21 don’t tell me what to do

[@LJDOG07]

Team Gamer

[@MegaJasonic]

What a fun video! I think of myself as pretty smart in science with a love of aviation yet I was wrong! Fun exercise in thought and humility lol! Next time I’m in my chopper pulling ropes, I’ll be be better prepared!

[@noahgm9629]

Interestingly I found this very intuitive, I wonder if at some point I’d experienced some kind of situation that was similar

[@fyodorzack9961]

Normal students: *making equations, imagine the problem given* Veritasium: "Lets go on a HELICOPTER*

[@stiflermaster3677]

yeah, he could've just used a drone😂

[@ThZuao]

Calculations and simulations withouth practical experiments are worthless He could have used a drone, yes. But then again, 10 million subs. Go all in. Renting a helo isn't that expensive

[@mamoonblue]

“Air friction on the cable is NOT negligible.” Engineers : Impossible

[@unity_talon]

*physicists

[@ktk1144]

@@unity_talon thnx for ruining joke

[@DoiInthanon1897]

Rather, the alternative is true in this case

[@YourPhysicsSimulator]

@@unity_talon Both

[@williamhenry4380]

@@unity_talon you mean Fisikist ?

[@Draenen]

Went back to see what my answer on the community poll was, and it was B! I know the answer is contextually relative to certain factors, but the base understanding of the question was incredibly evident and digestible

[@isilder]

C. The end of the rope has more drag, so it deflects rearward. We are not told the speed of the helicopter, so the scale of the curves has to be ignored...

[@tastypie2276]

Do you remember the thought experiment about 2 spaceships moving at speeds near speed of light, that shoot a beam of light to each other? Soon, time will come for Derek to order 2 spaceships.

[@motetotee]

I’ve heard the one about two spaceships moving away from each other at .5c but I haven’t heard that one; how does it go?

[@tastypie2276]

@@motetotee In this experiment, two spaceships move parallel to each other. One shoots a beam of light towards another. From the perspective of an observer on one of these spaceships, the light travels straight path which is perpendicular to the direction in each the ships are flying. While observer who is just standing near by, sees that light travelled through a diagonal path. Light travels different path depending on velocity of an observer.

[@fireworx_925]

another one about two spaceships with a picture frame moving near light speed in one and another observing. Derek will soon test that one too 😂

[@derekhuie9410]

I literally had this on my relativity test a week ago. Well I know I got that one wrong.

[@louishu8214]

I remember the Bell's spaceship paradox asking if a string tied taut between 2 spaceships accelerating from rest to near C will break.

[@DempsterDave]

I knew it was B for sure. We did many sling loads to our mountain-top repeaters in Alaska. I have a photo of a USCG helo 6016 doing a sling load from the Sitka air station on my other computer as a part of a screen saver.

[@kevinpusceddu7207]

since the helicopter is going straight the flag wants move back compared to the chain because the of the air flow tends to make the flag point back words since its only attached on one side of the flag it doesn't affect the chains angel compared to the helicopter much

[@IFGchannel931]

I was like "I'll pick C because it's intuitive, but in the back of my mind I think E is a real possibility". Yeah, give me two shots and witness me miss both.

[@flavioplb5490]

Intuitively i said B (diagonal) cause it said "constant speed"

[@Candority]

@@flavioplb5490 I made a video solution for this. Click for a mathematical explanation 😀👍👍

[@csucskos]

Derek:"Interestingly noone chose E" I was like:"Me, me, I chose E, am I smart?" No :D

[@steemlenn8797]

From intuition I took C too, but then I thought "Wait, this is like when people jump (5 guys jumping, one on each end of the rope swinging it around). If they stop the swinging (and the jumpers are out fo the way) and just stand still, the rope will balance itself out, whatever strange form it had." And choose the straight line, where everything is balanced out.

[@laurinneff4304]

@@flavioplb5490 wait, but if it's a constant speed then that speed could be 0, and in that case it would be A

[@RyanTheHero3]

Teachers: ‘the exams aren’t trying to catch you out’ Guy making exams: ‘This looks counter intuitive - this might make a good question.’ Edit: You guys are taking this way too seriously lol

[@KF-zb6gi]

Other teachers: “Nicely done.”

[@squeakymonjuer]

haha yes

[@federicoscrinzi3552]

To be honest to me that seems like a terrible question if it's just multiple choice without any explanation.

[@konstantinkh]

@@federicoscrinzi3552 Not really. This is a qualifier for a competition, not an exam in a school. To me, as someone who've done competitions like this while in school and focusing on physics specifically in school and university, B was the obvious answer. It's not immediately clear that a stable solution exists at all - that's a much harder problem, but if it does, it HAS to be B, as that's the only option that satisfies balance of forces and symmetries necessary for stable solution. So you answer B and move on to the next question. This sort of thing is more about being able to quickly discard bad options than any sort of rigorous solution.

[@federicoscrinzi3552]

@@konstantinkh ah I see! If this was a competition then I agree it's a good question

[@stephengilchrist6595]

I love this example of how maths and physics are in cooperation to balance the equation and hence are the one true constants, let alone changes in wind velocity and the earths rotation.

[@JelliedGrapes]

It's just like a ball and string, the ball at the end of the string lags behind the string as it's pulled forward.

[@RamiAbdulhai]

I would have never imagined as a teen that I'd be enjoying studying because someone on KZbin made it enjoyable. Thank you!

[@becchisosiride9301]

Oh, yeah, i HATED physics and all the talk about "forces" as a kid. Now I binge these types of videos because of presenters and science promoters like Derek.

[@Fenthule]

I want to develop a way to kinda revolutionize some forms of learning, but i need help to pull it off. I genuinely think I'm onto something brilliant, but It's super hard to approach the people who can make it work without some form of proof of concept, so I'm literally going to school to learn some software in order to make a basic version to use for that purpose. it's frustrating that i have to jump through these hoops.

[@vokeefn]

yeeesssss

[@Aat8974]

رامي

[@masternobody1896]

i just got 900 iq after this video

[@thehumanracehasfailed]

I like how the pilot keeps saying everything they're doing could destroy the aircraft and cause them to crash but then proceeds anyway. LOL

[@galeaiken3841]

His wife made him do it lol

[@AngryMangrove]

That would actually make me feel better if I were working with him. Here's this pilot who's constantly thinking about how something could go wrong, then making sure it doesn't.

[@TheArcher143]

He’s actually hoping it kills him.

[@mgpvii]

That just means that it will not happen but let me say that to make the video and myself look better.

[@bmxscape]

@@AngryMangrove there was no making sure, it was just hoping it doesn't lol

[@proximitygaming8253]

LOL I was taking the practice test and searched it up, not expecting Veritasium himself to settle this.

[@flymachine]

I knew it! When your life has been in aviation this type of question is intuitive, I always said D with a weight, I always assumed there was a weight, I didn’t however think about a non weighted rope but was not surprised by the behaviour in that instance. I am so going to brag with those who argued with me.

[@LanceWinston]

Helicopter pilot: explains dangers of flying with a dangling rope beneath them. Derek: ooh now can we try it again with a flag? Helicopter pilot: yeah so that's less safe. Derek: ooh now can we try it again with a parachute attached? Helicopter pilot: .... Glad you all made it and thanks for the awesome video!

[@RayneAngelus]

I mean, at any given point the pilot could have said, "No." He pointed out the risks for the sake of informed consent, but ultimately felt like he was willing to take them so long as the passengers were also willing to take them.

[@worawatli8952]

@@RayneAngelus I'm sure he was a military pilot before.

[@robertnett9793]

Well to perfectly copy Mythbusters Derek would have to blow up the test until the helicopter blew up.

[@OneEyedJack01]

There was never any serious danger. They extended the rope from an airborne, stationary position. Wash from the main rotor is nearly 100% downward. Only near the ground would you have turbulent upward flow and only when moving forward would you be in danger of entangling the tail rotor. If the pilot thought there was any real danger, he would not have attempted it. They just put those comments in for dramatic effect.

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

The Answer is.........OH HELLLLLL NAW!! Those side steps on that choppa need to be at least 12in wide before imma put my leg/foot outside!! OH!! AND PUT THE DAMN DOORS BACK ON!! THIS AIN'T NO DAMN JEEP!! {0.o} 😆😂🤣

[@pratham6412]

Bottom line: never let professors wander into the outside world letting them come up with new problems

[@JoeBob79569]

Students sould be checking their prof's social media to see where they went lately, trying to predict questions!

[@luckybarrel7829]

It's unfair. He knows the answer cause he observed the damn thing. Would he have come up with the answer by himself? Likely not? It'd have been just a guess. But how dare the students not know the answer to this question, all on their own, based on what they study in the classroom. Mean AF.

[@chris4231]

@@luckybarrel7829 Literally just 3 forces on the rope. You don't have much trust in professors' understanding of physics, do you?

[@luckybarrel7829]

@@chris4231 Did you even watch the video where the person who came up with the question admitted he knew the answer cause he saw the damn thing happening

[@chris4231]

@@luckybarrel7829 He came up with the problem by seeing it. Doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to solve it. However i will admit that i forgot about the wind generated by the helicopter's. This part might be impossible to figure out without a real world experiment.

[@agrivanunerys8296]

Knowing that the gradient of the rope's tension is affected by the difference of weight (ΔFg) and air resistance (ΔFa) on each point of the rope reminds me of functions, with its tangent's gradient (m) can be determined by dy/dx (quadratic functions), or Δy/Δx (linear functions), but I can't think of the function (not the funcions f(x) = ax² + bx + c and f(x) = mx + c) for the rope in this video (perhaps f(Fg) or f(Fa))

[@Veptis]

Checked my answer, and see it's correct. B matched what I experienced myself with any kind of rope hanging from a moving vehicle. Even if you have a balloon on a string at the end of your bike - it kinda looks like this.

[@alguien4099]

Derek: What would be the real risk? Pilot: Both rotors Derek: So anyway, I proceed to hang the Veritasium flag

[@akunog3665]

lol, pilot was way more nervous than necessary. Good quality to have in your helicopter pilot. :)

[@bruperina]

- And a parachute.

[@Kokurorokuko]

@@josephm.6453 Why? The pilot could easily sue Derek if something would go wrong.

[@EebstertheGreat]

@@josephm.6453 Probably more worried about the helicopter crashing and killing everyone inside.

[@Candority]

I made a video solution for this. Click for a mathematical explanation 😀👍👍

[@JamesonHuddle]

I love how my inability to understand the rotor wash meant that I totally ignored it on the poll and got the right answer.

[@Jacobbunt]

LOL eh most times the simplest answer is the right one.

[@DinsdalepiranHa3]

I'm in this comment, and I like it 👌🏻

[@Soopooli]

I wish I had these videos, and someone as interesting as you, teaching me physics. I had great teachers, just not as imaginative...

[@tima919]

The problem with answer B in the first test is that the helo was flying diagonally. Not horizontally. If flying purely horizontal and viewed from the horizontal answer A would be correct. Albeit somewhat shorter looking from the air resistance and gravity as you explained.

[@shannax]

I was thinking the guy would’ve said: “I worked all my life with helicopter and nobody asked me this damn question”

[@dora9320]

😂

[@andrewlin3566]

I had no idea this question went viral after we published it! But I'm glad experiment matched theory. And to everyone who said we should have directed students to neglect the rotor wash, I completely agree. You try to eliminate as many gotchas as you can in editing, but you can never get them all...

[@nikhilnagaria2672]

oh hi prof!

[@Indic-D]

Professor, Did you already knew the answer?

[@LightIySaltedPeanuts]

The thing that got me was I expected there to be a moment around the helicopter from the wind, making a parabolic curve so it would be C but that would only be if it were accelerating

[@newtubedavid]

If you consider an extremely long rope and high flying helicopter, the answer would be C since the atmosphere would be less dense at the top of the rope and more dense at the bottom, giving increasing drag per unit area as you move down the rope. Neglect atmospheric density due to altitude - one more gotcha to remove?

[@andrewlin3566]

@@Indic-D I'm not a professor. :) And I had to work it out when the question arrived in my inbox, just like any student taking the test.

[@jgwinn241]

Check out some helicopter aerial refueling videos if you like these. The shape of the dangling refueling hose is altered to support engagement with the helicopter. Do they increase weight or air resistance? Take a look!

[@Captain0Beaky]

The question should have included that “downdraught is negligible”!

[@TimeBucks]

physics is so counterintuitive

[@perhapsclem872]

yeah

[@json_bourne3812]

I actually feel the opposite statement, that it was rather intuitive. I haven't done physics since highschool (10 years ago) yet the answer to me was logically B) for the reasons the video described. Same for the weight and parachute experiments.

[@midsizesedan7620]

@@json_bourne3812 I figured it'd be B but thought it'd be a different answer cause B was too obvious.

[@arthurmint]

physics is intuitive. it’s the most logical science

[@WJV9]

@@arthurmint - Depends on which part of physics you are referring to. A lot of people thought that a 2 lb steel ball would fall faster than a 1 lb steel ball. Diffraction of light as it moves from air into water or glass is also somewhat counter-intuitive. Of course when it comes to electrons and quantum physics things really get weird since there are so many things such as particle-wave duality, Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and quantum entanglement of particles that no one yet today really understands.

[@ahadmrauf]

I love how the answers to this come from high school physics, but the nuances on the problem setup can be hotly debated by some of the best physicists in the country

[@DarkSkay]

What is "a perfectly flexible uniform cable"? God's favourite method to get out of the bedroom when his wife is sleeping?

[@411Adidas]

This question is common sense. I cannot believe these dopes had to rent a helicopter to understand basic physics.

[@tclem44]

@@411Adidas Obviously not 'common' sense, since college students, professors, scientists and generally intelligent people can disagree. There are many things in life that you may think you know the answer to, but the only real way to know the answer is to experiment. In other words, what works is what works, theory be damned.

[@411Adidas]

@@tclem44 Yes, complex questions need testing, but this is high school level physics and very rudimentary. If you didn't get these three versions ( rope, weighted rope, parachute) of the question right in 5s, than maybe you need a refresher in basic physics.

[@nicholasdean3467]

​@@411Adidas You obviously failed common sense then. Who doesn't want to rent a free helicopter? Also if he didn't rent the helicopter the video wouldn't get nearly as many views. He rented the helicopter for fun. (If he really couldn't figure it out how to calculate it. You can find videos online of ropes hanging from helicopters).

[@davidcool5189]

As someone who's worked around helis, you saying that you were going to hand a parachute off the rope filled me with absolute dread. Then I figured, the video got made, so you probably didn't die. Still made me super anxious though.

[@mousumimaityghosh5831]

perfect example of don't try to think too far or too complex, just keep it simple.

[@parasaurlolphusxd1440]

"Air Friction is not negligible" Students, about to assume helicopter as sphere: *Impossible*

[@flyingmolamola]

or a box

[@Benjamin-xv9le]

So an engineer, a mathematician and a physicist go to a horse race. They find out that large sums of money can be made by betting on which horse will win. "We're intelligent people. We can figure out which horse will win and make lots of money. Let's meet up in two weeks and discuss our findings." So two weeks later they meet up again and the engineer goes first: "I looked at all the charts and Tables and could not find one for horse races. I think the problem can not be solved." Mathematician: "No, no, I've proven that there has to be a solution. In a race with a finite number of horses, one of them must win!. Physicist: "Yes! I even found the solution! I can predict which horse will win! At least for spherical horses in a vacuum..."

[@Candority]

I made a video solution for this problem. Click for a mathematical explanation😀👍

[@Candority]

@@Benjamin-xv9le I made a video solution for this problem. Click for a mathematical explanation😀👍

[@inamdarsaquib9528]

But still I didn't expect that to be straight.

[@nicknack125]

I picked B because it felt correct, but that's probably due to me having watched helicopters with sling loads in person before. Great to see the actual explanation behind it!

[@coolcat8b]

I have worked up north for a few years, and most equipment going off-road is transported by huge helicopters (diggers, material for camps, etc.) So I've seen lots of helico transports coming and going. They used a huge rope, like a ship, and the loads were heavy (much more than 20lbs). And each time, the sling was in the C shape.

[@ilyaa643]

me too but never have even seen a helicopter up close

[@nicolasfisch2794]

shouldnt it be in the D shape if it has a load attached to it? B is only for a cable without a load

[@HopefullyAnAircraft]

@@nicolasfisch2794 the farther up the cable you go the more tension is on the rope, it'll be straightest at the helicopter

[@cabrinhaGR]

@@nicolasfisch2794 google for aerial firefighting helicopters. They have a bucket of water hanging and while moving the rope takes the b shape. There is not one correct answer. Probably it depends on the weight and the distance between the helicopter and the weight. But I am no expert (in fact I am the exact opposite) so dont take what I say very seriously.

[@kurbatovstanislav4143]

Teatcher: i was walking and saw something weard and super out of pocket. Lets put it on the test!!

[@conceptavaapya8169]

my answer was b it is simply because in moving cars if you attach anything it hangs in straight inclined line...

[@smartereveryday]

What an amazing thought experiment. I first started thinking about this issue while reading "Through Gates Of Splendor" by Elizabeth Elliot.

[@nikiitb6744]

Hi

[@Raph.]

yo

[@entitydotexe6138]

third

[@danurkresnamurti3598]

Can you make video about delta P?

[@KristenNguyen009]

Can I ask you why this book brought up this issues?

[@ennieharrison8177]

I was really looking forward to this video after answering the poll. Spent some time running around the apartment with a rope in my hand to get an idea about what is going on :D

[@mackcool1000]

I stole my nephews air hog and tied a rope to it

[@vcat417]

Have you sucked out all the air first ? ;-)

[@jakubkrcma]

Yeah, that's us, typical YT science freaks... :-D

[@OutbackBoy]

Did the same thing with a piece of string

[@shrutimanimegalai3541]

Same 🤣

[@slopsec2358]

Yay, that was fun. I scored an A+, got them all right. But I'm a long line pilot so I guess it doesn't really count.

[@CrazedPerformanceRepair]

Very cool, I didn't expect it to be so straight. I figured it would wiggle a bit more. Then I remembered how heavy the rope was. I wonder, would the rope show more whipping if it was lighter weight rope? It's still a constant so I doubt the curve would change much but it might if it has high wind resistance with low gravitational pull, idk?

[@greatiusiterfector4519]

I love how last 2 examples are so easy and intuitive, while the 1st one is so confusing. The proffesor who suggested to remove the weight managed to screw over so many students with that slight alternation.

[@bermchasin]

The first one is not only confusing, it suggests you have to neglect one of the forces on the force diagram. Had the question said the propeller wash is negligible, it would be a much better problem.

[@thehorizontries4759]

It’s not screwing anyone over when it’s literally physics lol Screwing someone over involves something unfair but physics is by definition “fair”

[@davidlogsdon7767]

They didn't screw anyone over. They stated all of the pertinent parameters necessary for the students to balance the forces and deduce a solution.

[@thehorizontries4759]

@@bermchasin that’s a good point. Most people wouldn’t happen to know that propeller wash dissipate quickly

[@davidlogsdon7767]

@@bermchasin you would only state that the rotor wash is negligible if it were a hypothetical statement. In reality, the rotor wash is negligible. Certainly, you would have to have personal experience or prior knowledge to consider that, but that adds a more challenging aspect to the question.

[@stranger88]

"NOT negligible" ... Every physics student starts to sweat.

[@spiderdude2099]

What do you mean a cow isn’t a perfect sphere with uniform density???

[@ZeginMakesMusic]

I can't believe you got #1 to pilot that vessel. I couldn't imagine the enterprise without him.

[@leathernluv]

I saw the answer to this when I was in the military. Entertaining video! This is the FUN side of physics.

[@Stinggyray]

People who said B on the KZbin poll: *signature look of superiority*

[@Laroac]

Except its D since the test said weight.

[@rashfiend6811]

you damn right

[@Guetzli_]

@@Laroac But not in the poll 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Stinggyray]

@@Laroac lol it doesn't even say weight on the test. Pause the video at the beginning Also, it's not relevant because the KZbin poll didn't say that either.

[@Thelawncarenut]

The pilot is so chill. Ice in his veins. 🤘

[@LeeStringer223]

Chopper pilots are, they have to be. :-)

[@NickWestgate]

"Blah blah blah destruction to the aircraft."

[@SpaceCadet327]

Sheesh

[@vincent_hall]

@@NickWestgate It might cause destruction of the aircraft... Let's try it.

[@sanjayanps]

Answer is wrong. Since it's clearly mentioned air resistance is not negligible, rotor wash however insignificant have to be considered. This means even though it appears diagonal it is slightly curved. So then the right answer is indeed C as it would ever so slightly and imperceptibly curve

[@celestialboy]

Try this, How will the rope look if it's mass is variable i.e. m=kx ,k is a constant and x is length of rope from bottom. The question was quite intuitive to me though.

[@GoodassBadass1]

The ropes angle or curve is determined by the mass at the end of the rope when in motion. Also speed would be a factor. The faster you move, the two objects would become parallel because one is pilling the other.

[@johanferreira6728]

I think this makes it more intuitive: I considered the same scenario but under water and the answer seemed a lot more clear in my mind than in air, it's exactly the same scenario just a higher density fluid.

[@Predator23321]

this also also why i knew the answer from watching my goldfish swim with poop hanging out his ass

[@plschill]

@@Predator23321 jesus... lmaoo

[@brianbarajas2948]

Thank you. Lot better visualization

[@lillyanneserrelio2187]

So what's the answer? Asking for a future goldfish owner 😂

[@abnunga]

@@lillyanneserrelio2187 Depends on whether there's a stone or a small parachute at the end of the poop, clearly!