==>A student asked me why bumps feel less bumpy when
==>the car is traveling at a higher speed.
It's because if you go over a bump that is 5 cm high,
you go up the 5 cm in half the time if you are driving at
twice the speed, so your acceleration is twice as great.
==>Because of the theory of relativity, I suspect we respond
==>physiologically to accelerations, rather than to velocity or distance.
Nope, we respond to accelerations because they are connected
to forces by the most important law in physics:
force = mass x acceleration
==>I am thinking of taking this question on the road -- literally-- using
a
==>CBL with accelerometer to try to determine if there actually IS less
==>vertical acceleration at higher horizontal speed, or if this is somehow
a
==>subjective phenomena.
YES! Physics is an experimental science. Do it.