Buttered cat paradox
The buttered cat paradox is a common joke based on the combination of two
The
Thought experiments
The buttered cat paradox has been highlighted as a paradigmatic example of a thought experiment.[4] Some people jokingly maintain that the experiment produces an anti-gravity effect. They propose that as the cat falls toward the ground, it slows down and starts to rotate, eventually reaching a steady state of hovering a short distance from the ground while rotating at high speed as both the buttered side of the toast and the cat's feet attempt to land on the ground.[5] In June 2003, Kimberly Miner won a
In humor
The faux paradox has captured the imagination of science-oriented
Brazilian energy drink brand Flying Horse released a 2012 award-winning commercial[13] that simulates the recreation of this phenomenon, which is then used to create perpetual energy.[14]
In reality
Cats possess the ability to turn themselves right side up in mid-air if they should fall upside-down, known as the cat righting reflex. This enables them to land on their feet if dropped from sufficient height.[15][16]
A study at Manchester Metropolitan University involving dropping 100 slices of buttered toast under laboratory conditions established that it typically lands on the floor butter-side-down as a result of the manner in which it is typically dropped from a table, and the aerodynamic drag caused by the air pockets within the bread. The toast is typically butter-side-up when dropped. As it falls, it rotates; given the typical speed of rotation and the typical height of a table, a slice of toast that began butter-side-up on the table lands butter-side-down on the floor in 81% of cases.[17]
See also
References
- ^ Morris, Scot (July 1993). "I Have a Theory..." (PDF). Omni. Vol. 15, no. 9. p. 96.
- ^ Verley, Jason C. (November 2001). "Letters: More on Alternate Theories". APS News. 10 (10). American Physical Society. Archived from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
- ^ The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, July 22, 1988. Event occurs at 3:35. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22 – via YouTube.
- ^ Emer Gentway , The Uncharted Present: On Softening the Edges of the Self (2022), p. 2.
- ^ "UoWaikato newsletter" (PDF). University of Waikato. August 2003. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
- ^ Miner, Kimberly (8 July 2011). Perpetual Motion. minerkimberly – via YouTube.
- ^ Snider, John C. (2004). "Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts 2003". Scifidimensions.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
- ^ Klein, PG (2002-12-16). "Perpetual Motion". University of Leeds, School of Physics & Astronomy. Archived from the original on 2008-10-22.
- ^ "Student wins Academy Award for animated film". Rochester Institute of Technology. Spring 2004. Archived from the original on 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
- from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
- ^ Davies, Huw "Lem" (2005-03-31). "Feline cunning and sods law". Bunny (webcomic). Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
- ISBN 978-0-7503-0714-7. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
- ^ "2012 Young Director Award CFP-Europe". AdForum. Archived from the original on 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2015-01-17.(registration required)
- ^ Beltrone, Gabriel (2012-05-14). "Energy Drink Makes the Most of the Buttered-Cat Paradox Age-old physics law inspires Ogilvy ad". Adweek. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
- ^ Nguyen, Huy D. (1998). "How does a Cat always land on its feet?". Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Medical Engineering. Archived from the original on 2001-04-10. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- S2CID 23606824.
- ^ Slater, Chris (2013-09-05). "(-Rav)/ t = R: Manchester boffins find formula for why toast lands butter side down". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
External links
- "Feedback". New Scientist (2056). 16 November 1996.
- Loopholes for the paradox