[Vanity] How fast can Flash really run?

[Jonty30]

I'd like to know how fast could a physical being luke Flash really run before running through the air before the air resistance becomes something like running through neck deep water or even impossible because the air resistance is like running through solid concrete?

At that point, safe to say that Flash becomes more like energy to avoid that problem, but when does that likely occur?

[Jonty30]

If we kept the speed force enough to allow Flash his requisite speed, but removed it enough to still allow him to feel the effects of real world conditions, like air resistance, I’d be interested as to when the benefits of the speed start to lose out against the effort to reach and maintain the speed.

[Pollster1]

When you factor in the air resistance on the human body, terminal velocity becomes about 120 mph for a person in the belly-to-earth position. Going head down, it’s about 180 mph, but some parachutists deliberately go for, “speed” skydiving and do everything they can to minimize air resistance and maximize their free-fall rate, and hit about 300 mph.

Usain Bolt, a superstar athlete, but one with (more or less) human powers rather than a superpower, demonstrated almost one "g" of acceleration at the start of the 100m in the Olympics. A superhero capable of sustaining the same force would top out at 120 mph standing tall (belly to air flow), with higher speeds (but still well below 180 mph) as he leaned forward and ducked his head.

Since the Flash should have a suit that provides laminar air flow (no turbulence), air resistance for the Flash would be proportionate to velocity. If his superpower only allows him to maintain maintain the peak exertion that a top athlete can achieve for a fraction of a second, we have an estimate for his speed. If he also has a form of super-strength (not comparable to Superman or the Hulk, but still stronger than even an Olympic Athlete), he would need quadruple the sustained leg power of Usain Bolt's first half second to hit 240 to 300 mph, and sixteen times the sustained power to hit 480 to 600mph. I would not trust calculations beyond 600 mph, but we can estimate the Flash's leg strength from those numbers and comparing his speed to that of known objects he can outrun.

That's for normal physics, which was your question. Since the Flash can run in space, run on air molecules, and run at "multi-light speed", I imagine different equations, far beyond what we have discovered outside Metropolis and Central City, take over when he wants to go really fast.

[muir_redwoods]

Off topic and I can’t provide a link to verify but I heard once that it is essentially impossible for a submarine vehicle to achieve mach 1

[moovova]

He only needs to run faster than the local police...

[Purdue77]

This reminds me of the BBT show with the nerds talking about giving Wolverine a prostate exam. When talking about comics, there are no silly questions. However, I’d think that air resistance and terminal velocity in this case are irrelevant. If the Flash has the capability to shed heat then why would air resistance bother him. His biggest problem is propulsion. He gets his speed from running and at some point he loses friction that enables him to continue to propel himself. On another note, many years ago a fool had himself strapped to the top of a Boeing 727 to see what would happen at higher speeds. The 727 took off and cruised at 170 mph. The guy survived but was unconscious. Since we are talking about a comic book being, I don’t think that is an issue.

[jaydee770]

“...Probably a little bit. But I’ve done sky diving once and my movements didn’t seem impeded by the to much...”

Don’t you reach terminal velocity at 128mph or so? Plus at that speed, you’re flying — using the resistance to maneuver versus trying to stand on the ground and trying to run. For example, I went through a few hurricanes, one of which was more wind than rain (Alicia, I think it was?). We were teens suffering from testosterone poisoning and thought it would be fun to try and have a foot race in the hurricane. We couldn’t hardly take a step without getting unbalanced when the gusts hit, only during the lulls. And I don’t think Alicia’s wind-speeds were all that bad as far as storms go.

[Roses0508]

I was denied comics as a child. Happened on Flash in Netflix and was hooked. Appreciate the comic eras history.

[Jonty30]

The application of real world physics to comic book abilities probably leads to a better understanding of science than only applying science principles to the real world, because you’re actually taking time to figure out the subtle effects that science principles have.

[proud American in Canada]

LOL!!

[alloysteel]

This Speed Force sounds very much like the Von Nagel Factor, or as it is often written, the “Finagle Factor”.

Von Nagel’s Constant is characterized as changing the universe to fit the equation.

X’ = Kf + X Where: X = result obtained
X’ = desired result
Kf = von Nagel’s Constant (which is infinitely variable)

This is also sometimes referred to as The Beugeurre Factor.

[Dr. Sivana]

I was denied comics as a child.

I had a very large collection. My wife wasn't thrilled with them, and the kids weren't interested in reading them. I sold them all off before our last move.

[grey_whiskers]

That depends on the operating system... / didn’t read the article>

[grey_whiskers]

Ah. So Ralph Kramden was bluffing.

[bk1000]

I had a comic book that involved a charity race between Flash and Superman. The race was to be run across the galaxy and speed was limited to the speed of light, as Superman could obviously fly faster, but Flash could only run that fast. I forget how he was to breathe, I think some kind of energy shield. Flash got tired at some point, but Superman never tires. IIRC, they timed the finish to a perfect tie, splitting the finish line ribbon into three pieces. Truth is, Superman could have easily beaten Flash.

Now, as far problems punching someone into space, I think the energy required would punch right through a person’s soft tissue. He could, without question however, fling you into space, but there might be tissue issues as well.

Note I am not an expert, but am constantly amazed at what remains in one’s brain compared to what does not.

[Ozark Tom]

http://www.skepticblog.org/2011/12/15/united-states-beat-sputnik/

http://savvyparanoia.com/the-fastest-man-made-object-ever-a-nuclear-powered-manhole-cover-true/

[reed13k]

Now see that reminds me of Professor Gills egyptian formula used by Johnny Quick to gain superspeed: 3X2(9YZ)4A

How that jerk managed to land Liberty Belle is still beyond me...sigh.

[buffaloguy]

I wondet how many windows were shattered by Flash as he broke the sound barrier.

[schurmann]

“... I heard once that it is essentially impossible for a submarine vehicle to achieve mach 1”

The speed of sound in a fluid (water and air are both fluids) is never constant but varies with temperature changes and other factors, including fluid density. US Navy won’t release vessel performance capabilities and limitations, but m_r probably heard right.

The speed of sound in water is much faster (some 4500 ft/sec) than in air (typical value on a typical day is 1040 ft/sec).

There is almost no practical value to traveling quicker than Mach 1.0 in aerial flight, compared to the power required and the structural strength needed. Only military aircraft were built to do it for many decades, and even then they could spend only a few minutes at such speeds, before exhausting their fuel. And almost none of them were able to “break Mach” (as military aviation jargon puts it) in level flight at low altitudes where the air is warmer and more dense; they had to climb many miles to do it.

[Personal Responsibility]

In the comics, Flash has a protective aura which prevents things like wind shear, heat resistance etc..from killing him.

You should check out a book called “The Physics of Superheroes” by James Kakakios, a physics professor. It’s informative funny and smart. I don’t know if it deal exactly with the Flash question you asked but it might have

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/physics-of-superheroes-james-kakalios/1100257403/2672327052345?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_Marketplace+Shopping+Professional_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP3458&k_clickid=3x3458

[SunkenCiv]

His secret are those wings — they create a cavitating envelope, giving him very little wind resistance.

I’m a little surprised that the rapidity of his loss of mass due to burning stored energy hasn’t come up though.