Spaghetti ballistics

[saxonaxe]

It is said that Sir Robert Newton's observation of an Apple falling from a tree prompted his investigations into the force of gravity. The power of steam to lift the lid of a boiling kettle also set James Watt on his way to improving the inefficient steam engines already in existence.

Yesterday evening I too experienced a revelation. During a particularly boisterous meal time, a hammered blow on the edge of a plate of Spaghetti letters by my 13 month old Great Grandson's pudgy fist will send the letters H, T and O nearly 3 feet further than the letters E and K.
Most of the other letters tended to deform on impact and were difficult to identify, although, and I haven't had a chance to investigate the cause yet, the letter S appears to cling to his hair remarkably well.

For the record the letter X is the least ballistically efficient having failed in all cases to clear the edge of the high chair tray. I shall submit a Paper to the Royal Society on Spaghetti Ballistics and their impact effects on infants and surrounding domestic furniture..

 

[Toddy]

Well at least it wasn't projectile vomiting......boom! boom !

 

[Bishop]

Clearly more babysitting research is needed, however it does sound like a contender for next years Ig Noble Awards

 

[Woody girl]

One line of research is what do the letters spell... this could be an attempt at communication. The letters h t and o spell hot!

 

[Janne]

You need to study that phenomenon more in depth. May I suggest every Friday night, and all of Saturday?
Initially further studies on pasta, then other foods. Does Strawberry ice cream run faster down clothes than Chocolate ice cream?
Just an example of course!

It may take some persuasion of the parents for them to agree of the release of the child though, but then you can always suggest they do something like an evening out on Friday night and a long nice lie-in on Saturday, to ease their worries and separation anxiety?

You might be onto something important for humanity. New designs for terrestrial and aerial transports, for example.

If I may suggest, the effect of ketchup on the aerodynamic properties of the shapes might be of interest too?

 

[saxonaxe]

Projectile vomiting seems to have ceased thankfully Toddy, at least since the early weeks of aiming it down the inside of my shirt collar.
Could have been a Q Woody Girl,although it looked like an O when I removed it from the 'fridge door.
I think I'm a strong contender for something at least, Bishop...

A valid point Janne, the drag effects on velocity by the Ketchup must be taken into consideration, of course.

 

[Robson Valley]

Macaroni throws in a curve, rotini will bounce but not stick.
Sneezing with a mouthful of pure'd peas is different.

 

[snappingturtle]

(H)igh (T)est (O)xidizer hence the distance.

 

[Woody girl]

Sneezing with a mouthful of pureed peas!. The thought has made me feel a bit queezy through my laughter! I was eating peas! Thanks buddy! Now I got a mess to clear up . (I was eating my dinner in bed as I've been laid up today afer a fall. I'm ok just got a bang on the head where I hit the door jamb with it. Nasty headache ensued along with a bump the size of a small egg!)

 

[Janne]

Nothing beats a 3 year old son spitting out a mouthful of fresh bilberries and double cream.
He saw a creepy crawly in his plate.

Made us realise the stupidity of putting a nice, expensive fabric wallpaper in the dining room. Did look ok after painting too. Just like a cheap embossed wallpaper!

 

[Toddy]

I can beat that.

Two wee boys in bunk beds. I'd pestered them all afternoon to tidy up their lego, but the best they'd done (because they kept getting distracted, and building with it) was to get it all sorted into three of the deep stacking trays, 60 x 40 x 10 cms. Their lego collection was (and is, it's now robotised and computerised) impressive. Uncles, etc., kept buying it for them. Mostly I reckoned so that they'd an excuse to play with the stuff themselves.

Supper was muesli and milk. Son2, in the top bunk threw up two hours after going to bed. From the top bunk, he managed to hit the side of the bottom one, his brother, and slap bang into two trays of lego.
Ever tried to clean half digested muesli and milk from masses of lego ???

Yeah, that was fun, not.

All I can say is that I blessed whoever refined bicarbonate of soda and made it available to purchase.
Fairy liquid and dettol too

M

 

[Janne]

That does sounds spectacular!

Cleaning Lego blocks must be incredibly difficult.

 

[santaman2000]

Tie the legos in an old woman’s stocking and place in the top rack of the dishwasher.

 

[Janne]

But what if your woman is young?