Cheetahs are fast....but will someone check my math?

[mark norwine]

Cheetahs are fast....but will someone check my math?

Here's the story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32780842#32778168

Apparently an 8 year old cheetah ran the 100M in 6.16 seconds, but then beat that time at 6.13 seconds on her second try.

"A world record!", per MSNBC's talking head. Wow! :crazy

By my math, 100 meters in 6.13 seconds = 36.5 MPH.

According to everything I've read (years ago & on today's google searches), they can sustain twice that speed & can burst even faster.

So, by my calcs, this "record holder" is doing half that. What am I missing?

[Cody]

I can't play the video link, but... did they clock the cheetah from standing still?

I believe most reports of their top speed are measured from one point to another in mid-run, not from zero.

[smallbutmighty]

I can't play the video link, but... did they clock the cheetah from standing still?

I believe most reports of their top speed are measured from one point to another in mid-run, not from zero.

This was my first thought as well....

[edgewound]

Naming a cheetah, 'world's fastest land mammal' is 'news'?

More like 'OLDS'. Nothin' much goin' on at MSNBC, I guess.

[Frankee]

Takes cheetahs a while to get up speed.

100 meters is too soon.

[mark norwine]

From standstill.

But still: they had it chasing some moving target, and the animal clearly didn't run any faster than it had to. I've seen videos of cheetahs in the wild, and their stride, gait & speed put this example to shame.

I'm guessing it was a slow news day in Cincinnati.

[powermatt99]

I did the math too and was disappointed. I was hoping for 80 MPH.

[gainiac]

Cheetah's can accelerate.......when they want to. The can get from 0 - 60 in 3 seconds...........Sources allover online......

[ACfixer]

Was the race was too long perhaps? I've heard they can do 0-60 in 3 seconds also but not able to sustain it for any length of time. Still, that would mean the last half of the 6 seconds (and change) would be 60-0 in order for the math to work.

[ShavenYak]

If the cheeetah accelerates at a constant rate to cover the 100 meters in 6.13 seconds, that would put its speed across the finish line at roughly 73 mph (twice the average speed of 36.5 mph).

[Bryan T]

The average speed is 36.49 mph. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=100+m+in+6.13+seconds

However, if it was from a standing start, then you have to make some assumptions to estimate the top speed.

[ACfixer]

It really didn't look like the cheetah was giving it's all, in fact it slowed down partway.
The following quoted from National Geo's website, I think we can all agree they are as credible as it gets.

The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal. With acceleration that would leave most automobiles in the dust, a cheetah can go from 0 to 60 miles (96 kilometers) an hour in only three seconds...

I think we can assume it would at least maintain 60 mph over the final 3 seconds right?

[Bryan T]

[/I][/B]I think we can assume it would at least maintain 60 mph over the final 3 seconds right?
[/COLOR]

I don't think so. The cheetah would have covered too much distance.

60 mph for 3.13 seconds works out to 83.95 meters. If you assume constant acceleration in the first three seconds of the race, then the cheetah would have covered 40.23 meters while accelerating. That would give a total distance of greater than 100 meters.

Slow cheetah is slow.

[ACfixer]

I don't think so. The cheetah would have covered too much distance.

That's what I thought, so we would almost have to either assume 60mph never happened or she slowed to almost 0 at 100 yards... I'm not seeing that cat accelerate over the entire length, it looks like it hit it's stride about 40 feet into it.

[ShavenYak]

More math - if the cheetah accelerated smoothly to 60 mph in 3 seconds, it would cover a little over 40 meters, then at 60 mph it could cover the remaining less than 60 meters in just over 2 seconds. So yeah, if it slowed down a bit before the end it would probably be in the 6 second+ ballpark.

On the other hand, if it really put its balls to the wall (ok, the female obviously couldn't literally do that) that same acceleration would get it to 80 mph in four seconds, in which time it would have covered over 70 meters and, if it could sustain that speed for one more second, would finish the 100m in under 5 seconds.

[ACfixer]

The problem is the cat looks to have about the same speed from about the 4th stride. I tried counting strides per second... and it's at least close.

If she accelerated almost immediately to about 40 mph and maintains it (which is how it appears to me), that would also be in the low 6 seconds and would mean she didn't get anywhere near 60.

[Tonemeister69]

Now the real question is was this one a drug cheetah? :D

[puckhead]

maybe it was a world record because it's the first cheetah to run this specifically timed event.

the next cat will kick it's ass and get a Nike contract.

[Diablo]

Is there going to be a gender test to make sure that this cheetah is, in fact, a female and not a male trying to get an advantage by posing as a female in the race? Hey! It's happened before...allegedly...

[trisonic]

I've always thought: Why does a Cheetah run at 60mph (the figure most quoted)? Which prey animal get even close to that?

Best, Pete.

[JimmyR]

Because the prey has a head start! Often a pretty significant one at that.

[trisonic]

Because the prey has a head start! Often a pretty significant one at that.

Good point but they are actually "stalkers". They catch their prey by tripping them.

Best, Pete.

[dougk]

The average speed is 36.49 mph. http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=100+m+in+6.13+seconds

However, if it was from a standing start, then you have to make some assumptions to estimate the top speed.

If you change the time to 9.9 seconds it gives you a comparison against an unladened european swallow :rotflmao:rotflmao

[Bryan T]

If you change the time to 9.9 seconds it gives you a comparison against an unladened european swallow :rotflmao:rotflmao

Awesome!

[Mike Fleming]

I've always thought: Why does a Cheetah run at 60mph (the figure most quoted)? Which prey animal get even close to that?

Best, Pete.


Impala and gazelle can both break 50 miles an hour.

[ACfixer]

Impala and gazelle can both break 50 miles an hour.

Which supports what I have always seen on nature shows... A cheetah lying in wait then sprinting from a dead stop at a gazelle from about 50 feet and it taking a hundred yards or two to catch them.

I saw this cheetah thing on another website, I think the zoo website and they mentioned it was the fastest mammal in captivity. Maybe Sara the cheetah isn't as fast as a wild cheetah which would make perfect sense being fed daily...

[gainiac]

If you ever watch Cheetah's hunt they employ a lead pursuit when running down their prey. They also hold back on the gas until they are sure they've worn out their target then they accelerate in for the kill. For them it's all about blood temperature, they can't overheat or they'll die.

They are almost completely vulnerable after making a kill because of how exhausted they becomee....

Their stride is like a thoroughbreds, close to 22 ft......4 strides a second...Frickn' amazing. Those counterbalancing tails are wild as well. When they are not hunting they raise them up in a curl and show the white underside, tells the prey "Just passing through"........weird huh? Like it's work or something.

[gainiac]

Impala and gazelle can both break 50 miles an hour.

Cheetah's can break 70, I think higher has been unofficially reported.

[neastguy]

I've been chased by cougars at times when we gig... they can be quick if they don't have bolt ons

[puckhead]

If you change the time to 9.9 seconds it gives you a comparison against an unladened european swallow :rotflmao:rotflmao


would that be carrying a coconut?

[Mike Fleming]

Cheetah's can break 70, I think higher has been unofficially reported.


True, cheetahs are faster, but not by a lot -- and impala and gazelle can sustain high speeds over a greater distance, due to physiological differences including cardiovascular differences. While the cheetah is more of a coursing animal than other cats, it still can only sustain its highest speeds for a very brief amount of time.

[gainiac]

True, cheetahs are faster, but not by a lot -- and impala and gazelle can sustain high speeds over a greater distance, due to physiological differences including cardiovascular differences. While the cheetah is more of a coursing animal than other cats, it still can only sustain its highest speeds for a very brief amount of time.

My cats can usually hit 20 before they....eh...slam into a wall, or the toaster.... :) I know what you mean though, Cheetah is a burst runner.

[gainiac]

would that be carrying a coconut?

A 5 oz bird can't carry a coconut!

[Teleplayer]

If you change the time to 9.9 seconds it gives you a comparison against an unladened european swallow :rotflmao:rotflmao

How does that compare to an unladened African Swallow?

[Mondoslug]

:dude
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d38/mostlyslim/Cheetah1-1.jpg

[Polynitro]

a cheetah from Cincinnati? Surely they can find a faster cheetah somewhere else in the World.