I have a question, does the angle at which we view the ball (ie we watch it drop from eyelevel, rather than drop past eye level have any effect on our perception of the speed of the ball. (ie the further down it is, the less the angle off the horizontal (Angle of depression? There is a correct term that I can't think of) changes, in terms of distance dropped, possibly balancing out (to some degree) the change in speed.
@jamesahibbard This is a good point - but I've tried it with people at many different angles, close up and far away and they still see it as moving with constant velocity. Therefore I think the perception is more a result of our smooth tracking eyes.
I actually know why it goes from frame to frame with big skips when going over horizon also. If we didn't the environment would blend, just like the ball falling to the ground. The fact that the ball gets a little smudgy doesn't matter as much as if your whole view does.. kinda figured it out from the Vsauce on chickens and how they can't move their eyes and therefore they bob their heads back and forth with their head, let the body catch up then bob another distance.
So is there anyway for the human eye to scan smoothly like if you "trained" yourself to do it? Or is it just something that's not possible do you think?
By the way I love your videos, they make me wish I were still in my physics classes!
Isn't this similar to how people read? Our eyes typically scan / jump back and forth looking at words / symbols in an effort to put the current word or symbol in context. It seems like our brains must be doing the same things while reading text or our environment. make a bit of sense.
is it really the tracking that obscures the laws of physics? If the background was accelerating, or if we took snapshots of the falling ball instead of tracking it continuously, would we be more able to notice acceleration?
When they say the speed looks constant, in one way they are very right! It's all relative to the position of the eyes: when you first release the ball and it's moving slowly, it's moving in front of their eyes across the field of view, but towards the bottom when it's moving fast, it's travelling more away from the eyes than across the field of view so that would affect the perception of speed. (The ball moves in a straight line while the eyes scan an arc).
I don't know exactly, but as far as i know we react much more slowly than others , like the fly for example, its damn fast ,because it has many eyes and can percieve from all directions.. and their eyes are with kinda built-in speed,and this forces the fly so see things fuzzy,but we have evolved to make much slower movement , so we can get the clarity of vision.
This is funny, I was thinking about the same thing the other day....trying to look at one exact direction without continuing to follow an object when it came past while I was in the car or on the train...
I have a question. Is there a positive side to this. In like a biological standpoint. Would this mentally slow down predator to us giving us more time to react? Or is this just a simple fact to counter misconception.
@thebottlemusician yes there is a positive side - we track smoothly those things that are moving, which makes us well coordinated and able to track prey and avoid predators. It just has the funny side effect of obscuring the laws of physics.
First wow that's the first time I ever commented first not as satisfied as I thought I would be. But I busted the crap out of your comments cherry Youtube you like that don't you take it take it all, all day long YEAH!
I have a question, does the angle at which we view the ball (ie we watch it drop from eyelevel, rather than drop past eye level have any effect on our perception of the speed of the ball. (ie the further down it is, the less the angle off the horizontal (Angle of depression? There is a correct term that I can't think of) changes, in terms of distance dropped, possibly balancing out (to some degree) the change in speed.
jamesahibbard 5 days ago
@jamesahibbard This is a good point - but I've tried it with people at many different angles, close up and far away and they still see it as moving with constant velocity. Therefore I think the perception is more a result of our smooth tracking eyes.
1veritasium 5 days ago
your videos are so interesting an you are a champion, looking forward to more
OliverWattsDesign 2 weeks ago
I actually know why it goes from frame to frame with big skips when going over horizon also. If we didn't the environment would blend, just like the ball falling to the ground. The fact that the ball gets a little smudgy doesn't matter as much as if your whole view does.. kinda figured it out from the Vsauce on chickens and how they can't move their eyes and therefore they bob their heads back and forth with their head, let the body catch up then bob another distance.
musicplayah 2 months ago 2
Dum bitch
yuud4i 5 months ago
That is a little microfone.
My52buddies 5 months ago in playlist Flere videoer fra 1veritasium
This questions been in my head for months and finally i know
SolarRayExE 7 months ago
So is there anyway for the human eye to scan smoothly like if you "trained" yourself to do it? Or is it just something that's not possible do you think?
By the way I love your videos, they make me wish I were still in my physics classes!
Desterado 8 months ago
I got here through the Nottingham science series videos. Instant subscribe - partly for teh science, partly for teh wicked hot presenter. :)
10mintwo 8 months ago
Isn't this similar to how people read? Our eyes typically scan / jump back and forth looking at words / symbols in an effort to put the current word or symbol in context. It seems like our brains must be doing the same things while reading text or our environment. make a bit of sense.
plulai 8 months ago
... But why does our eye jump around when scanning the horizon instead of following an object?
vondarkmoor1 8 months ago
is it really the tracking that obscures the laws of physics? If the background was accelerating, or if we took snapshots of the falling ball instead of tracking it continuously, would we be more able to notice acceleration?
Fergussonification 8 months ago
When they say the speed looks constant, in one way they are very right! It's all relative to the position of the eyes: when you first release the ball and it's moving slowly, it's moving in front of their eyes across the field of view, but towards the bottom when it's moving fast, it's travelling more away from the eyes than across the field of view so that would affect the perception of speed. (The ball moves in a straight line while the eyes scan an arc).
werdnativ 9 months ago
really interesting! =D
ShamelessMCRFan 9 months ago
@thebottlemusician
I don't know exactly, but as far as i know we react much more slowly than others , like the fly for example, its damn fast ,because it has many eyes and can percieve from all directions.. and their eyes are with kinda built-in speed,and this forces the fly so see things fuzzy,but we have evolved to make much slower movement , so we can get the clarity of vision.
Source:Invisible worlds - speed limit
watch?v=oiz-BwT5wZU
josyula547 9 months ago
I would probably pay attention and actually learn your point if you didnt put cute Australian girls with giant breasts in your video.
TubeYouISee 9 months ago
this is like being aware of your breathing. or blinking a lot
littlefrank90 9 months ago
Great video
GLeNss 9 months ago
You CAN scan across a landscape if you don't focus on anything.
ghrpdx 9 months ago
This is funny, I was thinking about the same thing the other day....trying to look at one exact direction without continuing to follow an object when it came past while I was in the car or on the train...
arnygy 9 months ago
NICE SCARF DEREK! :)
JTK12893 9 months ago
nice
xhotshot12 9 months ago
Comment removed
littlefrank90 9 months ago
I have a question. Is there a positive side to this. In like a biological standpoint. Would this mentally slow down predator to us giving us more time to react? Or is this just a simple fact to counter misconception.
thebottlemusician 9 months ago 4
@thebottlemusician yes there is a positive side - we track smoothly those things that are moving, which makes us well coordinated and able to track prey and avoid predators. It just has the funny side effect of obscuring the laws of physics.
1veritasium 9 months ago 6
@1veritasium Thank you. That was exactly what I wanted to know. Keep up these videos! Best of the world!
thebottlemusician 9 months ago
@1veritasium Just ask a sniper...
Merrida100 5 months ago
Brilliant!
chris7toronto 9 months ago
lol i've known that for a while, because we always have to focus on something
mitchblahman13 9 months ago
D'OH!
jmart680 9 months ago
@jmart680 LOL'd, better luck next time man :D
defect530 9 months ago
First wow that's the first time I ever commented first not as satisfied as I thought I would be. But I busted the crap out of your comments cherry Youtube you like that don't you take it take it all, all day long YEAH!
jmart680 9 months ago
i noticed this a few years ago, it's pretty obvious when you're in a car and try to keep up with the passing landscape
pwed546 9 months ago