# A Blow To The Head From A Very Fast-Moving Apple **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600 "2019-12-30T16:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/1 "2019-12-30T16:45:54Z")
In [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2OgiyfdMQs), some Australian knuckleheads are trying to catch apples dropped from a helicopter at 500 feet (about 150 meters). They don’t wear helmets. Neither physics nor orthopedics nor botany are my strong suits, but from where I sit a conk on the noggin from an apple moving at that speed is going to, at the very least, leave the patient with a bruise, possibly bleeding and even a concussion. Hell, for all I know they could be risking getting knocked out cold or even brain damage. Or am I overreacting here? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/2 "2019-12-30T16:59:37Z")
According to this [website](https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-physics-of-falling-baseballs/), the velocity of a baseball dropped 500ft is about 80-90 miles per hour. (the blue line of Fig. 3) Terminal velocity appears to be about 100mph. I’d assume an apple to be similar enough to a baseball to fit a similar velocity profile, at the maximum, and likely be somewhat slower IRL due to an irregular shape. Given that apples aren’t quite as hard as baseballs, I’d expect the damage from a hit to be less, but not that much less. So, about the same as getting hit in the head with an 85mph fastball. They should be wearing helmets. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/3 "2019-12-30T17:53:26Z")
But an apple deforms on impact much more than a baseball. Some of the energy is going into squishing the apple and probably breaking it into several pieces. I think the impact to the head would be much less than that of a baseball. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/4 "2019-12-30T17:59:53Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > But an apple deforms on impact much more than a baseball. Some of the energy is going into squishing the apple and probably breaking it into several pieces. I think the impact to the head would be much less than that of a baseball. Depends when, I’d rather get beaned in the Deadball Era. This brought up an odd memory, the old original Bill Cosby show in the 60s where someone claims they can catch a baseball thrown off the highest building in town. The guy ends up with his hands bandaged up. But there are some stories of baseball catches from great heights out there. Don’t know if anyone got one in the head, but batters have suffered serious career ending damage from getting hit in the head, and batted balls have killed people (check the disclaimer on your ticket folks). ETA: I know the Dead Ball concept is controversial, don’t make a big deal about it. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/5 "2019-12-30T18:43:51Z")
Being whacked in the head by anything - fruit, game balls, fists, feet, etc - is usually not a good idea if continued brain function is your goal. See if your insurance covers head-whacking. Assume that 50% of kinetic energy is expended in apple-squishing when it hit your head. That’s like being beaned (_sans_ batting helmet) with a hardball going only 45 mph. Do you feel lucky? Here, sign this disclaimer first. I stayed at a Central American guesthouse with big honking avocado trees out back. I set a lawn chair into the shade. Another guest warned me to move away. Just then a 20-pound avocado fell to earth about ten feet from me. I quickly left the fall zone. Helmets are our friends. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/6 "2019-12-30T18:47:26Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > But an apple deforms on impact much more than a baseball. Some of the energy is going into squishing the apple and probably breaking it into several pieces. I think the impact to the head would be much less than that of a baseball. At that speed it might not fracture your skull like a nice hard baseball could, but the momentum transfer can still severely jar your skull, potentially inducing a concussion. Even if you replace the apple with a water balloon, it can still do major damage. Note that people who jump from the Golden Gate Bridge suffer massive blunt trauma upon impact with the water. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/7 "2019-12-30T22:54:45Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > At that speed it might not fracture your skull like a nice hard baseball could, but the momentum transfer can still severely jar your skull, > . But rather less than a baseball will, because a baseball will bounce, doubling the momentum transfer, and an apple will shatter, halving the momentum transfer. So lets say 80%. (I’m not volunteering to catch apples.) ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/8 "2019-12-30T23:05:42Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Just then a 20-pound avocado fell to earth Say again? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2019, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/9 "2019-12-30T23:05:52Z")
Those lads will Discovery Gravity. **Really, really good Gravity!** ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/10 "2019-12-31T02:48:10Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Those lads will Discovery Gravity. > **Really, really good Gravity!** But they could end up with an iTune stuck in their head. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/11 "2019-12-31T04:35:37Z")
All the answers so far have been really good, but have missed the crucial part of the OP: “Australian knuckleheads” Ain’t no helmet that well help with that starting point. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/12 "2019-12-31T04:37:49Z")
All the answers so far have been really good, but have missed the crucial part of the OP: “Australian knuckleheads” Ain’t no helmet that well help with that starting point. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/13 "2019-12-31T04:47:43Z")
Beats turkeys. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/14 "2019-12-31T05:12:17Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > All the answers so far have been really good, but have missed the crucial part of the OP: > > “Australian knuckleheads” > > Ain’t no helmet that well help with that starting point. I think it was National Lampoon many years ago described the Australian language as “they have 100 different words for vomit”. (Round trip meal ticket, technicolor yawn, driving the porcelain bus…) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/15 "2019-12-31T05:45:48Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > All the answers so far have been really good, but have missed the crucial part of the OP: > > “Australian knuckleheads” > > Ain’t no helmet that well help with that starting point. 😛 Eh, they’re wearing their sunhats, so clearly SOME safety lessons from primary school have sunk in ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/16 "2019-12-31T08:20:59Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > Say again? Okay, I was guesstimating. But it was BIG and HEAVY and dented the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/17 "2019-12-31T13:56:19Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Those lads will Discovery Gravity. > **Really, really good Gravity!** > [@dtilque](#): > > But they could end up with an iTune stuck in their head. At least it would be a Beatles song. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/18 "2019-12-31T18:47:03Z")
I thought this thread was going to be about Isaac Newton. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/19 "2019-12-31T21:01:13Z")
[Holy guacamole](https://www.cnet.com/news/worlds-heaviest-avocado-sets-record-makes-a-boatload-of-guac/)\*, the things this site has made me look up through the years. I wonder what sorts of lists google has me on. . . SMDH \*World’s record Avocado was 5.6 pounds ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600/20 "2019-12-31T21:17:06Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Beats turkeys. God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-blow-to-the-head-from-a-very-fast-moving-apple/845600.md?page=2)