# What animal has the most momentum? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115 "2005-04-13T12:32:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlippyFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/1 "2005-04-13T12:32:18Z")
Inspired by this thread: > **[do huge things move slowly because theyr'e huge, or because they exist slowly?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=311654)** > > I’m not even sure how to articulate this question without sounding like a lobotomized rhesus monkey that’s just been through physics 101. The other day I was imagining what it would be like if a huge creature - perhaps a Godzilla-sized monster, or... What animal (other than humans) is able to generate the most momentum, as in mass \* velocity? I mean, the swift is a damn fast bird, but it doesn’t weigh a lot. Elephants weigh a lot, but are pretty slow. Which animal could essentailly body check you hockey style and hit you with the most umph? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/2 "2005-04-13T12:38:56Z")
A blue whale can weigh as much as 150 tons and achieve bursts of 30mph. That would leave a mark. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/3 "2005-04-13T12:52:06Z")
For momentum, both m and v increase _linearly_: A creature of half the mass would have to travel twice as fast, which puts those blue whale statistics pretty much out of reach of anything else, unless there’s any 3 ton elephants who can run 1500 mph or birds which approach the speed of light. Kinetic energy might be different, given that it’s mv[sup] **2** [/sup]. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/4 "2005-04-13T13:09:10Z")
**Finagle** pretty much nailed this one. The blue whale is the biggest thing that ever lived. No dinosaur ever came close. An Abrams tank weighs less than half what a blue whale does. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/5 "2005-04-13T13:15:32Z")
Teaching one to skate, however, would be a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/6 "2005-04-13T14:05:36Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Teaching one to skate, however, would be a challenge. Ice skate or roller rink? Big difference. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/7 "2005-04-13T15:56:24Z")
Seeing as the OP has been answered already what if you limited it to momentum on landand in the air? In other words you could count a sea lion but couldn’t use it’s velocity in the water in your calculation. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/8 "2005-04-13T16:07:37Z")
And it’s hard to get in any good practice, what with ice floating above water and all. _You_ try doing a pirhouette while upside-down and see how you like it! ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/9 "2005-04-13T16:21:50Z")
While it’s possible that a blue whale _may_ be able to achieve more momentum, let’s not forget that it’s actually the sperm whale that has been documented as having achieved the most momentum: > [@this is fair use](#): > > Another thing that got forgotten was the fact that against all probability a sperm whale had suddenly been called into existence several miles about the surface of an alien planet. > And since this is not a naturally tenable position for a whale, this poor innocent creature had very little time to come to terms with its identity as a whale before it then had to come to terms with not being a whale any more. > This is a complete record of its thought from the moment it began its life till the moment it ended it. > Ah …! What’s happening? it thought. > Er, excuse me, who am I? > Hello? > Why am I here? What’s my purpose in life? > What do I mean by who am I? > Calm down, get a grip now… oh! this is an interesting sensation, what it is? It’s a sort of… yawning, tingling sensation in my… my… well I suppose I’d better start finding names for things if I want to make any headway in what for the sake of what I shall call an argument I shall call the world, so let’s call it my stomach. > Good. Oooooh, it’s getting quite strong. And hey, what about this whistling roaring sound going past what I’m suddenly going to call my head? Perhaps I can call that… wind! Is that a good name? It’s do… perhaps I can find a better name for it later when I’ve found out what it’s for. It must be something very important because there certainly seems to be a hell of a lot of it. Hey! What’s this thing? This… let’s call it a tail – yeah, tail. Hey! I can really thrash it about pretty good can’t I? Wow! Wow! That feels great! Doesn’t seem to achieve very much but I’ll probably find out what it’s for later on. Now – have I built up a coherent picture of things yet? > No. > Never mind, hey, this is really exciting, so much to find out about, so much to look forward to, I’m quite dizzy with anticipation… > Or is it the wind? > There really is a lot of that now isn’t there? > And wow! Hey! What’s this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like… ow… ound… round… ground! That’s it! That’s a good name – ground! > I wonder if it will be friends with me? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/10 "2005-04-13T16:29:10Z")
> [@SentientMeat](#): > > For momentum, both m and v increase _linearly_: A creature of half the mass would have to travel twice as fast, which puts those blue whale statistics pretty much out of reach of anything else I think the sheer magnitude of the whale’s lead in momentum can’t be emphasized enough. You’d practically have to drop a black rhino from orbit in order to get the same kind of momentum. Or at least, strap it into the back of a Mach 2 fighter. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/11 "2005-04-13T16:36:14Z")
For land based animals I figure the noble elephant would come out on top, wikipedia states they can reach up to 24 m.p.h. and the largest ever shot weighed in at an astonishing 26,400 pounds though I doubt that particular elephant would be able to reach speeds. Contenders for second place could include the wildebeest and lion, both of which weight up to 550lbs and reach speeds of up to 50 m.p.h. (I forget where I read that). ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/12 "2005-04-13T16:38:06Z")
What about being hit by the tail of some of the largest sauropods? From what I’ve read, some of them may have actually come close to blue whale-sized. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/13 "2005-04-13T16:43:27Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > I think the sheer magnitude of the whale’s lead in momentum can’t be emphasized enough. You’d practically have to drop a black rhino from orbit in order to get the same kind of momentum. Or at least, strap it into the back of a Mach 2 fighter. But on that same note, a whale could do the same thing. It weighs more, and it may have a flowerpot at its disposal as well ;). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/14 "2005-04-13T16:45:07Z")
Among birds, didn’t there used to be eagles that ate the extinct moa by diving into them and knocking them down? And then when people killed all the moa they had to kill all the eagles too because people are too easy to kill like you kill a moa? I can’t find where I read that. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/15 "2005-04-13T17:08:32Z")
It should be noted that one actually hitting you might not be so bad. The force would be spread out along your whole body, wereas a Rhino dropped on you from orbit would basically shove all its mass onto your head. I really can’t do the calcs, honestly. Also, blue whales create one hell of a bow wave. You probably could just lie there and float in front of it forever and a day, even sleeping a bit if you had the right reflexes. ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/16 "2005-04-13T17:16:46Z")
> [@this is fair use](#): > > And wow! Hey! What’s this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like… ow… ound… round… ground! That’s it! That’s a good name – ground! > I wonder if it will be friends with me? Gravity is a harsh mistress. ---
**Author:** ![FlippyFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/17 "2005-04-13T19:18:51Z")
Hippos can be pretty fast too, can’t they? I know they can’t be light… hmmm, I found 'On land a hippo can run as fast as a man and can even gallop at a faster pace for short distances. ’ which sounds like 12-15 mph and weights from 5000-7000 lbs. That could hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/18 "2005-04-13T22:41:42Z")
The blue whale is certainly the biggest critter, and that speed is quite respectable, but I’m not ready to hand it the title just yet. Mightn’t there be some other whale which is smaller, but also enough faster to make up the difference? I am, however, pretty well convinced that the champ will be a whale of some sort (unless it’s possibly a giant squid). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/19 "2005-04-13T22:49:00Z")
> [@mittu](#): > > For land based animals I figure the noble elephant would come out on top, wikipedia states they can reach up to 24 m.p.h. and the largest ever shot weighed in at an astonishing 26,400 pounds though I doubt that particular elephant would be able to reach speeds. Contenders for second place could include the wildebeest and lion, both of which weight up to 550lbs and reach speeds of up to 50 m.p.h. (I forget where I read that). Wouldn’t a Rhino of some sort be in there somewhere? - weight in the multiple thousands of pounds. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115/20 "2005-04-13T23:43:45Z")
Yes, you’re right **Mangetout** , apparently the rhino can run at speeds of up to 25-30 m.p.h. and weigh up to 5 tons, though it is probably a good idea to note that it is always going to be unlikely that an animal at the upper end of the weight range is unlikely to reach the upper end of the speed range. The rhino entry in wikipedia mentions an extinct variant called the Indricotherium which weighed around 30 tons (possibly the largest land mammal ever), no mention of how fast it may have travelled but it certainly has weight on it’s side, shame the poor thing went extinct. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-animal-has-the-most-momentum/299115.md?page=2)