Dog Physics - Steal PB&J Sandwich From Little Human

Welcome to another installment of 

DOG PHYSICS

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REX

We've reviewed the unique opportunities to relieve your humans of tasty treats, which present themselves at family gatherings, informal parties, and the morning rush to work and school.

Today, we're continuing with our series on food stealing. You may recall that stealing food is in itself an art form that requires a basic understanding of physics. Small humans are especially attractive subjects to study. They put up the least resistance and are covered in a cornucopia of sweets (check pockets) at any given moment. 

In order to steal a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, the treat that keeps on delighting for hours after that first bite, you must ensure the target is on the ground. This minimizes resistance. 

Once the small human is seated, focus your attention on the larger humans who constantly monitor the small human and its surroundings. To determine which target to pursue calculate the vulnerability (V) of each, pursue the target with the highest Vulnerability. 

Fig. 1. Identify target for grab-and-dash plot

Three potential targets are in the backyard. Compare the Vulnerability of each then determine the necessary speed to acquire the PB&J sandwich. 

Target 2 has the highest Vulnerability. Calculate the time it takes the human to reach the target, assume a 1s delay in reaction time for human and a speed of 0.9 m/s. Then calculate the speed required to get the PB&J sandwich before the human reaches the target. 

 

Assuming you were successful following these simple instructions, you should look like this: