Simple: When it rains, do you get more wet from walking or running?

Simple question that i have been wondering for a long time now. If it is raining (pouring most likely) do you get more wet from walking at a regular pace to your destination or running at a fast pace to your destination?

Quite Frankly, I am not sure, because it seems you would encounter the same amount of droplets both ways??? or not...

 

Both, you can only get so wet and not any wetter.

 

Well if you run, you're out in the rain for less time, so if that was the only factor you'd probably get less wet. But you're also kicking up drops and splashing in puddles so that might factor in. If it's raining hard enough, you'd be equally saturated in 5 minutes or 10...it is a difficult question isn't it?

 

If you just stand there and there is no wind the rain drops will fall straight at your head = the surface that will get wet is quite small.

If you run however you will scoop up all the falling drops with your whole body = bigger surface = you will get more wet.

Thats a simple example but wind + your speed will make it harder to work out.

 

Unless you have an afro and you dont wash it.

 

Well today, walking from point A = my car to point B= the library, My head got wet as well as my jeans and shirt. Therefore, walking gets your whole body wet in a regular pace. BUT, if i ran, i would most likely decrease the amount of wetness on my head and increase on the front of my body. Is this fluctuation similiar to the equally distributed amount?

 

I still think the time thing factors in - but thanks to a year in Manchester, England I HATE RAIN so anything to get me out of it faster is best!!!!

 

Roze is correct. I actually read a study i think or something on the net that proved that you do get wet less if you run. . .. just don't fall . . .

Skinny

 

I think I start running instinctively when it rains...

 

You will get less water on you if you run then if you walk.

Everyone has already mentioned the water falling straight down and the water hitting the front of the body.

Oobviously the drops falling on your head would be less if you're running because you're out there for less time.

The other factor is the rain that you would run into(front body rain). The rain is falling at a constant speed. You will pick up the same amount of rain on your front body running as you would walking given the same amount of time.

Since you are running you are exposed to less rain.

Think about it this way. I'm sure as a child you're run under water hoses or under waterfalls at an amusement park. You wouldn't pick up more water by running throuh them then you would walking. The water is falling at a constant rate.

I hope that makes sense.

Edit:
You come in contact with roughly the same amount of water walking or running. Really the only difference is the amount of time you are exposed to the water so running exposes you to less water.

 

i have spent countless hours pondering this head-scratcher.

ever since i saw matrix, i've been training at dodging droplets while running at a very high speed.

with the right body movements, and if you can run fast enough, it should be possible to remain completely dry....

 

How do you figure, even if it's pouring? You'd have to be the size of a mouse...

 

well i've been combining a strict diet with aerobics and i'm pretty sure that within a few years i will succeed.

 

Let's start with you dodging bullets.

 

Ah - exactly this test they made on our german television.
At the End: you get less wet, if you go slowly!!!

Also because the jeans will get more wet. There was more water at the end when this man walked fast!!

 

Doesn't anybody watch Mythbusters? They did an episode about this very question and it turned out that you come in contact with more water if you run. They experimented several different times and still came up with the same answer.

Walk, don't run!

 

You will get wetter if you walk.

Here's some websites.

This one is a test done a physicist in which they even took the weight of the clothing (40% less wet running)

http://daily.gazette.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VGhlR2F6ZXR0ZS8yMDA0LzA0LzA5I0FyMDAxMDM=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

Here's a calculator that you can put in your speed, height, size, how fast the rain is falling, and angles. You get less wet running.

http://www.dctech.com/physics/features/0600.php

And here's another article from a math website explainig why you get less wet running.
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/63759.html

 

Seems like everyone has valid points - but still, has anyone actually tried it themselves?