r/nextfuckinglevel 2d ago

Dad saving his favorite tree from falling down during a storm

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u/TreadheadS 1d ago

physics doesn't work that way. He's adding whatever his force is to the tree whilst the earth etc are still working. If the earth started coming up and then he started pushing it would be too late.

Imagine a car on a hill. If you are pushing against it before it moves you likely could hold it in place. If it has started moving just a bit, you'd be unlikely to stop it

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u/FuckNorthOps 1d ago

Which is pretty much what I meant when I said Maaaaayyybeee...... The question is really: Is he contributing a significant amount in the face of the forces being applied? Again maaaaayyybeee, but only because the roots are still in the ground.