Sunday, December 13, 2020

The Science of Spanking

For some people, a spanking is nothing more than a painful punishment. But for the rest of us, a good spanking can be some combination of restorative, sexy, spiritual, communicative, sensual, thrilling, reaffirming, therapeutic, and redemptive. I love everything about it. In this spirit, this post examines the physics of bottom warming.

Let’s consider what happens when a flat, rigid paddle makes forcible contact with a spankee’s bottom. The paddle, swung by a spanker, acquires momentum. We can define momentum (p) as mass (weight) times velocity.

p = mv

In this equation, we can observe that momentum increases when mass increases (such as when a heavier paddle is used) or when velocity increases (when the paddle is swung faster). It occurs to me that what I perceive as harder swats are actually those where the implement is traveling faster.

This velocity component also explains why a spankee’s right cheek marks more and hurts more after a paddling from a right handed spanker. As the paddle is swung in an arc, the far end of a paddle moves faster, travels farther, and imparts more momentum than the end closer to the handle.

Upon impact, the paddle’s momentum is transferred to the spankee’s (mostly) stationary bottom. This momentum is absorbed by the bottom and the surrounding soft tissue. I used to wonder how I could get marks in places where I was fairly certain I wasn’t hit. After a particularly thorough paddling, I would notice dark vertical bruises on either side of my crack or horizontal bruises very high up on my cheeks. How could that happen?

The answer lies in the way the that body dissipates the momentum transferred from a paddle or similar implement. When a bottom is struck, it compresses and then snaps back. However, as illustrated in this slow motion video from Michael Masterson, the impact generates displacement waves that spread far beyond the spot of impact. Both hips and thighs are affected.

There is one other aspect we should explore. A large implement, like the paddle we considered above, transfers its momentum to a fairly broad impact area (yes, I know, broader in my case), but what about an implement like a hairbrush or bath brush where the impact area is smaller? Our momentum formula suggests that the lesser weight of a light implement can be offset by higher velocity. But the size of the impact zone also affects the spankee’s experience. A smaller implement concentrates the transfer of momentum, and therefore the damage and the pain. Anyone who has been spanked with a bath brush can attest to this phenomenon.

So next time you’re lying across someone’s lap (or have someone over your lap), I invite you to give a quick thought to the transfer of momentum. Science can be fun when spankings are involved!

Please stay safe everyone.

10 comments :

Roz said...

Hi Bonnie, wow, interesting, especially watching the clip and seeing the impact of a spanking. I hadn't really thought much about the science of spanking.

Hugs
Roz

morningstar said...

I loved this!!! especially since my bottom is still quite tender from the weekend - and areas - I swear he didn't hit - are bruised........

Read this to Sir Steve as he had his morning coffee and he chuckled and said 'does it matter if it feels good?!'

Good on you for figuring out the science behind a spanking :)

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite posts I've seen recently. Good job!

Joe said...

Thanks Bonnie this was very well done. Will be thinking about it during my next spanking.

Erica Scott said...

Is it weird that while reading this, I heard Thomas Dolby bellowing "Science!!" in my head?

Anonymous said...

Now I know why my husband spanks the way he does. He's an engineer. Lol

Liza

Minielle Labraun said...

Very informative. I have often looked at those pictures that capture the moment of impact... now I’m really thinking!

Bonnie said...

Roz - Life is about learning. When I can share some lesser known aspects of our favorite pastime, I jump at the opportunity.

MS - I think it matters because better understanding leads to better technique and better spankings.

KDP - Thank you. I'm always striving to find and share a new angle on an old subject.

Joe - Thanks!

Erica - Ha! Yes! I think Randy may one day end up at the Home for Deranged Scientists.

Liza - Yes, me too. It explains a lot.

Minielle - Yeah, it's no wonder it hurts!

Anonymous said...

We (I, Rosco, the spankee, and Irene the spammer) have transitioned to leather implements for the most part. For us they preserve the intensity and diminish the possibility of an errant, overly harmful blow. There’s some spatial distribution as the transfer of momentum takes place. Even so, my bottom is usually hot and bothered for several days.

Then there is the delicious sting of a supple switch, like cold tart lemonade on a hot summer’s day.

Bonnie said...

Roscoe and Irene - Thank you for your comment. We enjoy a variety of implement materials. I must confess that I used an inflexible paddle for the example because the math is easier. A leather implement tends to rebound after impact far more than a rigid one, and in the process retains some of its original momentum. Thinking that I was already on edge of being too geeky, I left out those scenarios.

Post a Comment