The Boot Debate

KMTM:

When I was a kid, sometimes my dad would offer to give me 'a good swift boot' in order to help me understand something he was saying.

At other times he suggested the path to enlightenment included a 'solid boot'.

Now that I am a father, these phrases have come to mind, and I wonder, is there any qualitative difference between swift and solid booting? Is this merely artistic license in a turn of phrase?

You may say that it would be more efficient for me to directly consult the source. However, I have never been able to extract satisfactory theoretical explanations. He is more of a practical master.

TRSB:

Well, yes.

KE = mv^2.

So, if we assume a 'solid' boot is one with significant mass behind it, we see that as solidity rises, so does KE.

On the other hand, a swift boot is one with significant vee behind it.

We can observe that as v rises, KE rises as a squared function.

Therefore, it seems to me that a swift boot is in fact a more impactful boot than a solid boot, making certain assumptions about m and v varying at equal rates in that observation.

In reality, I think you may have required a 'swift, solid boot'. I suspect you believe that I too required several of these.

KMTM:

I may be mistaken, but a swift, solid boot was never mentioned. Are they not mutually
exclusive:
　
I make the assumption that my father had a maximum amount of torque
available to accelerate his leg through an arc begining 30 or so degrees behind him and
extending to me. It seems that a heavier boot must inevitably deliver a greater impulse like a
golf driver, but require more wind up time.

What then is the benefit of the swift boot? Is it like a pitching wedge, to be used to impart
smaller slices of knowledge? Or is the 'swiftness' a factor, required when instruction is
needed on an immediate basis?

DM:

Your dad was doing the booting in both the solid and swift cases and given that, I don't think that your father would take the time to don a heavier boot when a booting was required.

Therefore I think that Tom's assumption of differing masses for the solid or swift cases is in error. I think rather that the difference is in the impulse or momentum delivered. A solid boot would indicate a longer time for momentum transfer and a swift boot a shorter time. As you know either a short or long impulse can cause the same net momentum change where in this case the momentum change is roughly equal to a quantum of wisdom delivery.

Since both the cases can have the same net effect I think that the choice of solid booting or swift boot is mainly a matter of style and time available and a trivial factor in the decision of whether to administer an admonitory booting.

MB:

Ok, let me clear this up once and for all, you physics majors obviously have not dealt with this type of insanity.

A "swift" boot in the ass is mearly a re-alignment of attitude....aka knock you back on the straight and narrow.

A "solid" boot in the ass is for when you have done something truly offencive(sic) or stupid and is intended as a "wake up call" and designed to move you off the road you diverted off onto back to the afor mentioned path.(emphasis added)

Not mentioned is the always amusing "boot up the ass" which is usually when you have "smarted off" it is not corrective at all and purely used as a) punishment and quite often, b) personal satisfaction/attitude adjustment.

For any further questions, please consult your textbook "my foot, your ass" by Red Forman, printed sometime in mid 70's.

RAB:

I agree with Mike re: the application and result

With the reason why these applications give the desired effect being related to amount
of thought and effort.

It comes down to the lazy factor. Something many of us identify with.

The swift boot (re-alignment) is a quick effect.

The solid boot (wake up call) is an effect requiring fore thought and a higher degree energy
and therefore, effort.

JV:

One must consider technique and finesse when applying the boot.

It is not an either or situation but a matter of degrees. A weighting if you will between Solid and Swiftness.

Purely dependent on situation and desired application to move the offender in the right direction or down the line to a complete punitive measure.

TRSB:

I could even agree that it is a variation of technique - my comment about varying mass or speed was an observation of the underlying physics. Momentum is not half as important as KE transfer and is not the same if I recall.

Anyone who has ever played baseball or golf will know that its the speed of the rotation that matters more than the weight of the club or bat. Had Ken played more hockey (sadly a 'realignment' that never happened), he'd know this too.

The degree of incentive the imparter has my play a role - a swift boot may be delivered on the spur of the moment and has an inherent immediacy. In time sensitive matters, or matters where the greater incentive is to delivery the boot and be on to other issues such as 'where's my beer' or the lecture starting with 'you just have no idea', a swift boot may very well be the choice.

A solid boot may require greater forethought as Rob suggests.

One aspect not considered is potential evasion by the boot-ee. Assuming the boot-ee is an aware and unwilling recipient, the swift boot may strike with sufficient speed as to make it difficult to avoid. A solid boot, requiring a greater windup, would be more easily dodged. Thus to implement the solid boot requires a greater degree of surprise or a victim otherwise unable to evade due to physical obstactles or an intimidating glare. (emphasis added)