Probably the Worlds most Stupidist Question...But I've got to ask!

Okay, so ever since the other day, I had a really stupid question buzzing round my head...even Google cannot resolve it.

The trigger occurred, when my friend accidently dropped a glass and she got cut in the process.

So my "worlds most stupidist question" is this.....How do you get cut by a glass, whether dropped or thrown, when it only smashes on contact with a hard surface, like the ground?

The reason it bugs me, well, if the glass falls from a height onto the ground and only smashes on contact with the ground, how does it cut your hand?

Does a shard of glass jump back up at speed to make the cut?

Or is it something else?

See, I told you it was a stupid question, but I had to ask, even if it is to understand how a shard which has hit the ground bounces back up, cuts but doesn't become inbedded.

Please feel free to share your "worlds stupidist question" here too...Come on, I know you all have one

reply to post by solargeddon


I would think that the momentum of the glass breaking away is what makes it cut the skin.

ETA:There aren't any stupid questions.

Maybe they grabbed the glass hard enough to break it while panickingly trying to stop themselves from dropping it. I don't really know to be honest so I must be stupid too

ETA:There aren't any stupid questions.

reply to post by UnaChispa



You are quite correct

reply to post by UnaChispa

I don't understand. Are you saying that if you hold a glass which then falls from your hand, the friction of the glass passing across your skin cuts it? That doesn't sound right.

ETA:There aren't any stupid questions.

While this doesn't apply to the OP, there might not be any stupid questions, but there are curious idiots.

Originally posted by lewman
Maybe they grabbed the glass hard enough to break it while panickingly trying to stop themselves from dropping it. I don't really know to be honest so I must be stupid too

Nope not stupid, I guess it's not something we ever think about really, I certainly haven't up to this point, and I'm old enough to know better.

reply to post by solargeddon


Well, now if I was one of those super sleuths. I would be asking her if this is how she really cut her hand or is she only using it as a cover for her diabolical plan to blow up the world, or something. hmmm.. I'm probably od-ing on too much conspiracy stuff.

reply to post by StarsInDust


Funny answer, but actually it happend right in front of me, so no play acting here...on this occasion.

It's just like when you watch a scene from a film, or tv programme, the actor throws the glass in temper, because they have just had some bad news, or they have had a row with another character, then..."Boom!" they throw the glass, the glass smashes on the floor and they go "Ouch!"

How ??? Aaahhh.


Conspire on!

I fully agree that there are no stupid questions....the only stupid ones are the ones that never get asked.

Originally posted by solargeddon


Please feel free to share your "worlds stupidist question" here too...Come on, I know you all have one

edit on 29-4-2013 by solargeddon because: (no reason given)

OK I got a mystery for yaz.....the pizza mystery that is!!

Why is it that when you order a pizza, it arrives in a square box, the pizza itself is circular, and then we cut into triangles????



Now THAT is a stupid question

In this reality she only dropped a glass, in an alternate reality her other self was actually in a battle with evil Ninja's
and she cut her hand on a Samurai sword . The realities meshed for a split second and your friend received her cut through........ ah, hell I don't know but it sounded good for a second there....

As soon as the glass cracks the resulting edges are razor sharp, sharp enough to embed slivers or cut the skin

reply to post by lewman


lol i love your avatar

sorry had to mention it

reply to post by Teye22


I think I can solve the pizza mystery as the box is square because you may not be able to pick a slice out as easly if the pizza was a snug fit in a circular box, plus square boxes are easier to fold into flat squares that result in savings in transport, storage etc...

Te tringular slice part is pretty self explanetary as its the same with a round cake etc.. But I do not know why pizzas are round unfortunatly

Edit- just to say thanks to pheniks, not sure who made the pic but I imagine G.W was eating a burger in the original.

reply to post by solargeddon


If the glass truly broke due to impact on the ground and not from squeezing the glass too hard, I'd say it can be blamed on nonlocality.

Originally posted by solargeddon
Okay, so ever since the other day, I had a really stupid question buzzing round my head...even Google cannot resolve it.

The trigger occurred, when my friend accidently dropped a glass and she got cut in the process.

So my "worlds most stupidist question" is this.....How do you get cut by a glass, whether dropped or thrown, when it only smashes on contact with a hard surface, like the ground?

The reason it bugs me, well, if the glass falls from a height onto the ground and only smashes on contact with the ground, how does it cut your hand?

Does a shard of glass jump back up at speed to make the cut?

Or is it something else?

See, I told you it was a stupid question, but I had to ask, even if it is to understand how a shard which has hit the ground bounces back up, cuts but doesn't become inbedded.

Please feel free to share your "worlds stupidist question" here too...Come on, I know you all have one

edit on 29-4-2013 by solargeddon because: (no reason given)

Glass can easily project 10 metres or more when dropped from hand-height to a hard surface so that could explain a shard bouncing back and cutting a hand.

More likely though, there was a flaw in the glass which caused it to break and your friend drop it in the first place. Breaking may not have been visible but a crack could easily cut a hand.

reply to post by solargeddon


I once had a car window shatter on me. My hand and arm were in the way.
Glass fell all over my arm and when I looked at my arm it would seem that I turned into lucifer.
My arm was red all over.
I had so many tiny little cuts from the shattered glass that I was bloody red.

Glass can be very sharp and dangerous. Even small little shards can cut.

reply to post by charles1952

While this doesn't apply to the OP, there might not be any stupid questions, but there are curious idiots.

LMAO.....

What an excellent example of delicate wording......
I'll have to remember that one........"curious idiots"



And no, this is not in reference to the OP.
I have no clue as to why one would cut their hand just from dropping a glass unless as a previous poster suggested, maybe they squeezed the glass as they felt it slip out and broke it.

Originally posted by Teye22
I fully agree that there are no stupid questions....the only stupid ones are the ones that never get asked.

Originally posted by solargeddon


Please feel free to share your "worlds stupidist question" here too...Come on, I know you all have one

edit on 29-4-2013 by solargeddon because: (no reason given)

OK I got a mystery for yaz.....the pizza mystery that is!!

Why is it that when you order a pizza, it arrives in a square box, the pizza itself is circular, and then we cut into triangles????

Now THAT is a stupid question

Actually, that is a very good observation.
Yep, very curious......

square/circle/triangle.....hmmm.

I thought people usually only get cut when they reach down to pick up the pieces?

There are no stupid questions. Just stupid answers.