Why is it that when two cars have their turn signals on, they seem to be in sync for a while, but then fall out of sync?
Let's say one car blinks every 0.6 seconds and another blinks every 0.8 seconds. Blinker A: 0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0 3.6 Blinker B: 0 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0 4.8 They'll sync up exactly at 2.4. They may also appear to be in sync when they're close, such as when blinker A is at 3.0 and Blinker B is at 3….
The Short Answer
Let's say one car blinks every 0.6 seconds and another blinks every 0.8 seconds. Blinker A: 0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0 3.6 Blinker B: 0 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0 4.8 They'll sync up exactly at 2.4. They may also appear to be in sync when they're close, such as when blinker A is at 3.0 and Blinker B is at 3.2 (only 1/5 of a second apart), so they may appear to be in sync for two consecutive blinks, when they're really not. It all depends on the exact timing, and the multiples of the timing. Also, my example assumes they're only on for 1/10 of a second. The actual times will vary from car to car, adding to the illusion of synching up. It's very much like when you make ripples in a pond with two different size rocks. Some ripples will meet and boost each other, and some times a peak and valley will meet and cancel each other out. In the case of the turn signals, you're really only seeing one exact part of each wave. [XKCD on turn signal synching](_URL_0_)
Analysis
Key Concepts: Blinker, blinks, sync
This explanation focuses on blinker, blinks, sync and spans 166 words across 10 sentences. At 134% above the average Nature explanation (71 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Let's say one car blinks every 0.6 seconds and another blinks every 0.8 seconds.” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 10 connected points.
How This Compares in Nature
Ranked #10 of 500 Nature questions by answer depth (top 3%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why it that when two cars have their turn signals on, they seem to be in sync for a while, but then fall out of sync?
Let's say one car blinks every 0.6 seconds and another blinks every 0.8 seconds. Blinker A: 0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4 3.0 3.6 Blinker B: 0 0.8 1.6 2.4 3.2 4.0 4.8 They'll sync up exactly at 2.4. They may also appear to be in sync when they're close, such as…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Nature questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 166 words, ranked #10 of 500 Nature questions by depth. The key concepts covered are blinker, blinks, sync.
What approach does this answer take to explain it that when two cars have their turn signals on, they seem ?
The explanation uses concrete examples across 166 words. It is categorized under Nature and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.