---
title: 'Can Something Go Faster Than It''s Pushed?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=2GUah9xHVto'
video_id: '2GUah9xHVto'
date: 2026-08-27
duration_sec: 61
channel: 'Veritasium'
---

# Can Something Go Faster Than It's Pushed?

> Source: [Can Something Go Faster Than It's Pushed?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=2GUah9xHVto)

## Summary

The video demonstrates a cart with a large wheel and two smaller spools that moves faster than the board pushing it, illustrating the principle of relative motion. It explains that the big wheel rotates in the opposite direction, similar to a propeller, enabling the cart to exceed the board's speed.

### Key Points

- **Cart setup** [00:02] — A cart with a big wheel and two smaller spools is used to demonstrate relative motion.
- **Faster than the push** [00:18] — When the board is pushed to the right, the cart moves down the board faster than the board itself.
- **Opposite rotation** [00:33] — The big wheel rotates in the opposite direction to the board's push, similar to a propeller.
- **Real-world comparison** [00:47] — This principle is compared to the Blackbird, a vehicle that goes faster than the wind downwind using a propeller.
- **DIY opportunity** [01:00] — Viewers are encouraged to build the cart at home or a model downwind cart.

## Transcript

Here I have a little cart with a big wheel that rolls on two smaller spools. And what I'm going to show is that when you have two media moving relative to one another, well then if this car is in contact with both media, it can actually
velocity. >> [music] >> So as I push the board to the right, you can see that the car goes down the board faster than the board is moving.
If you look carefully, you'll see that the big wheel isn't turning the way that the board is pushing it. It's actually rotating in the opposite direction. That's just like the propeller on Blackbird, which pushes [music]
back against the air and that's how it's able to go faster >> than the wind downwind. Now you can build one of these cars for yourself at build one of these cars for yourself at home or you can build a model downwind
home or you can build a model downwind cart.