Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: JATO

Undeterred by my earlier misjudgements, and partially in my own defense, I'll give it a go.

The original reply mentioned immunity from the effects of acceleration to which I objected, adding the word cushion. In hindsight, the first two people I replied to probably had a better understanding than I assumed.

In the blood cell example you raised, there are two things going on: low mass and force distribution. Blood cells don't have much mass to begin with so 100X doesn't amount to much. Plus, they're really small so the resulting forces don't have much leverage.

Putting a body against a soft cushion or in a liquid during acceleration spreads out the distribution of forces imparted. As a generalization, it's not force that breaks stuff, it's pressure.

I've seen the same principles at work in optical encoder components that undergo very high shocks. They don't break because they're really small, really light, and there's a drop of gorilla snot inside each one.


49 posted on 11/11/2004 2:42:06 AM PST by Jack of all Trades (Thank God I voted for Bush - AGAIN!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies ]


To: Jack of all Trades

This should be easy to test. Put a volunteer, or a chimpanzee, into a centrifuge with breathing apparatus suitable for REALLY high pressure diving. Fill the compartment with... not water, but something as close to the density of a human body as possible.

Then... SPIN!

I'd bet the subject could withstand at least 30 G's.


53 posted on 11/11/2004 7:07:48 AM PST by JATO (The MSM is ORGANIZED CRIME. Conspiracy, fraud, blackmail, bribery. They do it ALL.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson