AW: Yo Ho Ho

Cord Wiljes cord at wiljes.de
Tue Mar 23 17:20:26 CET 2004


Don wrote:
> why is everyone considering it only in a vacuum environment? 

Because we do not know the friction a duck surface has. It is
probably higher than a human's (due to the feathers).

> Because we're referring to people doing the falling
> and they would be, as I've said, squished by air pressure?

I do not think they would be squished by air pressure. That's 
because the high density air would also fill their lungs from the
inside which would counteract the pressure from the outside.
Which is why fishes are not squished even thousands of meters
below the surface and why deep sea divers have to add pressure 
as they go down. 
 
> Why omit air friction from the equation? Consider a falling 
> bowling ball.  (But even it would be squished to dust by the 
> titanic air pressure of an 8000 mile tall pile of air!)

I don't think so. It depends on how dense the material is, i.e. how 
many air bubbles are enclosed. A diamond would not be squished.

> > To sum it up:
> > Hole only to the center of the earth: duck would crash
> > Hole all the way to the other side: duck would yoyo
> 
> But only in a vacuum which is impossible if the hole is open 
> at the ends.

To sum it up:

without air
===========
Hole only to the center of the earth: duck would crash
Hole all the way to the other side: duck would yoyo eternally

with air
===========
Hole only to the center of the earth: duck would burn, then crash
Hole all the way to the other side: duck would yoyo several times 
and finally stop at the center of the earth (quite burned up, of course)

> I'll just test these theories with a practical 
> demonstration. I'll get a shovel. Be back shortly.

I will inform Australia you are coming.

Cord





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