Science desk | ||
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< August 6 | << Jul | August | Sep >> | August 8 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Science Reference Desk Archives |
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The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
Wye are sew many wrods misplet in a forem four a dicshinery? I fell like im reeding the dairy of a desleksik sixyearold. Dew ewe supose its from texting? Butt if wee Hughes a spell checker, their ar knot sew many errers, rite? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Milkbreath ( talk • contribs) 00:06, August 7, 2007 (UTC)
I saw on TV the other day a nutritionist recommend people with blood group A become vegetarians as they can't consume meat as well. Knowing how many dodgy 'nutritionists' exist (see "Dr" Gillian McKeith) I wondered if there was any truth in this. The guy agreed with a doctor that so called superfoods are more of a marketing ploy, so didn't seem all bad. Any ideas? Cyta 07:24, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
(There should be a separate medical RD)
I'm trying to figure out which muscle is the brachialis but I get confused. Check out this picture from the brachialis article:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Brachialis.png
It looks like it's on the "inside" of the humerus bone, near the elbow area. Now look at this one:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Gray413.png
On this picture the brachialis appears to be on the "outside". So which is it? A naprapathy student I know claims that they're both, which seems really weird since there's no way that a muscle on the inside and outside of the humerus could possibly be connected - or could they? Take a look at these pictures of Schwarzenegger's well-developed arms and tell me which one is it:
1. http://www.mypix.se/VisaFullImage2.asp?id=JNJOKPFRMOPMF8&storlek=640 ("inside", "lower" humerus) 2. http://www.mypix.se/VisaFullImage2.asp?id=JNJOKPGNHMGQR0&storlek=640 ("outside", "middle" humerus)
I would truly appreciate it if someone could clear this out for me. Thank you in advance, Jack Daw 13:07, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
I would only take important advice about your health from a licensed health worker
Are those butterflies that look just like monarchs but are kind of a pale yellow instead of orange still monarchs? thanks Gzuckier 14:09, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Hi, this is a somewhat odd request, but my younger brother's birthday is coming, and I wanted to get him a Weather book (he wants to go into Meteorology). I'm looking for a large, preferable hardcover, with color illustrations, and medium to hard technical text that covers beyond the basics. He does read at a college level/above when it comes to science, so please do not suggest children's books, or intro books. Textbooks are fine. I'd appreciate any suggestions, thank you. :) Zidel333 14:23, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
I'm worried I don't get enough sun, so I'm going to start lying in the sun once or twice a week - but I have some questions
(And yes, I've read
Sun tanning)
The article says it is in fact the UltraViolet frequency of the sunrays that cause a) tanning, and b) production of Vitamin D.
I always thought ultraviolet was the enemy! I thought that's the reason we use suntan lotion! - which will actually prevent tanning and block production of Vitamin D.
But then later it recommends using suntan lotion when tanning! (How can you tan if you're blocking off the ultraviolet!)
Question 1: When tanning for 1-2 hours once a week, is suntan lotion necessary, or not? (assuming you want to get a tan and produce vitamin D?)
Next, it mentions that the suntanning booths at gyms and salons may be addictive because endorphins are released when the ultraviolet light helps produce Vitamin D.
Question 2: Do the tanning booths actually give off ultraviolet light? -- I figured they wouldn't for health reasons
Question 3: Would it be fair to say that the tanning booths are as good as, if not better than suntanning naturally in natural light?
Thanks in advance.
Rfwoolf
14:44, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
That the human body is approximately sixty to seventy percent water is well-known or at least widely accepted. But who calculated this in the first place?
thanks,
db
I think that the weighing of the body after being dehydrated could be how it was calculated. And also the amount of water in most cells, because the whole body is made up of cells that can give a rough percentage. Cory Nelkin 21:27, 11 August 2007 (UTC)Cory Nelkin
Passing on a question from my wife..."Is there any reason why we dont have an alcohol made of fermented beans? Princy fermented some beans the other day and they smelled of alcohol so it got her wondering if bean brew had been done before. a quick google search rendered no bean alcohol." ike9898 17:16, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
How exactly would you go about taking a picture like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Michael_Melgar_LiquidArt_resize_droplet.jpg ? I know you need a very fast shutter speed, but what setup is best?
Thanks, --Fadders 19:45, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
How do astronauts shower on the ISS? 151.152.101.44 20:24, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Any recommendations on what can be used to temporarily hold together broken glassware? The piece in question does not contain liquid but it has hot air flowing through it (~80C)(it's one of these; the part that is broken is the inlet). My only two ideas so far are crazy glue, or this sort of fancy duct tape I've seen at Home Depot - shiny silver, heat resistant and ten times as expensive. Your hints, please! ike9898 21:15, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
When an aircraft is on the runway and about to take off, when does the Bernoulli Principle come into effect? My assumption is that the aircraft needs to travel fast enough for the effect to work and pitching the nose up brings it into effect along with the help of the thrust which the engine creates. But can anyone provide more details about this. Thanks in advance. Tbo 157 21:28, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Steve, while angle of attack is very important like you've mentioned. Do not under-estimate the effect of Berniulli. What you described about acrobatic planes and fighter jets are indeed true. However, that's only because their flight charistics are built for manuverbility. (Same thing with RC). When stability and efficiency are concerned, like for most general aviation planes, the effect of berniulli on lift is much greater. For example, bernoulli allows the plane to fly leveled (as opposed to constantly banking one way or another) without any manual input. It all depends on the purpose of the aircraft. I'm a private piolt and experienced RC builder.
i would like to know if the voice is louder in the light or when its dark? thanks 845 eli
but from where do you know that cause it seemes like the dark is more louder even if there is noise in the backround just as it is in the light? thanks in advance 845 eli
Sound is transmitted by compression waves moving through a medium such as air; your eardrum vibrates when these waves hit it, and these vibrations are converted to a meaningful form by your brain (I can't say how, biology never really grabbed me). 'Light' is the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, transmitted by photons (which are tiny packets of energy with fascinating properties which aren't worth going into at the level of this discussion). There is virtually no interaction between the two (except in highly contrived and primarily theoretical scenarios). Because light is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, an analogue to your question would be why your voice isn't affected by how close you stand to a radio mast, a mobile phone or a hot object (all of these emit eletromagnetic radiation). Angus Lepper( T, C, D) 23:35, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
The light and dark itself I don't believe has any effect, it is the state of the medium which the sound is traveling Like the molecules that make up the air we breath being cold or hot. Sound traveling much further in water. Cory Nelkin 21:22, 11 August 2007 (UTC)Cory Nelkin
what is the Tappan Zee bridge in new york usa "lowest" Clearance above the water?
What home remedies and commercial ointments would one find as an ingredient either human or animal sperm? Clem 23:16, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Could you land on a neutron star, if the star was spinning so fast that the centripetal force throwing you from the surface matched the gravitational pull? Of course tidal forces come into play, but you could always use (very) short astronauts for the research. Myles325a 23:43, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Myles325a 01:31, 8 August 2007 (UTC) questioner back here. Well, nothing so far says anything as to why this is impossible. So what if the outer layers of the neutron star are "in orbit"? As for being "crashing" and "turning into a film" I wish people would READ questions before answering stuff that wasn't asked. The whole point of the question was whether you could cheat the huge gravity of such a place, if it were negated by centrifugal (not centripital) forces. Myles325a 01:31, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
I think what Gzuckier is saying is, if you were going fast enough so that centrifugal force equals gravitational force, each half the object would be pulled in opposite directions with the same force that the neutron star's gravitational field has in the first place. The force involved here may come close to ripping protons apart in defiance of the nuclear strong force. Even a science fiction solution, such as the SIF in Star Trek's advanced U.S.S. Enterprise E would probably not be able to withstand the incredible power of this interaction. 69.205.180.123 16:55, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
OP Myles325a back here. Yeah, that’s right, I’m the sort of wacky kook who not only asks questions but wants to comment on answers, mark and rank them, add codicils and addenda, and pick fights with respondents. Next week I’m getting a life, but right now…
1. Someguy1221 asserts neutron star “is a gas”. Really? One that weighs millions of times more than lead? Heavy sort of gas that. And besides, what does that have to do with the price of eggs in China?
2. nanobot. Tells us all that electrons in neutron star turn into a bed of pine needles and can scratch you. Hurties. I thought that, as the name suggests, neutron matter (neutronium) pretty much by definition had its electrons either ejected or crammed into protons to make neutrons.
3. Reuben. Yeah, people have told me that the neutron star “would fly apart”. So what? Maybe I don’t believe those people. Maybe I think some people are just talking out their ass. Tell me, Reuben, just how fast does a neutron star have to be rotating before it starts being going doing whirly-turds?
4. Trovatore. This ones got me. No, gotta admit, didn’t catch literary allusion. What is this - some kind of uber-geek ref to Captain Kirk or summink?
5. DirkvdM. Now this is more like it. Here’s a guy who starts thinking about how angular momentum works, and how rotation speed would be related to mass to begin with. I’m with you on this one, even if haven’t got the maths. Agree with you tho that if figure skater rotates faster as she pulls her arms in, then she could never rotate fast enough to have said arms fly off her body. Probably. Not sure about this. But in any case, my astronaut trying to explore neutron star is a thought experiment, and we could imagine that it was sped up by some exterior mechanism.
6. SteveBaker Thanks mate, you done the hard yards, you get the kudos, and the kewpie doll to boot. I do however have a grasp on the problem, in a sort of amateur way, as the foregoing will attest. You said though centrifugal effects might “…reduce the effects of gravity by about 1 percent.” Actually, that’s a HELL of a lot, I thought. And this is in a normally rotating star. What about one that was artificially sped up? Rem, guys, this is about what could happen in theory, not what might not be practicable for many centuries.
7. Gzuckier. I mention tides in my question. That’s why I make the allusion to short astronauts. If tides are a problem, then perhaps nanobot explorers might be the way to go.
All in all, no one has said, “Hey, never thought of that, made me think. Yeah, that Myles, he is one wise guy. Centrifugal force. Hmmm…come to think of it, it SHOULD have SOME mitigating effect against gravity. Wonder if it could work…” Myles325a 00:23, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
(OP Myles325 responds) Ok Steve Baker, becoz you actually seem to know a bit about what you are talking about, and have made the effort to pen a detailed answer, I am prepared to accept the insane agony of being patronised by you. Don’t you admit that it is a refreshing change to have someone who actually TALKS BACK to respondents, and wrestles with their ideas? And I think you are too harsh in saying that I simply have no idea of just how improbable the whole scenario of landing on a neutron star is, and that I have ignored the answers given (despite my unique policy of assessing [nearly] each and every answer given.) My original query was intended as speculation, not a “GEE WHIZZ let’s all go and land on a neutron star” comic book notion. You will find that I am not as scientifically illiterate as you suppose. For example, I will beg to differ on an important point in your otherwise impressive narrative on what happens to neutronium in the very space where gravity and centrifugal forces cancel out. First though let me preface by saying that I did not “ignore” what you wrote earlier. I gave you a kewpie doll, which you have hurled back at me. Your latest answer provides a lot more detail than did your earlier response. Had you included that material initially, I would have assayed it then, as I am doing now.
Suppose we, for the moment, relocate our thought experiment to more familiar and hospitable surroundings – planet Earth. If the Earth were sped up slowly to the point where centrifugal forces cancelled out gravity, then would a human, on the surface, be flung into space? No they wouldn’t. Now sit on MY knee and I’ll tell YOU why, for a change. At that exact speed, a human would only JUST be launched into orbit. The launch would be so weak that in a matter of moments, the human would be back on the ground, only to launched once again. It would be a bit like walking on the Moon, except with a much lower gravity. Your feet would leave the planet; you would float a bit, and then land once again, only to be GENTLY lifted off again. You would not be FLUNG off into space, as you suppose. That would require much greater speeds. Now if we transfer back to the neutron star, we find, to use your analysis, that the neutronium at the surface is constantly being launched into space, but only by the weakest margin. It is not FLUNG into space. This could mean that in moves only by nanometres outwards, and then back again. Could such a situation allow for some exterior entity to conduct research. I am hopeful, and putting your name down for that mission: The Spaghetti Ligeti.
A crucial point is the behaviour of neutronium. You imply that it only has the properties it has as long as it is confined by enormous pressures and gravity. But is this the case? Your knowledge would be superior to mine. I had thought that once it was created, it would be stable, or semi-stable, like other heavy elements created by nucleosynthesis. Neutrons are unstable, but they can exist for millions of years without change, and they are the combination of a proton and an electron. Would a teaspoon of neutronium OUTSIDE of its native star, simply explode, or sublimate into a gas? Perhaps not. Perhaps it would remain neutronium, in which case your scenario of neutronium disintegrating upon its release from gravity would be wrong. Oh, and thank you for those book refs. Sound v. interesting. Of course, they seem to posit entities landing on or somehow interacting with neutron stars. Are the authors of such also scientifically obtuse? Perhaps you should write them and explain how wrong they got it. (They prob don't do this here, but here goes (;-)> Myles325a 02:10, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
It is a interesting question, but not plausible. Cory Nelkin 21:16, 11 August 2007 (UTC) Cory Nelkin
Will definitely have to get hold of those books. I have a vested interest. I was bequeathed a piece of neutronium by my grandfather. About the size of a grain of rice. Still have it, in the original snuff box he kept it in. But it’s the very devil for weight, no question! It took 3 guys to carry snuff box and contents in. I tried to taste it once, and it almost pulled my tongue out. (Tastes a little like copper). I keep it in the shed, away from the house, so as to minimise gravitational effects. Myles325a 01:46, 13 August 2007 (UTC)
Science desk | ||
---|---|---|
< August 6 | << Jul | August | Sep >> | August 8 > |
Welcome to the Wikipedia Science Reference Desk Archives |
---|
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages. |
Wye are sew many wrods misplet in a forem four a dicshinery? I fell like im reeding the dairy of a desleksik sixyearold. Dew ewe supose its from texting? Butt if wee Hughes a spell checker, their ar knot sew many errers, rite? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Milkbreath ( talk • contribs) 00:06, August 7, 2007 (UTC)
I saw on TV the other day a nutritionist recommend people with blood group A become vegetarians as they can't consume meat as well. Knowing how many dodgy 'nutritionists' exist (see "Dr" Gillian McKeith) I wondered if there was any truth in this. The guy agreed with a doctor that so called superfoods are more of a marketing ploy, so didn't seem all bad. Any ideas? Cyta 07:24, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
(There should be a separate medical RD)
I'm trying to figure out which muscle is the brachialis but I get confused. Check out this picture from the brachialis article:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Brachialis.png
It looks like it's on the "inside" of the humerus bone, near the elbow area. Now look at this one:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Gray413.png
On this picture the brachialis appears to be on the "outside". So which is it? A naprapathy student I know claims that they're both, which seems really weird since there's no way that a muscle on the inside and outside of the humerus could possibly be connected - or could they? Take a look at these pictures of Schwarzenegger's well-developed arms and tell me which one is it:
1. http://www.mypix.se/VisaFullImage2.asp?id=JNJOKPFRMOPMF8&storlek=640 ("inside", "lower" humerus) 2. http://www.mypix.se/VisaFullImage2.asp?id=JNJOKPGNHMGQR0&storlek=640 ("outside", "middle" humerus)
I would truly appreciate it if someone could clear this out for me. Thank you in advance, Jack Daw 13:07, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
I would only take important advice about your health from a licensed health worker
Are those butterflies that look just like monarchs but are kind of a pale yellow instead of orange still monarchs? thanks Gzuckier 14:09, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Hi, this is a somewhat odd request, but my younger brother's birthday is coming, and I wanted to get him a Weather book (he wants to go into Meteorology). I'm looking for a large, preferable hardcover, with color illustrations, and medium to hard technical text that covers beyond the basics. He does read at a college level/above when it comes to science, so please do not suggest children's books, or intro books. Textbooks are fine. I'd appreciate any suggestions, thank you. :) Zidel333 14:23, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
I'm worried I don't get enough sun, so I'm going to start lying in the sun once or twice a week - but I have some questions
(And yes, I've read
Sun tanning)
The article says it is in fact the UltraViolet frequency of the sunrays that cause a) tanning, and b) production of Vitamin D.
I always thought ultraviolet was the enemy! I thought that's the reason we use suntan lotion! - which will actually prevent tanning and block production of Vitamin D.
But then later it recommends using suntan lotion when tanning! (How can you tan if you're blocking off the ultraviolet!)
Question 1: When tanning for 1-2 hours once a week, is suntan lotion necessary, or not? (assuming you want to get a tan and produce vitamin D?)
Next, it mentions that the suntanning booths at gyms and salons may be addictive because endorphins are released when the ultraviolet light helps produce Vitamin D.
Question 2: Do the tanning booths actually give off ultraviolet light? -- I figured they wouldn't for health reasons
Question 3: Would it be fair to say that the tanning booths are as good as, if not better than suntanning naturally in natural light?
Thanks in advance.
Rfwoolf
14:44, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
That the human body is approximately sixty to seventy percent water is well-known or at least widely accepted. But who calculated this in the first place?
thanks,
db
I think that the weighing of the body after being dehydrated could be how it was calculated. And also the amount of water in most cells, because the whole body is made up of cells that can give a rough percentage. Cory Nelkin 21:27, 11 August 2007 (UTC)Cory Nelkin
Passing on a question from my wife..."Is there any reason why we dont have an alcohol made of fermented beans? Princy fermented some beans the other day and they smelled of alcohol so it got her wondering if bean brew had been done before. a quick google search rendered no bean alcohol." ike9898 17:16, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
How exactly would you go about taking a picture like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Michael_Melgar_LiquidArt_resize_droplet.jpg ? I know you need a very fast shutter speed, but what setup is best?
Thanks, --Fadders 19:45, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
How do astronauts shower on the ISS? 151.152.101.44 20:24, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Any recommendations on what can be used to temporarily hold together broken glassware? The piece in question does not contain liquid but it has hot air flowing through it (~80C)(it's one of these; the part that is broken is the inlet). My only two ideas so far are crazy glue, or this sort of fancy duct tape I've seen at Home Depot - shiny silver, heat resistant and ten times as expensive. Your hints, please! ike9898 21:15, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
When an aircraft is on the runway and about to take off, when does the Bernoulli Principle come into effect? My assumption is that the aircraft needs to travel fast enough for the effect to work and pitching the nose up brings it into effect along with the help of the thrust which the engine creates. But can anyone provide more details about this. Thanks in advance. Tbo 157 21:28, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Steve, while angle of attack is very important like you've mentioned. Do not under-estimate the effect of Berniulli. What you described about acrobatic planes and fighter jets are indeed true. However, that's only because their flight charistics are built for manuverbility. (Same thing with RC). When stability and efficiency are concerned, like for most general aviation planes, the effect of berniulli on lift is much greater. For example, bernoulli allows the plane to fly leveled (as opposed to constantly banking one way or another) without any manual input. It all depends on the purpose of the aircraft. I'm a private piolt and experienced RC builder.
i would like to know if the voice is louder in the light or when its dark? thanks 845 eli
but from where do you know that cause it seemes like the dark is more louder even if there is noise in the backround just as it is in the light? thanks in advance 845 eli
Sound is transmitted by compression waves moving through a medium such as air; your eardrum vibrates when these waves hit it, and these vibrations are converted to a meaningful form by your brain (I can't say how, biology never really grabbed me). 'Light' is the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, transmitted by photons (which are tiny packets of energy with fascinating properties which aren't worth going into at the level of this discussion). There is virtually no interaction between the two (except in highly contrived and primarily theoretical scenarios). Because light is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, an analogue to your question would be why your voice isn't affected by how close you stand to a radio mast, a mobile phone or a hot object (all of these emit eletromagnetic radiation). Angus Lepper( T, C, D) 23:35, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
The light and dark itself I don't believe has any effect, it is the state of the medium which the sound is traveling Like the molecules that make up the air we breath being cold or hot. Sound traveling much further in water. Cory Nelkin 21:22, 11 August 2007 (UTC)Cory Nelkin
what is the Tappan Zee bridge in new york usa "lowest" Clearance above the water?
What home remedies and commercial ointments would one find as an ingredient either human or animal sperm? Clem 23:16, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Could you land on a neutron star, if the star was spinning so fast that the centripetal force throwing you from the surface matched the gravitational pull? Of course tidal forces come into play, but you could always use (very) short astronauts for the research. Myles325a 23:43, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
Myles325a 01:31, 8 August 2007 (UTC) questioner back here. Well, nothing so far says anything as to why this is impossible. So what if the outer layers of the neutron star are "in orbit"? As for being "crashing" and "turning into a film" I wish people would READ questions before answering stuff that wasn't asked. The whole point of the question was whether you could cheat the huge gravity of such a place, if it were negated by centrifugal (not centripital) forces. Myles325a 01:31, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
I think what Gzuckier is saying is, if you were going fast enough so that centrifugal force equals gravitational force, each half the object would be pulled in opposite directions with the same force that the neutron star's gravitational field has in the first place. The force involved here may come close to ripping protons apart in defiance of the nuclear strong force. Even a science fiction solution, such as the SIF in Star Trek's advanced U.S.S. Enterprise E would probably not be able to withstand the incredible power of this interaction. 69.205.180.123 16:55, 8 August 2007 (UTC)
OP Myles325a back here. Yeah, that’s right, I’m the sort of wacky kook who not only asks questions but wants to comment on answers, mark and rank them, add codicils and addenda, and pick fights with respondents. Next week I’m getting a life, but right now…
1. Someguy1221 asserts neutron star “is a gas”. Really? One that weighs millions of times more than lead? Heavy sort of gas that. And besides, what does that have to do with the price of eggs in China?
2. nanobot. Tells us all that electrons in neutron star turn into a bed of pine needles and can scratch you. Hurties. I thought that, as the name suggests, neutron matter (neutronium) pretty much by definition had its electrons either ejected or crammed into protons to make neutrons.
3. Reuben. Yeah, people have told me that the neutron star “would fly apart”. So what? Maybe I don’t believe those people. Maybe I think some people are just talking out their ass. Tell me, Reuben, just how fast does a neutron star have to be rotating before it starts being going doing whirly-turds?
4. Trovatore. This ones got me. No, gotta admit, didn’t catch literary allusion. What is this - some kind of uber-geek ref to Captain Kirk or summink?
5. DirkvdM. Now this is more like it. Here’s a guy who starts thinking about how angular momentum works, and how rotation speed would be related to mass to begin with. I’m with you on this one, even if haven’t got the maths. Agree with you tho that if figure skater rotates faster as she pulls her arms in, then she could never rotate fast enough to have said arms fly off her body. Probably. Not sure about this. But in any case, my astronaut trying to explore neutron star is a thought experiment, and we could imagine that it was sped up by some exterior mechanism.
6. SteveBaker Thanks mate, you done the hard yards, you get the kudos, and the kewpie doll to boot. I do however have a grasp on the problem, in a sort of amateur way, as the foregoing will attest. You said though centrifugal effects might “…reduce the effects of gravity by about 1 percent.” Actually, that’s a HELL of a lot, I thought. And this is in a normally rotating star. What about one that was artificially sped up? Rem, guys, this is about what could happen in theory, not what might not be practicable for many centuries.
7. Gzuckier. I mention tides in my question. That’s why I make the allusion to short astronauts. If tides are a problem, then perhaps nanobot explorers might be the way to go.
All in all, no one has said, “Hey, never thought of that, made me think. Yeah, that Myles, he is one wise guy. Centrifugal force. Hmmm…come to think of it, it SHOULD have SOME mitigating effect against gravity. Wonder if it could work…” Myles325a 00:23, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
(OP Myles325 responds) Ok Steve Baker, becoz you actually seem to know a bit about what you are talking about, and have made the effort to pen a detailed answer, I am prepared to accept the insane agony of being patronised by you. Don’t you admit that it is a refreshing change to have someone who actually TALKS BACK to respondents, and wrestles with their ideas? And I think you are too harsh in saying that I simply have no idea of just how improbable the whole scenario of landing on a neutron star is, and that I have ignored the answers given (despite my unique policy of assessing [nearly] each and every answer given.) My original query was intended as speculation, not a “GEE WHIZZ let’s all go and land on a neutron star” comic book notion. You will find that I am not as scientifically illiterate as you suppose. For example, I will beg to differ on an important point in your otherwise impressive narrative on what happens to neutronium in the very space where gravity and centrifugal forces cancel out. First though let me preface by saying that I did not “ignore” what you wrote earlier. I gave you a kewpie doll, which you have hurled back at me. Your latest answer provides a lot more detail than did your earlier response. Had you included that material initially, I would have assayed it then, as I am doing now.
Suppose we, for the moment, relocate our thought experiment to more familiar and hospitable surroundings – planet Earth. If the Earth were sped up slowly to the point where centrifugal forces cancelled out gravity, then would a human, on the surface, be flung into space? No they wouldn’t. Now sit on MY knee and I’ll tell YOU why, for a change. At that exact speed, a human would only JUST be launched into orbit. The launch would be so weak that in a matter of moments, the human would be back on the ground, only to launched once again. It would be a bit like walking on the Moon, except with a much lower gravity. Your feet would leave the planet; you would float a bit, and then land once again, only to be GENTLY lifted off again. You would not be FLUNG off into space, as you suppose. That would require much greater speeds. Now if we transfer back to the neutron star, we find, to use your analysis, that the neutronium at the surface is constantly being launched into space, but only by the weakest margin. It is not FLUNG into space. This could mean that in moves only by nanometres outwards, and then back again. Could such a situation allow for some exterior entity to conduct research. I am hopeful, and putting your name down for that mission: The Spaghetti Ligeti.
A crucial point is the behaviour of neutronium. You imply that it only has the properties it has as long as it is confined by enormous pressures and gravity. But is this the case? Your knowledge would be superior to mine. I had thought that once it was created, it would be stable, or semi-stable, like other heavy elements created by nucleosynthesis. Neutrons are unstable, but they can exist for millions of years without change, and they are the combination of a proton and an electron. Would a teaspoon of neutronium OUTSIDE of its native star, simply explode, or sublimate into a gas? Perhaps not. Perhaps it would remain neutronium, in which case your scenario of neutronium disintegrating upon its release from gravity would be wrong. Oh, and thank you for those book refs. Sound v. interesting. Of course, they seem to posit entities landing on or somehow interacting with neutron stars. Are the authors of such also scientifically obtuse? Perhaps you should write them and explain how wrong they got it. (They prob don't do this here, but here goes (;-)> Myles325a 02:10, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
It is a interesting question, but not plausible. Cory Nelkin 21:16, 11 August 2007 (UTC) Cory Nelkin
Will definitely have to get hold of those books. I have a vested interest. I was bequeathed a piece of neutronium by my grandfather. About the size of a grain of rice. Still have it, in the original snuff box he kept it in. But it’s the very devil for weight, no question! It took 3 guys to carry snuff box and contents in. I tried to taste it once, and it almost pulled my tongue out. (Tastes a little like copper). I keep it in the shed, away from the house, so as to minimise gravitational effects. Myles325a 01:46, 13 August 2007 (UTC)