The Conservative Cave
Interests => The Science Club => Topic started by: mrclose on May 07, 2012, 11:37:56 PM
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Okay .. If nothing else, this will prove that I have 'absolutely' No Life!
Try to follow me on this, it's important, (at least to me) and will determine when and IF I will ever get another nights sleep! :rofl:
Here goes and remember .. this is all hypothetical. (I think) :mental:
Two important points to be considered before I ask the question:
(1) A rocket needs to reach approximately 25,000 mph to escape earth's gravity.
(2) You weigh more, the closer you are to earth's surface.
(ex: You weigh more on Florida's beaches than you do at the peak of Mount Everest) ::)
Now 'suppose' that you could lower a spiral type stairway from a .. non moving, (in relation to the ground) space station and the stairway stayed attached to the station and was anchored on earth. (silly huh) :rotf:
My question, (finally) .. What, besides no oxygen, freezing cold (and Really bad blisters) would prevent a person from 'walking' up that stairway to the space station?
(A 25,000 mph Walk?) :panic:
SEE?
No Life! :stoner:
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You can take the stairs, I'll take the elevator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator) .
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You can take the stairs, I'll take the elevator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator) .
Well d@mn .. Looks like another night of no sleep! :stoner: :panic:
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BTW: Don't take this too literally. :whistling:
The staircase is just a scenario and I don't Really expect one to be built and I realize all the 'weight' and 'synchronization' problems.
(This is all fantasy) :stoner:
What I was wondering is .. Since a rocket MUST travel at 25,000 mph to escape the earths gravity .. Could a person walk to the station at less than the 25,000 mph? :popcorn:
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BTW: Don't take this too literally. :whistling:
The staircase is just a scenario and I don't Really expect one to be built and I realize all the 'weight' and 'synchronization' problems.
(This is all fantasy) :stoner:
What I was wondering is .. Since a rocket MUST travel at 25,000 mph to escape the earths gravity .. Could a person walk to the station at less than the 25,000 mph? :popcorn:
In theory, yes. Escape velocity does not figure into the equation.
When you climb a step, you are actually overcoming gravity to move your body 9-12" away from the center of the earth. Repeat as necessary to get to the top of the stairs. If the staircase was tall enough, you would note that less energy was needed to lift your body to the next step as you got higher and higher.
You may be familiar with Plant and Page's (http://www.momogalerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-album.jpg) work on the subject.
Professor Big Dog
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In theory, yes. Escape velocity does not figure into the equation.
When you climb a step, you are actually overcoming gravity to move your body 9-12" away from the center of the earth. Repeat as necessary to get to the top of the stairs. If the staircase was tall enough, you would note that less energy was needed to lift your body to the next step as you got higher and higher.
You may be familiar with Plant and Page's (http://www.momogalerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-album.jpg) work on the subject.
Professor Big Dog
The total energy required to move a person's body mass would remain the same either way.
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(http://metalnallensdagens.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-album1.jpg?w=300&h=289)
:rocker:
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Without going into all of the orbital mechanics required to fulfill the stated premise of your scenario the answer is:
Nothing would prevent you from accomplishing this climb.....assuming you could stay alive, and the structure that you are climbing remains intact. No speed approaching escape velocity would be involved, because your relative speed over the stated fixed point on earth is, and would always be "zero". Your "weight" as perceived by you at any given point on the climb would decrease inversely with the square of the distance from the center of the earth (F = G * m1 * m2 / d^2 [solve for "m2" for any given distance "d"] ).......however other forces would come into play as your altitude increased.
doc
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Without going into all of the orbital mechanics required to fulfill the stated premise of your scenario the answer is:
Nothing would prevent you from accomplishing this climb.....assuming you could stay alive, and the structure that you are climbing remains intact. No speed approaching escape velocity would be involved, because your relative speed over the stated fixed point on earth is, and would always be "zero". Your "weight" as perceived by you at any given point on the climb would decrease inversely with the square of the distance from the center of the earth (F = G * m1 * m2 / d^2 ).......however other forces would come into play as your altitude increased.
doc
Let's see a DUmpmonkey do that! :bird:
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You guys are great 'and' .. I was going to say exactly what 'doc' said!!! :rofl:
doc? You up for giving an explanation for gravity? :-) :hyper:
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You guys are great 'and' .. I was going to say exactly what 'doc' said!!! :rofl:
doc? You up for giving an explanation for gravity? :-) :hyper:
I think gravity is one of the least understood of all of the natural forces.
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You guys are great 'and' .. I was going to say exactly what 'doc' said!!! :rofl:
doc? You up for giving an explanation for gravity? :-) :hyper:
Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law.
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I remember a comic book story where this sort of space island appeared in the sky and one guy thought he could reach it by ladder.
I forget all the details but he climbed the ladder in an environment suit while other scientists on earth made fun of him. I think it was probably a reprint of some anthology from the 1950s.
Not really helpful to your question but it stirred up a memory.