Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 14/09/2006 17:32:15

Title: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: neilep on 14/09/2006 17:32:15

Dear Sirs/Madams/Trans Genders !!

How far is UP ?..is it as far as the edge of the atmosphere and then no up or down exists ?

Ta

neil


Men are the same as women, just inside out !

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: Karen W. on 14/09/2006 18:27:03

Wow Thats a good question, wish it was mine!

Karen

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: lightarrow on 14/09/2006 22:17:20

If you put a coordinate system in a point, for example in the earth's centre, then you can go up as far as you want, even at infinite distances. Usually, however, the terms up or down are not used in this sense, and then it depends on the context: for an airplane pilot, for example, up and down mean what you said.

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: ukmicky on 14/09/2006 22:47:13

HIGH NEIL

How far is up..... HMMM the old how high is high question which I suppose would be dependent on how low is low [:)]but as i'm not Manically Depressed or smoking a joint at the moment i will answer you by saying height is the distance between a point on earth and something vertically above it.
So that would mean space is just over 60 miles up and the space station which has an altitude of 300 miles can be said to be 300 miles up. However i don't think their is a real awnser to your question on how far is up.

DISCLAIMER,  I COULD BE WRONG

Michael

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: neilep on 14/09/2006 23:17:07

Hi Michael,

Don't worry..I've got enough damn depression for the lot of us.

and THANK YOU ALBERTO Too.

Yes, it seems once you get above the atmosphere that ' UP' and ' DOWN' could be a contentious issue . Maybe not so difficult if relative to a space ship that you are in........in that you can travel up and down the space ship but if you were left to float in space...then all you can do is move in a direction I suppose...and the direction is undefined until you hit something  or enter an atmosphere...!! perhaps !!

Men are the same as women, just inside out !

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: lightarrow on 15/09/2006 08:21:22

However, there is no need to go out of the athmosphere to undestand that "up" and "down" are relative concepts: what is "up" for us is "down" for New Zealander and vice-versa.

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: ROBERT on 15/09/2006 15:22:18

According to the "X-prize" space begins at 100Km (62miles)
http://www.slate.com/id/2107381/

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: neilep on 15/09/2006 15:40:53

THANKS ROBERT...Great link as always...that figure of 60 miles ties in with Michaels comment above.

Thank you all for your valuable contributions.

Men are the same as women, just inside out !

Title: Re: How Far is ' UP ' ?
Post by: nannham on 04/10/2006 08:05:10

Hmmmm ... no up or down ... from every starting point we go 'out' ... or perhaps 'forward' ... as in 'head first' ... or to proceed.