Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => Science Experiments => Topic started by: Maniax101 on 21/09/2009 15:09:38

Title: Acceleration and water
Post by: Maniax101 on 21/09/2009 15:09:38

I read somewhere in a science-fiction book that in order to withstand huge acceleration (in an interstellar craft) you would probably have to be floating in a liquid of sorts, as the liquid is hard to compress, you would feel less stress as the craft accelerated.
The question is then : If you here on earth are swimming in a huge fishtank that is suspended from a crane, and then the tank is dropped from a distance down into any body of water, would you feel the drop? or the impact?
I would want to say yes, but i'm not sure.
What do you think?

Title: Acceleration and water
Post by: psikeyhackr on 25/09/2009 21:19:49

YES,

You would feel the drop and the impact.  Floating in zero G with water would feel different from just floating in gravity with water.  On impact the water would provide perfectly even body support during the deceleration but the G forces compressing organs would be felt.  Better be floating near the top of the tank.

This was used in the book Antares Victory.

http://www.amazon.com/Antares-Victory-Michael-McCollum/dp/1929381093

psik

Title: Acceleration and water
Post by: daveshorts on 15/10/2009 11:26:35

Yes this is the principle behind this kitchen science:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/kitchenscience/exp/dropping-eggs/