FRDB Archives

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.


Go Back   FRDB Archives > Archives > IIDB ARCHIVE: 200X-2003, PD 2007 > IIDB Philosophical Forums (PRIOR TO JUN-2003)
Welcome, Peter Kirby.
You last visited: Today at 05:55 AM

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-10-2002, 01:27 AM   #1
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,440
Post weird material

Least-dense solid, according to Guinness World Records. Looks good too!



<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/space/05/09/record.gel/index.html" target="_blank">WoW!</a>

[Fix the URL...]

[ May 10, 2002: Message edited by: Bill ]</p>
liquid is offline  
Old 05-10-2002, 08:01 AM   #2
Regular Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 247
Post

At .00011 pounds per cubic inch a block of that stuff the size of a 5,000 square foot home would weigh only 66 pounds. Pretty amazing.
Hans is offline  
Old 05-10-2002, 08:49 AM   #3
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Madison WI USA
Posts: 3,508
Post

Hans,

I can't figure out where you got that number.

A 1 inch thick piece of aerogel, 5000 square feet, with a density of .00011 lb/cubic inch, works out to weigh 79.2 lbs.

Yeah, pretty fluffy stuff! I'm skeptical about their claim that nothing can be made lighter. Or maybe they just mean that this type of aerogel can't be made any less dense.

I'm sure once we start manufacturing in zero g, we'll be able to make less dense structures. Then again, they might not hold up in 1 g enviroments either.
Gooch's dad is offline  
Old 05-10-2002, 09:10 AM   #4
Regular Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 247
Post

Quote:
Originally posted by Gooch's dad:
<strong>Hans,

I can't figure out where you got that number.

A 1 inch thick piece of aerogel, 5000 square feet, with a density of .00011 lb/cubic inch, works out to weigh 79.2 lbs.</strong>
I goofed. I multiplied by 12 instead of 1,728 to convert cubic feet to cubic inches. Make that a big goof!!

10 ft x 5,000 ft x 1,728 x .00011 = 9,504 pounds.

That is a big difference from 66 pounds isn't it?

A block the rough size of a car is a better example:

6 ft x 8 ft x 10 ft x 1,728 x .00011 = 91.24 pounds.
Hans is offline  
Old 05-10-2002, 09:15 AM   #5
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,440
Post

Quote:
maybe they just mean that this type of aerogel can't be made any less dense.
I am pretty sure they are talking about that general category of aerogel under Earth conditions. The language is a bit fuzzy but its probably just blurred by being second or third hand.
liquid is offline  
Old 05-10-2002, 09:48 AM   #6
Regular Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Earth
Posts: 247
Post

Quote:
Originally posted by Gooch's dad:
<strong>
Yeah, pretty fluffy stuff! I'm skeptical about their claim that nothing can be made lighter. Or maybe they just mean that this type of aerogel can't be made any less dense.

I'm sure once we start manufacturing in zero g, we'll be able to make less dense structures. Then again, they might not hold up in 1 g enviroments either.</strong>
I couldn't speculate as to whether a less dense solid could be produced. But I think what we need is a clear definition of when an object changes from being a solid to being a structure like a cardboard box or fiberglass insulation. I think with that definition, which I'm sure the folks at NASA are using, one could make a better speculation.

[ May 10, 2002: Message edited by: Hans ]</p>
Hans is offline  
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:09 PM.

Top

This custom BB emulates vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2015, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.