| |
VK3ABK > INFO 25.07.02 09:25l 66 Lines 3543 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 31081_VK3VSW
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: ARCHIMEDES ET AL
Path: DB0FHN<DB0ZWI<DB0CHZ<OK0PKL<OK0PPL<RZ6HXA<SP7MGD<WB0TAX<ON0AR<ON0AR<
ZL2TZE<VK3TE<VK3SPB<VK3FRC<VK3VSW
Sent: 020725/0631Z @:VK3VSW.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC #:31081 [Geelong] $:31081_VK3VSW
From: VK3ABK@VK3VSW.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC
To : INFO@WW
Hello again Balloonists.
I sent this bulletin on 23/07/02 but it may not have gone to WW.
It seems the balloon has gone up again and it's only Warren's lead balloon
that can't get off the ground! Reading the latest bulletins I see Harry
has invoked Boyle's law, and Avogardro's number. All very interesting. Alan
and others seem to be keen on Archimedes activities and while I find no
fault with that, I ask all to consider this.
Archimedes lived at a time when wine and water were both scarce and Archie
had to choose one or the other. Not surprisingly he chose wine and gave
water the flick! So, this meant that the soap and water treatment was not
high on his agenda. Thus, it transpired that one Saturday night Mrs Arch
was trying to induce him into a close encounter with his nemesis, when he
accidentally fell into his bath tub. As the water was cold, due to a strike
at the local coal mine, his sudden immersion caused him to come rapidly to
the surface and yell, EEEK agh! He then took off down the avenue with
Mrs Arch in hot persuit, shouting, COME BACK YOU REEKA! This was promptly
taken up by the local wives, who no doubt had the same problem.
All this commotion attracted the attention of a news hound from the News Of
The World, a regular journal in old Syracuse, and was eagerly turned into
front page head lines in the Sunday edition. Being a scholar, and wishing
to be thought worthy of promotion to head of current affairs, this reporter
assumed the role of sub-editor and his headline literally shouted, EUREKA!,
giving the story a somewhat exotic international flavour. So, just what
archie had discovered that affected him most can only be assumed.
But, lets look at the real man of the moment. Blaise Pascal was his name, a
local numbers man in old Paris town who was rather good at facts and figures.
Old Pas had a daughter who was a real cool party goer, and seeing her ready
for a night at the casino, holding one of the new helium filled, plastic
balloons on a string, he idly wondered about the possibility of the balloon,
and his daughter floating away over the Eifel Tower. Possibly worried about
the dowry she was going to cost him one day.
Blaise then realised that he had hit on the idea of atmospheric pressure,
and after doodling on his evening paper he came up with this result.
0
0 1 0
0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
The scholars among you will immediately recognise Pascal's Triangle, and as
good old Pas did, see that pressure is greatest at the bottom and zero at
the top! He also noted that the bottom line showed repeatedly, 101, which he
cleverly predicted was ground pressure and he called it killer Pascal. The
weight of his daughter's dowry was getting to him! Then it was grade school
to work out the pressure differential across the half metre balloon, again
in binary notation (well he did have an idea about a computer too) and
decided that about 1/2 a Pascal (unbiased) would lift the balloon. QED!
PS. I have just read some of the learned discussion that has evolved from
my question, 'what causes a balloon to rise' All very conflicting and a
little repulsive! Jets, rockets, or turbos? So now I will enjoy future
comments from the safety of distance! Thanks to all, it's been a lot of fun.
And let's keep it that way. OK?
73. Dick. VK3ABK. Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
