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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
 Posted - 05/06/2007 : 15:42:35 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
There is a mistake in the math. Leipzig's conversion from cubic kilometers to cubic meters is off by a factor of one thousand when he calculates the mass of all that water. Instead of 4.525×1021 kg, he should have gotten 4.525×1024 kg.
Actually, the mistake is only where he's written that to go from cubic kilometers to cubic meters, one multiplies by 106. Something seemed odd about the 75%-of-Earth's-mass figure, so I looked at the calculations again. Leipzig has the correct answer, but to get it he would have had to have multiplied by 109 instead of 106. So all that water actually masses just 0.075% of Earth.
Still, though, the extra five miles (9 km or so) would only drop the surface gravity by 0.25%. There's no good reason to think the atmosphere would "boil away" because of such a small reduction in force. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 05/06/2007 : 16:43:30 [Permalink]
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I dunno; I dunno. But as the altitude where the earth's gravity can hold the atmosphere is finite, and the Flood came to some 2/3 of that altitude, it seems to me that the top percentage, although not as much as 66%, would tend to escape. It would not all be gone, of course, but breathing would be something of a wheezy proposition. As for the gas mix Leipzig mentioned, again, I dunno.
One thing I do know though, is that if he is even close to right about the generated heat, then the point would have been moot long before it came into question.
Same deal, if I am right, and I assure you that I am, about half-assed shipbuilding, all of the points would have been moot in about three days time, or less.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2007 : 16:55:24 [Permalink]
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Filthy, I agree with Dave's assessment of the atmosphere.
I too find it unlikely that the atmosphere would boil off.
The atmosphere ends where it does, not because the Earth's gravity drops too much, but because there aren't enough volume of atmosphere to fill up.
It is true that Earth's atmosphere is slowly bleeding off molecules to space, but that is primarily hydrogen that has been dis-associated from water by UV-radiation from the sun. (It's one of the processes that made Mars arid) A few kilometers higher won't make a difference.
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 05/06/2007 : 17:28:42 [Permalink]
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Again, I don't know. A pity we can't get Leipzig in here and have him explain.
So, I will reman open to further input on it, although I suspect I'm wrong here. T'ain't the first time; won't be the last.
But Leipzig made his case so well, at least to a layman's eye.....
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2007 : 18:49:25 [Permalink]
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By some back-of-the-envelope calculations, the lowest 1,000 meters of Earth's atmosphere would wind up as approximately 999.7 meters of atmosphere once 9 km of water lifts it up. This is taking into account the exansion of the volume (the surface area the atmosphere would sit on would go up by 0.4%), and the drop in gravity (of 0.25%, as we've already discussed).
At worst, the highest 9 km of atmosphere would be lost, but the "space" line is at 100 km, so we're only talking about the top 9%, which is also the least-dense 9%, so surface pressure would hardly change at all.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that because atmospheric pressure on top of Everest is 1/3rd that at sea level, raising the atmosphere that high would drop the pressure that low. 2/3rds of our atmosphere is below Everest, and it would all rise with the waters. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2007 : 20:27:14 [Permalink]
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Dave mentions that gravity would drop a tad, by .25%. But does that take into account the substantial mass of all that extra water, as well as the water being less dense than the earth as a whole?
(Not that any of this is anything but playing games with a ridiculously silly-ass fable, but games can be fun, too.) |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2007 : 03:05:14 [Permalink]
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I think I'm getting a handle on this. The earth would lose some atmosphere, but not as much as Leipzig postulates, and might not be all that big a deal.
Tell ya what; lets stop up all the drains, open the taps, and wait. That way, we'll test it for ourselves.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Dutch Ark set to launch
