4 ms·
Supposedly they were "trying to figure out how fast a cannonball would travel". Presumably they knew the mass, density and shape... and the force of the explosi
by code_duck 15y ago
Supposedly they were "trying to figure out how fast a cannonball would travel". Presumably they knew the mass, density and shape... and the force of the explosives being used. Perhaps someone should tell them about physics, it would save some trouble.
- NegativeK 15y ago> Perhaps someone should tell them about physics Are you referring to the hosts or the general public that the hosts enjoy educating?
- code_duck 15y agoI was referring to the hosts. I'm neither an explosives expert, nor a physicist, but it seems to me that there would be simpler ways of determining this. Of course, the purpose is vaguely informative entertainment, not scientific research.
- Symmetry 15y agoWith low explosives like those used in cannons figuring out the force can be pretty tricky. This isn't an adiabatic expansion, the force experienced on the ball will depend on how fast the ball is moving. The rate at which the explosive burns depends on the heat inside the chamber which depends on the pressure. The burn rate and rate at which the cannonball leaves, plus a modifier based on how much escapes through the ignition hole, governs the pressure. I really wouldn't trust any calculation of all of the above without experiment.