4 ms·
Given that the cracking is cavitation bubbles, it's kinda surprising that it wouldn't be doing damage. You just have to look at metal ship propellers that are w
by mullingitover 12y ago
Given that the cracking is cavitation bubbles, it's kinda surprising that it wouldn't be doing damage. You just have to look at metal ship propellers that are worn from cavitation damage to see how cavitation bubbles can eat away at things.
- stouset 12y agoConsider how many cavitation bubbles a propeller has to deal with in its lifetime, versus a typical knuckle.
- ars 12y agoI wouldn't discount it so fast, tuna have damage to their tail because of cavitation. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13553-dolphins-swim-so-fast-it-hurts.html http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13553-dolphins-swim-so...
- logfromblammo 12y agoCurrent theory is that cavitation damage is caused by low pressure bubbles imploding in a high-pressure medium. The pop in your joint is coming from the shockwave of bubble formation and expansion. That energy is diffused around the surface of the bubble. The shockwave of an imploding bubble is focused on a much smaller area. It's like the difference between trying to burn ants in sunlight using a concave versus a convex lens.
- Crito 12y agoHuman bodies may have the advantage of being able to heal damage that would normally otherwise slowly accumulate over time. I am not sure what sort of tissue exactly would be potentially damaged by this though, and how well it can heal.
- lgas 12y agoIt does do damage: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1004074/pdf/annrheumd00439-0036.pdf http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1004074/pdf/annr...