Your random physics thought for the day
(From a problem set my students just handed in...)
The amount of energy it takes to bring water from room temperature to a boil is enough to launch it 34km straight up. The amount of energy it would take to boil it down all the way - until it all evaporated - would launch it 270km.
Compare this to a typical altitude for a 747, about 11km, or for a space shuttle, about 150km.
Damn. Water has a very high heat capacity.
And the idea of launching a liter of water 34km into the air is pretty cool.
( Other related ramblingsCollapse )This has been your random thought for the day.
