Physics problem in the Santa adventure aftermath...

Angelita · **Posted:** Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:51 am

Angelita wrote:

In sufficiently deep water, the temperature at the bottom is 4 deg C (40 deg F), no matter how warm or cold the water is at the top. This is because water is most dense at the temperature, and would have to expand to either warm up or cool off.

So if we took Santa out past the edge of the continental shelf before we tossed him and his new close friend Mr. Anchor overboard, he'd die of hypothermia before he could get loose, no matter how much training he'd had.

So no, he ain't coming back...

TonyDiGerolamo wrote:

[Consider] The amazingly warm winters we've been having on the East Coast of late. It sorta depends upon how far south you locate New Milan in your "world". Additionally, some guys did not introduce "Mr. Anchor" to Santa after shooting him, nor did they specifically go beyond the continental shelf. Some GM's may equate New Milan's water to a river, rather than the ocean.

I would say, unless a PC had a feat like "Educated" or "Survival" his or her knowledge of hypothermia and continental shelves would be severely limited if at all. So why drive the boat all that way out? Once you're out where the water is at least 20' deep or so, drop the mook and let's go get a drink. Ya know what I'm sayin'?

Mr. D.

Angelita wrote:

I have hazy recollections of 8th grade Physical Science where the 4 deg C thing kicks in even with water only 30ft deep. I'll have to look this up... (Why couldn't I have thought of this when I ran into my high school physics teacher at Dunkin Donuts?)

Of course, 8th grade is coincidentally the last time Angelita actually paid any attention to the SUBJECTS in school...

Angelita wrote:

Interestingly enough, lakes hit a constant 4 deg C at shallower depth than the ocean!

Quote:

Several U.S. communities along the West Coast are researching deep-source cooling, and Hawaii has an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plan underway. It will rely on seawater, which, because of tides and currents, must be drawn from far greater depths -- about 3,000 feet -- to get consistently cold temperatures.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 15_pf.html

Quote:

The first deep lake water cooling system was installed by the Enwave Energy Corporation in Toronto, Ontario. It draws water from Lake Ontario through tubes extending 5 km into the lake, reaching to a depth of 83 metres. The lake-bottom water is at 4 °C year-round even at the height of summer, when the surface water is warm. The cooler denser water remains near the bottom. The deep lake water cooling system is part of an integrated district cooling system that covers Toronto's financial district, and has a cooling power of 59,000 tons (207 MW).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_lake_water_cooling

I still remember that diagram from the Physical Science book with 30 or 40 feet for freshwater lakes tho...

Angelita wrote:

Another very relevant link:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 7SQ7K1.DTL

One Arm Paulie wrote:

Those with knowledge or skill with scuba diving would also have a pretty good understanding.

Angelita wrote:

Hm, I know some scuba divers IRL, I'll ask them...

Our Santa was still kicking even with 2 bullets in him, so we used Mr. Anchor! I do know for a fact he wasn't wearing a wet suit...

(Did you know you got 5 pts of Respect for banging Santa?)

One Arm Paulie wrote:

Y'know...I don't need the respect that badly. Unless you're talkin' bout *BANG!*'n Santa...

Angelita wrote:

No, I'm talking about banging Santa, not whacking him!

Physics problem in the Santa adventure aftermath...

Who is online