Science > Physics > Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please
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Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Tony" |
| Date: |
12 Feb 2005 08:23:18 AM |
| Object: |
Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
I've run the numbers, and have concluded that every breath we take
(making the obvious assumptions, like a well mixed atmosphere -- I
didn't have to assume a spherical cow) contains a molecule or two from
the last minute breaths of those who have died before us.
Before I get too far along in the piece I'm writing that has that
assertion in it, I'd appreciate an independent collaboration.
Thanks
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| User: "Herman Trivilino" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 04:37:32 PM |
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"Tony" <ajw27703@yahoo.com> wrote ...
I've run the numbers, and have concluded that every breath we take
(making the obvious assumptions, like a well mixed atmosphere -- I
didn't have to assume a spherical cow) contains a molecule or two from
the last minute breaths of those who have died before us.
Before I get too far along in the piece I'm writing that has that
assertion in it, I'd appreciate an independent collaboration.
Can we see how you've "run the numbers"? I'm a little suspicious because
someone in Iraq just died a minute ago. And I'm in Texas breathing.
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| User: "Tony" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 07:23:01 PM |
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You'll see the assumptions, exclusive of the time for the atmosphere to
mix, in my response to Mike Hanson's helpful reference.
Mixing time for the atmosphere, according to the global warming guys
who are concerned about floride compounds migrating to the south pole
from the northern hemisphere is the order of 20 years. WIthin the
hemisphere mixing should be much faster, maybe by a couple of binary
orders of magnitude.
Tony
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| User: "CWatters" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 10:20:22 AM |
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"Tony" <ajw27703@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1108218198.424827.170560@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've run the numbers, and
No marks for the answer these days. Gotta show the workings.
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| User: "CWatters" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 03:18:49 PM |
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"Tony" <ajw27703@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1108218198.424827.170560@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
I've run the numbers, and have concluded that every breath we take
(making the obvious assumptions, like a well mixed atmosphere -- I
didn't have to assume a spherical cow) contains a molecule or two from
the last minute breaths of those who have died before us.
Is it possible to go further and state the likely composition of that
molecule? For example is it more or less probable that would plant life
would have recycled exhaled CO2 back into Oxygen before it's rebreathed
again or not? Perhaps only the Nitrogen is really "second hand"?
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| User: "Tony" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 07:24:18 PM |
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Since nitrogen is the most abundant and the least reactive of the major
atmospheric gasses, it's a good bet it's probably that.
Tony
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| User: "Tony" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 07:24:23 PM |
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Since nitrogen is the most abundant and the least reactive of the major
atmospheric gasses, it's a good bet it's probably that.
Tony
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 10:55:24 AM |
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Google "caesar's last breath"
--
Mike.
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| User: "Tony" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 02:08:41 PM |
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Thanks, Mike, for the reference: that's the verification I needed. My
assumptions, exclusive of spherical cows, are different than that
reference, but both demonstrate it's a reasonable assumption. fwiw, I
took an 8000 diameter earth, 15 pounds of gas on each square inch of
it, with an average molecular weight of 28 grams, and a tidal resp
volume of half a liter. That, and A's # of 6 exp 23 worked for me.
Tony
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| User: "Uncle Al" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 12:27:03 PM |
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Tony wrote:
I've run the numbers, and have concluded that every breath we take
(making the obvious assumptions, like a well mixed atmosphere -- I
didn't have to assume a spherical cow) contains a molecule or two from
the last minute breaths of those who have died before us.
Grand canonical ensemble of spherical homogeneous isotropic cows.
Capital acquisition of one technical grade cow cannot be funded.
Before I get too far along in the piece I'm writing that has that
assertion in it, I'd appreciate an independent collaboration.
Volume of a breath. Call it 250 ml .
Moles of gases in a breath at sea level, (0.250/22.4)(273/310) =
9.93x10^(-3) moles
Molecules; multiply by N_A to get 15.9x10^21 conservatively.
Find the summed number of human deaths, their average lifespan, and
average breathing rate and volume. The atmosphere masses 5.136x10^18
kg with average molecular weight 29. Figure out primary dilution.
It's no better than a Fermi solution (re further dilution into the
1.148x10^16 gram biosphere and assumed goodeness of mixing), but it's
still better than the usual tripe.
<http://ist-socrates.berkeley.edu/~chem1a/labmanual/expt1_6.htm>
<http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0100-879X1999000600006&script=sci_arttext>
Etc.
--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz.pdf
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| User: "Tony" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
14 Feb 2005 10:18:48 PM |
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Uncle Al wrote in part
The atmosphere masses 5.136x10^18
kg with average molecular weight 29. Figure out primary dilution.
It's no better than a Fermi solution (re further dilution into the
1.148x10^16 gram biosphere
To which I say, I'm amazed the atmospheric mass is known to that level
of precision, ditto the biosphere.
Never the less, I'm grateful to have had my number crunching verified
enough so that the article I'm writing (not peer reviewed, and not
technical) that makes the claim we breathe a molecule or two of long
dead people's last breath will not be shot down by a pimple-faced high
school kid with a ( I was about to slide rule, but that would date me)
palm pilot.
s
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Every breath we take: verify a calculation, please |
12 Feb 2005 09:47:40 AM |
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Tony wrote:
I've run the numbers, and have concluded that every breath we take
(making the obvious assumptions, like a well mixed atmosphere -- I
didn't have to assume a spherical cow) contains a molecule or two
from
the last minute breaths of those who have died before us.
Before I get too far along in the piece I'm writing that has that
assertion in it, I'd appreciate an independent collaboration.
Thanks
you must be joking tony boy you must be joking
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