Assuming a rotational cylinder, what are the physics problems involved with generating centripetal?

Question

pseudogravity? What are the minimum diameters useful? Why?
Architecturally, how do you build something that will be subjected
to centripetal forces? How do you hold a hollowed asteroid together once it starts to spin?

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Answer 1

On a bisic model there are some basic questions:

1: What is the velosity the item is to achieve to produce the results your are after.

2: What mass are you allowed in you deisgn, as shaft design will need to be considered.

3. What materials can withstand the velosity, and yet maintain you mass variable.

4. Diameter is dependent on velocity, material,

as far as buliding it... you must consider the G factor...dependent upon weather it is earth bound or space bound.

Answer 2

Another limit is Coriolis "pseudo" forces. If the object is small enough, these will play havoc with your balance, and even your inner ear if it is spinning fast enough to generate useful pseudo-gravity. Humans are pretty adaptable, so maybe after a while you would be OK, as long as you did not change your inner ear's distance from the center axis.

Minimum diameter depends on how much gravity you want, and over what axial distances you want coriolis to be negligible (and what your definition of negligible is).

Answer 3

Not completely sure wht you are asking but centripetal acceleration = r * w^2 where r is the radius and w is the rotational speed in radians per second (one rotation = 2*pi radians). This will be in units of r/t^2. If r is in meters, then meters per second squared. 9.81 meters per second squared = 1 g.