Would the ball of clay convert into ceramic as it races through the Earth's atmosphere? Would it create a sonic boom? Would it disintegrate or survive on impact? What would be some additional effects? Would NASA be able to perform this experiment or would it just be too dangerous to perform? What if it hit water, ground or a building? Have astronauts ever tried similar experiments (e.g., throwing things in space)?
2007-01-01 16:42:11 · 9 answers · asked by Electric 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Ok, what if the size of the clay was as big as a satellite, and the astronaut used a launcher to propel the clay at 1800 mph towards earth (just imagine). Lets say the type of clay is fire clay which has a fusion point higher than 1600°C. Keep in mind ceramic is heat resistant. What would happen then?
2007-01-02 12:01:37 · update #1
Well it an astronaut throws a ball of clay toward earth, I'm not cleaning it up!
♥
2007-01-01 16:50:29 · answer #1 · answered by Hello Kitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An astronaut in orbit could not throw a lump of clay fast enough to leave orbit. The space station is traveling at many thousands of miles per hour. The best pitcher in major league baseball can only throw a ball at about 100 miles per hour. Throwing a lump of clay would only result in the clay changing to a more elliptical(less circular) orbit.
That being said, the energies involved are so great that any object the size of a lump of clay would not reach the surface of the earth. It would ablate into tiny pieces and most of the components of the clay would chemically react with the atmosphere(burn).
2007-01-01 17:15:16 · answer #2 · answered by anonimous 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing. Like one of your previous answers on this question, there would not be enough sufficient velocity to cause damage of any sort. The ball would more than likely burn up in the atmosphere due to the angle of descent into Earth. The friction would cause the clay ball to burn up in our atmosphere. This is why the shuttles need heat shields and have to come back to Earth at a precise degree of angle. If it's too steep the ball would burn up in the atmosphere. If it's too shallow the ball would simply ricochet off the atmosphere and back into space. The only way to achieve this is to have thrusters to change the pitch and roll, which only a shuttle has. There is no way the clay ball would make it.
2007-01-01 16:55:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the ball of clay won't turn in ceramic. No sonic boom. It will burn in atmosphere. Additional effects: someone will make an wish on a falling star. To boring to perform for NASA. Yes, they tried, more or less willingly - where do you think the toilet waste goes?
2007-01-01 17:00:41 · answer #4 · answered by bily7001 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It woud stay in the orbit of earth because it would not have a great enough velocity to travel through the atmosphere.
2007-01-01 16:46:34 · answer #5 · answered by futureastronaut1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ya better be able to run fast, I got a stronger arm than you, and I have a 16 pound Bowling Ball.
2016-05-23 05:09:29 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it would cause an extinction level event....like the one that killed the dinosaurs. kinda like how if you drop a penny from the top of a skyscraper, it would slice a person in half. a ball of clay thrown from space would cause a crater the size of brazil and a cloud of dust would envelop the entire world....plants and animals would die, oceans would dry up. we would all be dead within 2 weeks.
2007-01-01 16:47:30 · answer #7 · answered by racedayvinyls 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It would just burn up in the atmosphere much like a small meteor. There would be no impact.
2007-01-01 16:54:58 · answer #8 · answered by John C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the heat would be too much and just destroy the object.
2007-01-01 16:45:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋