If you don't know what a centrifuge is:
After thinking about the concept used in space as a sort of artificial gravity, I've concluded that it may only work completely if you are just sitting there. If you start to walk in a certain direction then you will get different results. I've drawn up some images to explain it:
There is also the issue with jumping. If you jump, it may appear to you that you are moving backwards but in reality the ground beneath you is moving forward without you. Also, if you were to jump then what exactly is keeping you from the zero gravity affects of space? Would you not just float there and perhaps never return to the ground?
So my conclusion is that my high expectations for centrifuge as a type of artificial gravity were wrong. It's a little depressing to think 'back to the drawing board' but that's how it works. My wonderful imagined spaceship is no longer valid :(
Very simple, yet still rather crucial in the flaws it details. Shame gravity is such a crucial thing to our healthy existence, yet at the same time is something so difficult to replicate.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are ways around this problem. The effects of running toward or against the spinning centrifuge, as well as jumping and falling backward is known as the Coriolis effect. The faster the rotation, the more prevalent this becomes, and in a small centrifuge, this can have adverse effects on the occupant, causing dizziness, nausea and whatnot.
DeleteHowever if the centrifuge was large enough, the problem can be solves. Being so large a shape, it would therefore would only require a very slow rotation to simulate gravity, therefore nullifying all negative impacts of the Coriolis effect. 2 revolutions per minute is generally accepted to be a good enough speed to nullify the effects.