2. Assume you screw 995,406-21 foot lengths of 1" galvanized threaded pipe together using couplings, and let the assembly down the hole as you screw it together. You put a cap on the first pipe at the bottom end before letting it down in the hole.
3. Since the pipe assembly is 3,959 miles long, it reaches the center of the Earth.
4. Now, assume you take a garden hose, and fill the pipe with water. Leave the top of the pipe open to the atmosphere.
5. What do you know about the water pressure in the pipe?
6. What would happen to a worm that fell into the top of the pipe? Hint...worms sink in water.
7. What else would happen?
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6 comments:
I like questions that make me think. I know that worm has to be a good swimmer.
Is the earth that deep? Does Ace Hardware have a drill that long? Those seem to be mighty big assumptions.
It would take over a half million gallons of water to fill the pipe.
852,475 gallons. Texas A and M seems to be short for a change.
I don't think the water would stay in the pipe, it would be boiling away from the heat in the earth's core. You'd never see the worm again either...
since the temperature at the center of the earth is believed to be between 2500C and 7300C, the galvanized pipe would melt right away, because iron melts at 1500C. Your whole premise would collapse, just like the pipe. Your water would turn to steam, and at 2500C, steam pressure would reach...whew! The bill from Ryerson for the galvanized pipe would be about fifty million dollars.
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