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Sex in Space, Pt 1 - Action and Reaction
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Good point, |
@Oded
That is a good point about the thrust, and a very good one about the breathing. Part 2 of this article (written as we speak) deals with some biologic aspects, and I have inserted the breathing in there. I probably should have made a remark about it here, duly noted.
However, about the thrust -- it is true that in the article I took some creative approach and exaggerated the effect - odds are, no one will actually "fly off" to the other side of the room.
However, there are a few issues that cause thrust from the 'conclusion' to affect movement more than breathing:
1. Breathing is less directional; the air spreads around in all directions, which limits the "net force" on the body. A stream of matter, however, is more directional, and the force is more focused.
2. There is (almost) no friction in a zero-G environment. A small force will result in movement. It might not send you flying in a disastrous speed, but it will definitely cause some movement back.
This can be easily calculated if we have all the details. I might actually try to figure out the basic speeds involved in these biological procedures to try and solve the equation for thrust: T=dm/dt * v
Regardless of the outcome, this could be a fun exercise to test. Mathematically and practically.  |
bradleclerc
