So, oil just jumps out of the ground for free, right?
One of the methods of “liberating” hydrogen from water is solar - how much does that cost to operate after it’s set up and running? (It’s also interesting to realize that solar power is actually hydrogen power, it’s just originating 93M miles away)
I don’t know, but I can reasonably assume that some source of energy is used to pull oil out of a deep sea well, possibly oil?
Ever heard of any solar powered oil wells?
tengraver: debate is of course fun, but there’s only so much education you can be force-fed before you close your teeth and refuse to swallow. Meanjoe is right. Hydrogen is essentially a battery.
As for the Hindenburg, all flames burn upward. I think you’ll find that most people killed in airplane (and zeppelin) crashes die from the impact (not “the fall”) and not the fire.
“Apparently, the burning process causes some free radicals already present to become bonded into harmless compounds in an hydrogen flame.”
Tell us about these free radicals. Naming one would be a good start.
“So, oil just jumps out of the ground for free, right?”
Essentially, yes. How do you think it was discovered to begin with? Are you familiar with the term “gusher”?
I write a blog about physics in everyday life, and my brother pointed me to this question as a topic. I wrote up a little something about it: http://fundamentalforces.blogspot.com/2011/07/tappet-challenge.html
It was my conclusion that you wouldn’t save gas using the wahwah method, but as a physicist, I took a simplified view of the situation. I don’t really know anything about cars, so there may be more technical aspects that I’m missing.
Hmmm, so why do they need pumps?
…and, would you rather have flames igniting below your feet or over your head?
No one ever burns to death in a crash?
This is the kind of rhetoric that oil companies use to discourage the use of hydrogen in the first place…where are you employed?
The analogy that hydrogen in merely a “battery”, therefore useless, begs the question, “why are there batteries?”. It’s always going to take more energy to charge them up than you will ever get out of them - but we still use them for mobile sources of energy, don’t we?
Let’s see, free radicals…every day in the hot weather my weatherman warns me about the excessive amount of ozone present in the air…
In general, fuel consumption is proportional (although not necessarily linearly) to the power output of a car’s engine. On a level surface, and at a constant speed, the only power required is to overcome rolling friction, aerodynamic drag (“wind resistance”), and friction and other losses in the drive train. Aerodynamic drag increases as the cube of speed. (e.g. doubling speed increases aerodynamic drag by a factor of 8.) Rolling friction and drive train losses increase at least linearly proportionately with speed. Therefore, the “WA-WA” method, which subjects the vehicle to speeds well above its average over the course of any given distance, will encounter greater average power required to overcome drag and friction than would a constant speed equal to the that average.
Super high mileage vehicles depend on designs that reduce aerodynamic drag and rolling friction to a minimum, so their contribution to overall power requirements is small compared to other factors (like engine efficiency). Therefore, maximizing mileage on these vehicles requires that they be driven for maximum average engine efficiency, which may in fact be some form of “WA-WA,” at the expense of some slight increase in average drag. For a typical vehicle, however, I’ll wager that a constant speed will almost always result in better fuel economy.
Texases, I stand by my earlier statement:
“So, oil just jumps out of the ground for free, right?”
Essentially, yes. How do you think it was discovered to begin with? Are you familiar with the term “gusher”?
"No one ever burns to death in a crash?
This is the kind of rhetoric that oil companies use to discourage the use of hydrogen in the first place…where are you employed?"
I work for the people who watch people who ask “where are you employed” 24 hours a day. The Pandorica will open. The Silence will fall.
“The analogy that hydrogen in merely a “battery”, therefore useless, begs the question, “why are there batteries?”. It’s always going to take more energy to charge them up than you will ever get out of them - but we still use them for mobile sources of energy, don’t we?”
When did I say “useless”? Kindly stick to the truth. Hydrogen is great for sending spaceships to the moon.
“Let’s see, free radicals…every day in the hot weather my weatherman warns me about the excessive amount of ozone present in the air…”
You’ll no doubt be relieved to know that ozone is not a free radical. Keep depending on your tv weatherman for science knowledge.
Sorry, you’re wrong all over the shop.
Not to hijack too much…but…in an AT-powered car, with fluidic coupling, does it really matter how many “input” sources are driving the “output”, be it 1, 2, or 42?
What I’m saying, is if a “big” engine is needed for hills/acceleration–and a “little” engine is needed for cruise–why not have two engines driving the AT? This would be better than cylinder de-activation, as de-activation still has frictional losses (from coasting cylinders) that “turning off an eninge” wouldn’t.
meanjoe,
Did you just describe a Prius?
Hey, way to address the issues peterdevers,
From now on I’ll turn to YOU for scientific knowledge…lol.
I doubt you’ve ever seen the inside of a shop, so knowing what’s right or wrong inside one seems to be outside your ability to understand.
Silencing people who think outside of Pandora’s box has a great legacy. I guess you are proud of your part in it.
Keep watching…I’ll be here…24 hours a day.
In silence.