Read on Twitter
If you're watching the #Titanic story like the rest of the world, let me tell you some things about deep sea physics. 1/ thread
At sea level, the weight of all air, clouds, & moisture in the atmosphere exerts 14.7 pounds per square inch. That sounds like a decent weight but our bodies are used to it, which explains why bodies start to unravel in space where pressure is close to 0.
Pressure works on an arithmetic scale, increasing increasing with every 30 feet. In other words, at 30 feet deep, pressure is about 30 psi. At 60 feet it's 45 psi.
The Titanic is 12,500 feet deep, and has almost 6,000 psi. That's like balancing a fully loaded SUV on your pinky finger.
But interestingly, ocean pressure is globular, which means it doesn't just push down. It pushes in from all sides, including upward. Scientists in 1960s did pressure experiments by sinking styrofoam cups. When pulled up they shrunk by half.
The problem for humans is the oxygen, CO2, and nitrogen in our lungs and veins. Pressure collapses the gases, which is how humans die that deep.
On the surface, an adult pair of lungs are the size of two footballs. A hundred feet down they shrink to the size of two baseballs. Two hundred feet lower they’re barely the size of acorns. Descend twelve thousand more feet and the lungs would be congealed lifeless tissue.
Obviously humans CAN go 12,500 feet in submersibles, but it takes enormous energy. And any technological mishap is usually instant death.
It's possible the sub will be found and we'll hear the greatest survival story in human history (joining the top maritime tragedy story in human history). But most likely the life support systems either failed or are failing. Deep sea physics are not on the side.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
