[TheForge] Re: Slack tank...POL OT

[Mike Spencer]

To get this slightly back on topic...

If your 400 gallon stock tank has half an inch of ice on top and you
toss in a 500# red-hot anvil, everybody will agree that there is
GTW. [1] If, OTOH, you quench a few or a few dozen pieces of hot 1/4"
round, you'll get some 1/4" holes in the ice and most spots on the ice
or in the tank will remain unchanged.  Imaginary micro-folks living
near a quench point will see stormy/steamy weather and maybe a little
flooding but will rely on news from down the ice that things remain
normal. And they may sneer at any GTW scenario. Semper eadem. [2]

But if you go on quenching those 1/2" rods, a few dozen every minute,
there will come a time (allowing for the imprecise specs of this
rather cavalier model) when all or most of the ice is gone.  Then
things will begin to get interesting, exciting or even scary.

I'm pretty much with Bruce and thought I'd just try to wrangle this
back On Topic, however precariously. :-)


[1] Global Tank Warming

[2] Semper eadem: "Always the same". Personal motto of Q. Elizabeth I,
    on the coat of arms of England during her reign.  She was a snappy
    dresser but her motto was overly optimistic.


Bruce wrote:

> *In a a room at normal "room temperature", place a thermometer and
> an ice cube or two in a cup of water and stir well.  The thermometer
> WILL read 32*F (0*C).  (This is a fact and is not subject to
> debate.)  Keep stirring and watch the ice and the thermometer.  The
> thermometer will continue to read 32*F until the ice is GONE.  (This
> is also a fact, not subject to debate.)
>
> At that point the water temperature will begin to rise (at a rate
> dependent upon many things) until it eventually reaches room
> temperature.  Note that while ice is present in the glass, the
> temperature does not change despite the fact that warming is clearly
> occurring.  This is due to the distinction between heat (which is
> increasing) and temperature (which does not increase until the ice
> is melted).
>
> Now apply this to the Earth.  The average temperature on earth will
> not increase significantly till all the ice is melted.  (Due to
> inhomogeneity of mixing, this statement is not such an absolute as
> the statements about the ice water, but in general it is true.)
> What this means is that "global warming" refers to an overall
> increase in the BTU content of the Earth, and NOT to an overall
> increase in its temperature.

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^