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Re: Yes, Mage, radioactive decay (OT)
Posted By: Mark Levin <mglevin@uiuc.edu>	Date: 11/14/99 1:23 a.m.
In Response To: Re: Yes, Mage, radioactive decay (OT) (Mage) > Radioactive decay doesnt give off heat... it gives off gammas. > While that might generate some heat, its pissant. Radioactive decay gives off *energy* (otherwise it wouldn't occur at all). This energy is then absorded intot he surrounding earth and appears as heat. As before, bear in mind that the radioative elements have been decaying for BILLIONS of years and are surrounded by several thousand miles of rock. Yes, there is also heat due to pressure but the contribution from radioactivity is not zero. > The heat is from the earth's pressure compressing it. Hell, I > doubt the meteorites even had much to do with it. Meteorites are a source of heat. When they burn up in the atmosphere their (significant) kinetic energy is absorbed. > When you think about how big the earth is... and the fact that > if you have a hull breach on a sub at test depth you WILL set > the sub on fire... Yes, both pressure and radioactivity contribute. > There is some wicked heat down there. But not from radiation. If > it WAS from radiation, why isnt it cooled off yet? > Simple. BEcause its all in the pressure. The reason it cooled > from molten rock into what we have now is PROLLY due to the > formation of it's atmosphere. Like it boiled off some weight > (into vaporous atmosphere), and the pressure decreased. No, it's because the pressure is due to the weight of the rock *above* it. Of course there's no pressure on the surface because there's nothing pressing down on it. Also the surface was not insulated. Rock does not boil into air. Oxygen, hydrogen, and the other gaseous elements do. The atmosphere was formed from these elements collected from meteorites impacting on the planet.

Message Index

Smoke plume and different sky revealed!	Wirehead	11/10/99 4:11 a.m.
Re: Smoke plume and different sky revealed!	MacDrugal	11/10/99 9:41 a.m.
Re: Smoke plume and different sky revealed!	wondercrank	11/10/99 2:22 p.m.
volcano if you ask me...	Ben Schodek	11/10/99 6:23 p.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	Mark Levin	11/10/99 7:07 p.m.
My kingdom for a ship.....:)	Sempiternity	11/11/99 10:13 a.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	SiliconDream	11/10/99 7:42 p.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	Mage	11/10/99 11:10 p.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	SiliconDream	11/11/99 12:10 a.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	Mage	11/11/99 5:49 p.m.
Inner and Outer cores.	Bachus	11/12/99 2:39 p.m.
Re: Inner and Outer cores.	Mage	11/12/99 3:36 p.m.
Re: Inner and Outer cores.	Desio	11/12/99 4:21 p.m.
Re: Inner and Outer cores.	Mage	11/13/99 12:30 p.m.
Yes, Mage, radioactive decay (OT)	SiliconDream	11/13/99 11:10 p.m.
Re: Yes, Mage, radioactive decay (OT)	Mage	11/14/99 1:01 a.m.
Re: Yes, Mage, radioactive decay (OT)	Mark Levin	11/14/99 1:23 a.m.
Switching focus.....	Sempiternity	11/14/99 12:40 p.m.
Powers up the Trademarked Weapon™	SiliconDream	11/14/99 3:37 a.m.
Re: Powers up the Trademarked Weapon™	Mage	11/14/99 10:41 a.m.
Re: Powers up the Trademarked Weapon™	SiliconDream	11/14/99 2:20 p.m.
Re: Powers up the Trademarked Weapon™	Mage	11/14/99 8:15 p.m.
Re: Powers up the Ultimate Weapon™	Mark Levin	11/14/99 9:50 p.m.
Really Boring Post	SiliconDream	11/15/99 1:21 a.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	Mage	11/10/99 11:16 p.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	MacDrugal	11/11/99 2:14 a.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	Louis Wu	11/11/99 9:12 p.m.
Re: volcano if you ask me...	MacDrugal	11/12/99 1:11 a.m.