I was watching a cartoon with a cousin of mine and one of the characters was training in gravity like 20g's. I know that if any human was placed in that envoirment, they would more than likely perish since the weight of the their body would smoother them. But it raises an interesting thought for me.
Supposing someone did invent a gravity chamber and you could adjust the gravity say to 1.2 or 1.5g's. Would excercising in that envoirment prove more detrimental than beneficial? I am guessing that if someone worked out regularly in that sort of envoirment, would maintain good health such as good weight, good bp, etc....
Also, I would think that after returning to normal gravity, the extra strength gained, would quickly vanish since the person would not be using the muscles as much. Just like how astronauts much work out harder in space to preven muscle loss.
Please share all your comments on this topic, I am very interested in it, and wish to learn more about it.
First off, it's relatively easy to increase the force of gravity. At least the EFFECTS of the force of gravity (can you tell that physics is one of the things I've majored in over the years?) That would be a centrifuge. NASA and some other places have been working with people in centrifuge for quite some time. Angular velocity (actually not momentum) in a centrifuge sort of mirrors the effects of gravity,
As far as reducing the effects of gravity, the only way, so far, is on the parabolic flights that the "vomit comet" makes. NASA has a couple of big ol' planes that they've stripped down to padded walls on the inside that they use to simulate weightlessness, perhaps even reduced weight, I don't know that much about it.
The plane climbs steeply until it reaches whatever height it reaches. Then it goes over the top like a rollercoaster, then it goes into a powered drive. As the plane goes over the top of the parabola, the effect of gravity is lessened. On the dive down, there are 30-40 seconds of weightlessness.
I've known people who have participated in this - it's not JUST open to NASA people. I went to Purdue, which has a major aerospace department, and Purdue students ride on the vomit comet from time to time for their experiments. I think it's open to other schools as well. But anyway, I've never been on it... I don't think I'd survive the climbing part of the parabola. I've been told the plane is at a 50 degree attitude (FIFTY DEGREE!!!!).
I just about stroke out when taking off on an American Airlines jet! I Hate that feeling of climbing sharply and believe me I've NEVER been in an airplane 50 degrees nose-high!!!!!!!!
Another VERY unpleasant sounding aspect would be the less than 10 seconds during which you go from 1.8 to ZERO g's. Can you say Urrrrrrppp. Well (light bulb goes on!) I'll bet that's why they call it "vomit comet!"
I work with a lady now who has ridden this several times (doing research for NASA) and said that they do it 32 times per trip! So if you are so miserable you want to die on the first parabola, you know that you have to survive 31 more of them. No getting off.
To me this thinking is not that difficult, its the nursing or healthcare stuff that hurts my head lol. Which is one reason I ask so many questions lol.
Hehe..yeah, but I think the ones who'd get hurt would be those of us who would be watching from the other side of the one way mirror! We'd all have side aches and headaches from laughing so hard! Can you imagine the conversation they'd have? Good grief! My brain would hurt, I think it hurts just thinking about it! Ugh!
Who is this Mario so that I may meet him lol! For the spectators, just be sure to have some morphine drips ready ROFLMAO!!!! Also, dont hesitate to share it with the contestants lol. j/k
Try a roller coaster, LOL. They are engineered to vary the "G" experienced by the rider, that's why they feel like they do! Isn't the discovery channel great! They did a prog. on this. Some of the dips and curves can max at 2G, I think.
NurseDennie, BSN, RN
723 Posts
Hi Nutty Poster -
First off, it's relatively easy to increase the force of gravity. At least the EFFECTS of the force of gravity (can you tell that physics is one of the things I've majored in over the years?) That would be a centrifuge. NASA and some other places have been working with people in centrifuge for quite some time. Angular velocity (actually not momentum) in a centrifuge sort of mirrors the effects of gravity,
As far as reducing the effects of gravity, the only way, so far, is on the parabolic flights that the "vomit comet" makes. NASA has a couple of big ol' planes that they've stripped down to padded walls on the inside that they use to simulate weightlessness, perhaps even reduced weight, I don't know that much about it.
The plane climbs steeply until it reaches whatever height it reaches. Then it goes over the top like a rollercoaster, then it goes into a powered drive. As the plane goes over the top of the parabola, the effect of gravity is lessened. On the dive down, there are 30-40 seconds of weightlessness.
I've known people who have participated in this - it's not JUST open to NASA people. I went to Purdue, which has a major aerospace department, and Purdue students ride on the vomit comet from time to time for their experiments. I think it's open to other schools as well. But anyway, I've never been on it... I don't think I'd survive the climbing part of the parabola. I've been told the plane is at a 50 degree attitude (FIFTY DEGREE!!!!).
I just about stroke out when taking off on an American Airlines jet! I Hate that feeling of climbing sharply and believe me I've NEVER been in an airplane 50 degrees nose-high!!!!!!!!
Another VERY unpleasant sounding aspect would be the less than 10 seconds during which you go from 1.8 to ZERO g's. Can you say Urrrrrrppp. Well (light bulb goes on!) I'll bet that's why they call it "vomit comet!"
I work with a lady now who has ridden this several times (doing research for NASA) and said that they do it 32 times per trip! So if you are so miserable you want to die on the first parabola, you know that you have to survive 31 more of them. No getting off.
Hope this helps.
Love
Dennie