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Unread 25-02-2010, 12:06
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FRC #1197 (Torbots)
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Re: Kinda stupid question...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill_B View Post
Popular myth about the famous accident associates hydrogen with the disaster. All that flame you see is from OTHER things burning. A spark inside a pure hydrogen vessel will not ignite anything. If the gas leaked out, it would escape the area by being pushed aside by in-rushing heavier gas (air) so the igniting spark would have to be very close to the leak to cause problems. Is there a Mythbusters episode about this?
Yep, there is. I've seen it. I just checked the schedule; should be on again on 3/6; time listed as 5 ET/PT.

What they figured out with several models was that neither the cover nor the hydrogen was fully responsible. Both of them were culprits. Hydrogen made the cover burn better; the cover makes the hydrogen burn better.
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Past teams:
2003-2007: FRC0330 BeachBots
2008: FRC1135 Shmoebotics
2012: FRC4046 Schroedinger's Dragons

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Last edited by EricH : 25-02-2010 at 12:29.