Air, or vacuum, doesn't matter. You would "fall" back to the surface in either case. With air though there may be some air currents, or wind, if you prefer, but any such effect upon the imitation gravity would not be taking that into account, just as much one does not consider the minimal effects of air currents on earth.darthsasquatch said:Im doing some research on ONiel cylinder worlds and the use of rotation to imitate gravity. My question is, if you jump in a ONiel cylinder (full of air) is it just the rotating air which exerts force to bring you back to the inner surface? Expecting the cylinder has too little mass to create Earth like gravity.
Thank you for responding. I am unclear of the mechanics, so just by placing a rotating cylinder around an object floating in space, that object would be attracted to the surface? Where does the force come from?256bits said:Air, or vacuum, doesn't matter. You would "fall" back to the surface in either case.
No, that will not work.darthsasquatch said:Thank you for responding. I am unclear of the mechanics, so just by placing a rotating cylinder around an object floating in space, that object would be attracted to the surface? Where does the force come from?
256bits said:No, that will not work.
Basically, all objects on the cylinder surface travel at the same velocity. If you jump, that velocity stays with you.
Yes, running against the spin will reduce the apparent gravity, and when it's down to zero you can just hover (ignoring the effect of air).darthsasquatch said:So if a person could momentarly negate the cylinders spin, say by jumping against its rotation, they could "hover" over the rotating surface?
A.T. said:Yes, running against the spin will reduce the apparent gravity, and when it's down to zero you can just hover (ignoring the effect of air).
An O'Neill Cylinder World is a type of rotating space habitat proposed by physicist Gerard K. O'Neill in the 1970s. It consists of two large cylinders connected at each end by a rod, with a diameter of 5 miles and a length of 20 miles. These cylinders would rotate to create artificial gravity and provide a living space for humans.
The rotation of the cylinders creates centrifugal force, which acts as a pseudo-gravity that pulls objects towards the outer rim of the cylinder. This is similar to the force of gravity on Earth, where objects are pulled towards the center of the planet. By rotating at a certain speed, the centrifugal force can match the force of gravity on Earth, providing a similar experience for humans.
Living on an O'Neill Cylinder World would provide a controlled and sustainable environment for humans, free from the limitations and hazards of living on Earth. It could also potentially be used as a solution for overpopulation and resource depletion on Earth.
Humans would need to adapt to living in a smaller and more confined space compared to Earth. They would also need to adjust to the artificial gravity, which may cause some initial disorientation. However, over time, humans could adapt to these conditions and learn to live comfortably in the rotating cylinders.
Building and maintaining an O'Neill Cylinder World would be a complex and expensive undertaking. It would require advanced technology and resources to construct and keep the cylinders rotating at a constant speed. There could also be challenges in creating a self-sustaining ecosystem within the cylinders to support human life.