X-rays from scotch tape {was: Re: [Rockhounds] flashing cleavages}

[Axel Emmermann]

Kreigh,

 

> 

> I thought you would enjoy the tie to cosmology. The image of a ball of

> tape the size of the orbit of Mars brought a smile to my face. I like

> folks who think big. I thought it was a great article.

 

[Axel] Yeah, but I feel they missed a chance when they wrote:

"The average power observed from the Scotch tape used in the UCLA experiment
was about 2 nanowatts. This means that about a thousand trillion trillion
trillion (1039) rolls peeling at once would be needed. If all the rolls were
packed tightly together, they would fill a volume roughly equal to the
volume of a sphere that encompasses the orbit of Mars."

 

[Axel] That is one serious supply of adhesive tape. so serious in fact that
I wonder:

 

1)      would such a gigantic mass not implode to form a black hole?

2)      Would it be sticky enough to stop the accelerating expansion of the
universe? Could more tape save us from being ripped quark from quark. I've
looked up and down, explored this charmingly strange problem from top to
bottom. (a bit over the top, no?)

 

 

> Connecting the scotch tape phenomena to the rocks orbiting the outer

> planets turned my smile into a big grin. I like concepts that scale.

 

[Axel] Oh yeah, size matters (LOL)

 

> 

> It is always good to think outside of our planet. The Universe normally

> works the same at all scales if you understand it. I do try.

 

[Axel] Yes, it's only the appearances that may deceive us ;-)

 

> I have hopes of collecting some of those rocks before I die.

 

[Axel] Too clastic for me... Not enough fluorescence. Gimme a nice
hydrothermal vein of a high grade metamorphous chunk o' rock anytime.

 

[Axel] Cheers

Axel



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