[TowerTalk] Little Things Can Make a Difference

[ac9s at mchsi.com]

<Weigh your tube, calculate it's kinetic energy 0.5 * mass * velocity ^2
<right before impact and comparing that to the muzzle energy of a bullet.

<I think the kinetic energy of  a .375 inch diameter 10 foot long aluminum
<tube with a .058  inch wall (308 grams by Texas Towers' weight list)  going
<88 miles per hour compares favorably with a .38 special's muzzle energy,
<provided you ignore the aerodynamic drag of the tube.

<Of course, you can't really ignore the drag in many of the "falling object
<is like a bullet" problems, but still... gives you an idea of what would
<happen if your tower were in a vacuum :-)

<73
<Dan

I am not saying your calculation is incorrect, but I think you would be hard pressed to shoot a 38 a foot into the ground.

Keith
AC9S