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From: dant@tekla.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: alternative to plate tectonics
Message-ID: <974@zeus.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Dec-86 18:03:58 EST
Article-I.D.: zeus.974
Posted: Tue Dec  9 18:03:58 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Dec-86 10:57:47 EST
References: <531@weitek.UUCP> <1272@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <1273@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <648@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk>
Sender: rogers@zeus.UUCP
Reply-To: dant@tekla.tek.com (Dan Tilque)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR.
Lines: 43
Keywords: plate tectonics, continental drift
Summary: What does kinetic energy have to do with it?

In article <648@bath63.ux63.bath.ac.uk> ma_jpb@ux63.bath.ac.uk (Bennett) writes:
>
>There is a problem with tectonic plate theory and continental drift due to the
>conservation of energy. Consider the theory that the Himalayas are caused by
>the Indian plate hitting the Asiatic plate. A substantial amount of potential
>energy is generated in raising the Himalayas, which has presumably come from
>the kinetic energy of the Indian plate. Given we can work out the kinetic
>energy of the plate, we can calculate the height of the mountains this would
>raise if converted to potential energy with 100% efficiency. Although the
>Indian plate is large it moves exceedingly slowly (a few centimetres a year at
>most).  Calculation would suggest that within an order of magnitude the
>Himalayas should be one millimetre high. Observation refutes this. At least in
>this case continental drift is not a good model.


Consider the following thought experiment:

	Take 2 identical cars and place them nose to nose.  Rig the 
	accelerators of both so that you can give equal acceleration
	to each.  Now slowly increase the accelerations of the two
	cars.  Assuming that there is no slippage of the wheels, the
	cars will remain motionless.  That is until the bumpers start
	to crumple.

	If I remember my freshman physics, this state is called
	static equilibrium.  The velocity of the cars (except
	for that allowed by the crumpling bumpers) is zero.  Thus,
	their kinetic energy is also zero (or very close to it,
	the bumpers again).  However, the force produced by each
	car is not zero.  This is what is producing the crumpled
	bumpers (and the crumpled landscape i.e. Himalayas).

So, what does kinetic energy have to do with it?

>This is a well documented objection, and has led to the foundation of the "Stop
>Continental Drift Society".

Have the members of this Society taken freshman physics?


 Dan Tilque				dant@tekla.tek.com

Hey! Who left my Cosmic Holographic Recorder on replay?