Skip to main content

Igloo

I have attempted to build igloos in the past and i have found that various building techniques do not work. Building from the ground up is unstable and difficult/impossible to close at the top. Digging  into an existing snow mound is difficult because of ice, large chunks of snow, and general significant variations in snow density. Therefore, for this project, I decided to approach the construction of an igloo from a new angle that combines both strategies and eliminates the failings of both. I decided to build the igloo from the ground up with a self packed pile of snow. I began by first placing down two yard waste trash cans on their sides oriented so that their open sides face away from each other. This would allow for the elimination of one other major issue with igloo building; maintaining a stable entryway of decent size. I oriented the trash cans so that the pile of snow would be centered on the second can and the first would end at the same point as the edge of the snow pile. From this point, my friend and I piled snow from the surrounding area of his backyard to create a mound of decent size. we then packed this mound into firm snow using our body weight. This would ensure that once the inner trash cans were removed and the inside walls were hollowed out, the structure would be stable enough to continue supporting its own weight. We completed the pile and removed the first trash can, creating a successful and stable entryway. The second can proved far more difficult to remove as a result of the necessity to clear snow that was around it in order to slide it out. Overall, the snow fort went well and while it was difficult and precarious to clear the inner walls the fort ended up being a decent size with the important necessary stability to support itself.
The above photo shows the igloo in completed form with the front can removed but replaced for demonstrative purposes. More photos to come soon. The igloo was built at night and it was difficult to get photos of the process, I had my friend send me photo the following day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Physics of Sound Dampeners and Active Noise Cancellation

Physics of Sound Dampeners and Active Noise Cancellation Sound dampening foam panels in a recording studio. ANC headphones worn by pilots and/or passengers in consumer aviation aircraft.  Acoustic treatment of soundscapes has grown alongside the sound production industry. Whether through absorption panels, diffusors and cloud panels to treat a space or headphones placed directly over the ears of listeners, acoustic treatment comes in many forms. Environments are treated acoustically to absorb excess sound to prevent sound levels from crossing a threshold above which the desired goal cannot be had. Before getting into sound dampening, we must discuss sound. Sound is produced when an object vibrates (a form of oscillation) and temporarily displaces nearby air molecules causing a wave effect as the displaced molecules collide with their neighboring molecules. Sound waves are fluctuations in pressure as the initial displacement of molecules experiences collisions that in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog #3: Effect of a track's curve on running times

The sport of track and field, regardless of whether it is inside or outside, consists of three generally accepted disciplines, sprinting, distance and throwing. Sprinters in particular are attempting to go as fast as possible over short distances and due to this the shape of a track affects these athletes the most. A standard track compliant to International Association of Athletics Federations regulations will consist of a rectangle with a semi circle at each end (as seen below).  The straight-aways on a track are 84.39 meters long while the semi-circles have a radius of 36.5 meters making each semi circle have a circumference of 114.7 meters roughly equaling a distance of 400 meters. For very short sprint events like the 100 meters, the entire race is contained to one straightway making it very easy for these sprinters to hit their max speed. Put the same sprinters into a longer race like the 200 meters or 400 meters, and those sprinters run slower not just because of the longer ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Aerodynamics of a Golf Ball

One may wonder how a small golf ball can travel at incredibly high speeds for such long distances.  While the swing of the club is a major component, the structure of the golf ball is quite important.  Unlike a baseball or tennis ball, a golf ball has dimples all over it (usually 336 dimples).  These dimples allow the golf ball to travel without facing much air resistance.  This diagram shows how air travels around the golf ball. The dimples on the golf ball also prevent drag that would occur in the wake region, resulting in further distance.  Also due to the contact with the club during the swing, the golf ball has backspin during its entire flight.  This diagram shows the motion of the golf ball mid flight with the lift force of F. There are hundreds of different types of golf balls that a player can choose.  Some show little affect to a player's game while others can alter their performance completely.  Personally, I prefer Callaway Supers...
Post a Comment
Read more