Answers to the Extreme Engineering post

Oops - a little later than I wanted but here are the answers to the last post and keep looking for more posts at the end of the week!

Answers to the Extreme Engineering post

Questions

What kind of technology holds the promise for a transatlantic train system? Maglev train technology

How fast might these trains travel? 5000 mph

What problem needs to be solved? Air resistance.

What happens as you travel faster? How much power would the trains use if they travel in a vacuum? The same amount of power as a train travelling at 200 or 300mph outside the vacuum.

When was vacuum tube technology invented? A century ago.

What was it used for? It was used in factories and offices to send small objects and documents around.

How does it work and what happens to objects placed in the tube? Air is pumped of a tube to create a vacuum. With no air, there's no air resistance to any object going through it. If an object is given a push, it goes into the equivalent of instant freefall and is literally sucked through the tube.

Where are engineers currently doing experiments on vacuum tube technology and Maglev trains? MIT

Can you describe the experiments they are doing and what happens to the speed of the train when it is in a vacuum? A miniature maglev train is placed in a tube that represents the transatlantic tunnel. Smoke is added to show the presence of air. The train slides slowly. Next all the air is removed with a vacuum pump. Now, when the train is added, its speed is tripled. Without air to push it back, the train slides completely unimpeded through the tube.

How long is the experimental tube and how long is the proposed transatlantic tunnel? It is 6 feet long and the transatlantic tunnel would be 3000 miles long.

Does the narrator think the experimental tube can easily become reality? He says, "Of course, removing the air from a 6 foot tube is one thing. Turning a 3000 mile long train tunnel into a vacuum is quite another matter." This implies that he thinks it will be difficult to make it become reality.

Hope you managed to get all those long answers! Send feedback below - I would love to hear from you!!