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Re: [Phys-l] Energy Transfer with hammers



Aluminum has has other nasty properties--like oxidizing and becoming
brittle--leading to things like the fiasco of aluminum house wiring. They
did try and make golf clubs with aluminum shafts--for a short time--but they
ended up snapping regularly.

I do think the 'advantage' here, like with golf clubs, is in either being
able to make the head lighter so as to swing faster, or make the head bigger
for the same speed thus making it easier to hit the target--ball or nail.
There is little doubt that exotic materials (titanium heads and carbon fiber
shafts) have changed the capabilities of golf equipment (but they don't help
much in putting ;-( ) so it is logical that they can help in other 'tools'.
Now some of the advertizing hype is, as should be expected, highly suspect!

Rick
----- Original Message ----- From: "Moses Fayngold" <moshfarlan@yahoo.com>
To: "Forum for Physics Educators" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Energy Transfer with hammers


I do not see a straightforward way from the relevant characteristics of
Titanium to the claims made.
In terms of the Young modulus and specific gravity, the basic
characteristics determining other properties like speed of sound etc., we
have from Phys. Handbook:
Young modulus (GPa) Specific gravity
Stainless steel 200 7.9
Titanium 109 4.5
Aluminum 70 2.7

In both these characteristics, Titanium is between steel and Aluminum. If
Titanium's mechanical properties are, indeed, responsible for its
performance allegedly superior to that of a steel hammer, then the
Aluminum hammer could be expected to do even a better job.
Also, I did not see in the referenced sources any reproducible
experimental tests; instead, we have just statements based mostly on
personal experience of some workers, most of whom remain unknown except
for their email ID.
At this level, the whole thing seems unsubstantiated.

Moses Fayngold,
NJIT




________________________________
Bob LaMontagne, <RLAMONT@providence.edu>, wrote:

To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 7:01:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Energy Transfer with hammers

Sounds a lot like the claims made in ads for selling golf clubs in various
magazines!

Bob at PC

________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
[phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Jack Uretsky
[jlu@hep.anl.gov]
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 6:49 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Energy Transfer with hammers

What makes you think that the statements are correct?
Regards,
Jack


On Mon, 13 Jul 2009, chuck britton wrote:

http://www.finehomebuilding.com//item/8391/titanium-hammers-up-for-
grabs-want-one
has an interesting 'claim' about energy transfer.

"My reason for going with titanium: energy. A titanium hammer
transfers 97% of your energy from swinging the hammer to the nail
head, while a steel hammer transfers only 70% of your energy to the
nail. Titanium drives a nail more efficiently and there?s less recoil
energy to travel back into your arm."

This seems to BEG for some simple 'Mechanics' analysis.
Maybe 'Impedance matching'? admittedly - NOT a topic usually covered
in intro mechanics but maybe it SHOULD be?
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
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--
"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley



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Forum for Physics Educators
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