Re: 'Tis the Season to be Noisy.

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 13:01 7/2/01 +1200, you wrote:
> Hi Brian,
>
> > From my youthful 4th of July days comes a similar trick with a more
> spectacular flight of the can.
>
> For a can use a soup-type "tincan" with one end cut out and the other end
> having a small circular hole punched in the center where the ~5cm long
> firecracker is tightly inserted and held. Before inserting the cracker, the
> can is submerged into a container of water (water depth almost 10cm)...open
> end down so that water fills 2/3 the can interior, leaving enough air so
> that the firecracker will not become wet when inserted into the top small
> hole. Insert the cracker until mainly the wick appears above the outside of
> the can.
>
> Light the wick, being careful not to place one's head in the vertical path
> of the can, as the can will fly over 10 meters skyward from the explosion.
> Yes, the can could damage objects in its flight path, however, the can
> should be less likely to turn into flying metal fragments than the
> extra-thin aluminum coke can.
>
> Marlyn Jakub

That seems much more of a credible rocket design, in my eyes.
But as I promised Chuck, I retrieved another jumping can so I could
describe it for you. It was a Dr Pepper.
 This one jumped less than 2 meters.
It still contained water after landing, and it was leak free.
The base was still as deeply dished as a fresh can.
The top seemed to have slightly bulged. The tab was still folded
inwards (though my son reckons they evert or depart quite often).
Half the sidewall appeared to be unblemished, save for two minor creases
from the base 5 cm up the side. The other half of the cylinder wall was
somewhat dented and bruised, with two more prominent creases extending
8 cm up the side (perhaps in part from the landing trauma)

No exceptionally evocative tell tales, I'm afraid.




brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!