h a l f b a k e r y"Bun is such a sad word, is it not?" -- Watt, "Waiting for Godot"
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According to a dream I just had, cars would be much safer
if fluorite, more specifically blue john, was used with
them in a way that was not specified. Here it is.
All possible components of the car should be made of
fluorite, mainly mined and sculpted, and of artificially
synthesised calcium
fluoride. Since it has a density only
40% that of steel, such a vehicle would be lighter than
quite a few other vehicles of similar size and therefore me
more energy-efficient, although less so than a plastic
vehicle.. It would also be a lot more brittle than steel, so
it probably should go quite slowly. On the other hand, on
impact it would fracture rather than bend, making it
somewhat safer, and since it's not as hard as apatite, the
crash victim could gnaw her way out with her teeth given
enough time. The lower density of the material would
also reduce the risk of crush syndrome and various other
injuries, and since bones are also harder than fluorite, the
risk of fracture from penetrating injuries would also be
lower.
The windows could also be made of fluorite, which is
widely used in optics mainly because chromatic aberration
is not as pronounced through it, but also because
ultraviolet can penetrate it, meaning that it would be
easier to get vitamin D while driving. Also, headlights
able to emit ultraviolet light would cause certain objects
ahead of the vehicle in darkness to fluoresce.
I imagine the engine to be electric since the melting point
of the material seems too low for combustion to be used.
PTFE could be used for various parts of the vehicle usually
made of plastic which would make surfaces easier to
clean. The tyres, however, should not be made of it for
obvious reasons.
The main problem I can envisage is that sulphuric acid in
rain would generate hydrogen fluoride, which I suggest
would be alleviated by merely painting the exterior.
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//on impact it would fracture rather than bend,
making it somewhat safer,// |
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Ah. What we have here is one of the most creative
and original complete misunderstandings of what
happens to kinetic energy in a crash. |
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Yes, but at least it's not in other:general. |
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So the driver of such a vehicle is likely to become healthier,
even (or especially) after gnawing their way out of a crash. |
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Basically, this idea is the misbegotten twin sister of the
other one. It's not a good idea, but it is an idea I need to
get out of my head, as are so many of the things I post
here. |
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The mechanical properties of fluorite militate against its use in
the proposed application. |
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Sure I'll have some, thanks. |
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