- #1
blaisem
- 28
- 2
Hi, I'm having a discussion with someone on the plausibility of the physics in a science fiction movie (I know, very efficient use of time!). There's a scene with a space station shaped like a ring. It has a center body that is attached radially to one edge of the ring. This space station is orbiting a planet. On the edge of this ring an explosion occurs out of a circular aperture, destroying that section of the ring, that sets the space station spinning at 68 radians per minute. Here is a picture of the clockwise spinning station just after the explosion.
His argument is the spin of the space station should have a natural wobble induced because its center of mass is offset after the explosion.
My argument is that without a net vertical component in the initial explosion, a force parallel to the spin vector, no wobble should be appreciably observed no matter where the center of mass is, particularly in such low gravity.
My background is limited, though. Any insight? I'd post the movie name for further reference, but I don't want to write any spoilers. I guess the underlying question is what role the center of mass plays in the spin resulting from a force acting tangentially on a ring-shaped mass orbiting a planet. Whether center of mass is even relevant to a spinning body in outer space.
Thank you for any information!
His argument is the spin of the space station should have a natural wobble induced because its center of mass is offset after the explosion.
My argument is that without a net vertical component in the initial explosion, a force parallel to the spin vector, no wobble should be appreciably observed no matter where the center of mass is, particularly in such low gravity.
My background is limited, though. Any insight? I'd post the movie name for further reference, but I don't want to write any spoilers. I guess the underlying question is what role the center of mass plays in the spin resulting from a force acting tangentially on a ring-shaped mass orbiting a planet. Whether center of mass is even relevant to a spinning body in outer space.
Thank you for any information!