Rhino, I was referring to a fundamental working knowedge of physics, dynamics, materials, and of course applied maths. Not many Engineers I know are sweating on the answers to quantum theory to be able to work effectively. I'll leave that to the wacko's in lab coats, they can tell us when they figure all that crap out and we'll find a way to improve society with it...or build a weapon with it..

rhinoman said...

we are still learning about how the universe works so its more a lucky dip..we havent worked out any fundamentals either lets see if they can get the LHC to work yet and wait till we get a MASS CORONAL EJECTION then lets see if we are worried about a spark

Paradox said...

Miss Jessie said...

... Although my uni degree has been very disapointing in the knowledge it has given me.

Don't underestimate what you are learning.

Engineering Degrees are about ensuring you know the fundamentals of how the universe we live in works

Just trade your wetsuit for one of these and you'll be fine:



Right now, flying a kite in a storm (or windsurfing for that matter), you are up for one of these:
cgi.darwinawards.com/cgi/search.pl?keywords=category%3Dkite&swishindex=stories.data&show_description=yes&maxdisplay=10&maxresults=50

Static Electricity or Lightning strike?
Same thing.
Just scale is different.

As an interesting thought ...Kite lines are made of Ultra high molecular weight Polyethylene - I think - well some sort of plastic. UHMPE is super duper good insulator. Much much better than air actually. Only problem is it will have dirt & maybe water on the outside. And also the interface between materials is always better for electricity to flow down. I reckon if you had really dry & spotlessly clean lines & kite you should be just as safe with your kite in the air - but I'd be stuffed if I would test it. One zap & I'd be packin up & heading home. Lightning spotted & I'm heading home. If I recall correctly Lightning kills heaps and heaps more people each year than sharks do.
Ohh and kites & powerlines [they don't mix well by the way] - why a big spark but kiter doesn't die? Cause the power lines are closer together than you are to them and phase to phase voltage is larger than phase to earth.