What are the G forces?
Force of Gravity.
As Newton said, "the force acting on a body is equal to the mass multiplied by the acceleration", and although over time we have discovered that the nuclear force is much stronger - otherwise, when hitting the ground we would continue to fall towards the center of the planet - the truth is that we can not underestimate, and even less in aviation, its effects. Whether we like it or not, we are subject to the gravitational field of the Earth and its dictates.
The g forces are not a measure of force but an intuitive measure of acceleration. It is based on the acceleration that earth gravity would produce in any object under ideal conditions (without atmosphere or other friction). An acceleration of 1 g is generally considered equivalent to standard gravity.
Right now, by simply reading this article, you are experiencing an acceleration of 1 gravity or g. But it is enough that you move slightly to change that magnitude. For example:
- When coughing, you will experience a force of 3.5 g. Although only for a fraction of a second. If you weigh, for example, 77 kg, then a normal cough would result in a very brief force of 269 kg.
A slap on the back: 4.1 g.
Leave in a chair: 10.1 g.
Bajar a step: 8.1 g.
A sneeze produces 2.9 g. With it, we expel air and germs at more than 160 km per hour. To prove that acceleration is not bald, it is enough to resort to some cases of fatal sneezing, such as the July 2006, in which Dean Rice, an 18-year-old teenager from Wales, experienced a sneezing attack that caused his death for cerebral hemorrhage. In May 2004, Chicago Clubs hitter Sammy Sosa sneezed twice with such violence that he sprained a ligament in his lower back.
The more g "pulls" you experience, the more likely you are to suffer an injury. But the danger lies in enduring that pull for a long time: most of us are never subjected to more than 8 g for a second, much less for two. The human body is flexible and deformable, particularly light tissues. A big hit on the face could reach hundreds of gs, but it would not produce any real damage; 16g for a minute can be, without a doubt, deadly.
A body is capable of supporting 18 g sustained before the lungs are compressed, breathing becomes difficult and the internal organs begin to tear.
Expert aviators, for example, can get to see tunnel when they suffer between 4 and 6 g sustained. The best fighter pilots support forces of 9 g before experiencing what is called g-LOC, loss of consciousness induced by gravity. An 88 kg pilot subjected to this force has the feeling that he weighs 796 kg.
As you can imagine, that makes controlling an airplane a challenge: his arms look like bars of weights, his head becomes a concrete block and the expression "dry his brain" acquires a new meaning. Under extreme g forces that push downward, blood runs from your head to your legs, but your heart is not strong enough to pump it back into the brain. In a few seconds you lose the ability to see the color, a state known as partial darkening or faded gray. Then comes the tunnel vision, the darkening and a trip to a place that pilots call the Country of Dreams.
Force-G and F1
The different pressures of gravity make runners feel as if their body is being crushed. F1 pilots are extraordinary athletes who can withstand these stressful forces while making crucial decisions in thousandths of a second. Formula 1 is the summit of force G, because runners face a power of 3 to 5G throughout each race.
The combat and acrobatic aviators support high levels of gravity, but only on a vertical axis. However an F1 driver supports these loads with the spine at right angles, for this reason, the ribs, hip , and neck are tightened at the edge of the seat.
Fabulous post
Great post mate! I wonder how long till some flat-earthers pop up :)
I have seen videos where people train for these situations, videos like this one:
I would be fun to try one of those machines and see how well we do with that training :)
The truth is that yes, but it would be dangerous to experience the force g, to which we are not prepared