The effects of depressurization on the human body
Author
Alright, the title seems basic wnough, so I''m going to present a hypothetical situation based on what I''ve learned over the years and I will apply that to this situation.
So a person is ejected from a pressurized environment into a vacuum. Now, before you say "they explode", that''s wrong. You don''t explode, HOWEVER this is what I think may happen:
1. Your lungs are completely emptied VERY fast meaning you are running on reserve oxygen.
2. Your capilliaries burst, causing the skin to become a tint of red.
3. The capilliaries near the eyes rupture, causing you to "cry" blood.
4. After 2 minutes, you die due to lack of oxygen and extreme cold.
If, through some bizarr series of events you were to survive, odds are you would suffer from extensive capilliary damage, possibly 2 collapsed lungs and, if you had to be resusitated, possibly some brain damage.
Does this seem accurate?
| Deviant Art | I Want My Island | Mail me |
Think about diving decompression accidents.
“Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.” — Brian W. Kernighan (C programming language co-inventor)
“Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.” — Brian W. Kernighan (C programming language co-inventor)
It depends on whether you are just straight out ejected, or someone cuts your space suit. I think that you can survive for something like 15 seconds without any permanent damage.
I have also heard that holding your breath will do worse things.. something about the air in your lungs expanding and killing you, I think.
edit: Make it seem more tentative, since these are all pieces of information from the back of my mind with arguable validity.
[edited by - psykr on January 7, 2004 3:38:39 PM]
I have also heard that holding your breath will do worse things.. something about the air in your lungs expanding and killing you, I think.
edit: Make it seem more tentative, since these are all pieces of information from the back of my mind with arguable validity.
[edited by - psykr on January 7, 2004 3:38:39 PM]
Author
quote:Original post by psykr
I have also heard that holding your breath will do worse things.. something about the air in your lungs expanding and killing you, I think.
Yes, you''d either explode or the air would burst through your mouth.
| Deviant Art | I Want My Island | Mail me |
---dont read if you have a good imagination and a weak stomach---
nah, you would explode
, think about all the air in your lungs, in your gut/other body parts, i think the depresuration would be to fast (slowing down would only increase your chances to survive) and not all air would leave your body the natural way (breathing out or farting :D) so some air/gas bulbs would blow your body up and maybe cause you to explode, think about what happens when a diver goes to fast up and reduces the presure on his body by some Bar/Psi. Not much will happen compared to vacuum but it already can cause heavy damage.
One theory ive heard (somewhere in a tale) is that once you breath all your lungs empty (you still have to fart a huge ammount of gases) and you will need very good medical help after some seconds before your brain takes to much damage or takes a ride through your nose... ok its not an explosion like a chemical-detonator would cause but i dont think you would survive 10seconds in vacuum...
Ive once seen a whale stranded on a coast and guess what happened :D it exploded because the rotting gases blow it up. I was happy that my tv has no smelling-device attached, but you saw it all and it was a real mess.
T2k
nah, you would explode
, think about all the air in your lungs, in your gut/other body parts, i think the depresuration would be to fast (slowing down would only increase your chances to survive) and not all air would leave your body the natural way (breathing out or farting :D) so some air/gas bulbs would blow your body up and maybe cause you to explode, think about what happens when a diver goes to fast up and reduces the presure on his body by some Bar/Psi. Not much will happen compared to vacuum but it already can cause heavy damage. One theory ive heard (somewhere in a tale) is that once you breath all your lungs empty (you still have to fart a huge ammount of gases) and you will need very good medical help after some seconds before your brain takes to much damage or takes a ride through your nose... ok its not an explosion like a chemical-detonator would cause but i dont think you would survive 10seconds in vacuum...
Ive once seen a whale stranded on a coast and guess what happened :D it exploded because the rotting gases blow it up. I was happy that my tv has no smelling-device attached, but you saw it all and it was a real mess.
T2k
Author
quote:Original post by T2k
Ive once seen a whale stranded on a coast and guess what happened :D it exploded because the rotting gases blow it up. I was happy that my tv has no smelling-device attached, but you saw it all and it was a real mess.
T2k
Actually, that is not the same. The exact same things happens to cows. They close off their orifices when they die, causing gases from the digestive process to build up until they pop. They only way to stop it is with a good jab in the stomach.
| Deviant Art | I Want My Island | Mail me |
You would be able to survive a very slow depressurization. In this case, you''d experience pretty much what you are thinking of.
Now, a very rapid depressurization will kill you right out. It is what they use to euthanize stray dogs. Throw them in a room, slowly compress the room, release the pressure, the dog dies quickly, painlessly and without needing to actually touch the dog itself.
Its also a great fear of people who run high altitude testing. The room is pressurized, but if the room were to spring a sudden and large leak, everyone would die without knowing what hit them.
~~~~~
"One Reality is worth one thousand dreams"
Download and play Slime King I.
Now, a very rapid depressurization will kill you right out. It is what they use to euthanize stray dogs. Throw them in a room, slowly compress the room, release the pressure, the dog dies quickly, painlessly and without needing to actually touch the dog itself.
Its also a great fear of people who run high altitude testing. The room is pressurized, but if the room were to spring a sudden and large leak, everyone would die without knowing what hit them.
~~~~~
"One Reality is worth one thousand dreams"
Download and play Slime King I.
quote:Original post by Fruny
Think about diving decompression accidents.
“Debugging is twice as hard as writing the code in the first place. Therefore, if you write the code as cleverly as possible, you are, by definition, not smart enough to debug it.” — Brian W. Kernighan (C programming language co-inventor)
Diving decompression isn''t as quick a process as being ejected into a vacuum from a pressurised area.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
