what are the odds of the normal force giving out, and my hand going through a table? assumming average amount of atoms per hand and atoms per table (which I can’t guess- I’m leaving that to the genius (probably Chronos) who can answer the question).
what are the odds of it giving way again, and me getting my hand out?
Statistical odds based on quantum fluctuations or what will a sports book in vegas give you?
But I do know that the odds are bad enough that it would happen once in a whole lotta multiples of the lifetime of the universe.
Hmmmmm, I wonder if this is what happens to my penis in all those dreams…
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=635422
I think there is even less of a chance than that, Smedge. The normal force in every atom in a cross section of your wrist would have to give out. Even if one or two, or even two million bonds just failed for some reason, your hand would stay on. All the atoms in a cross section would have to fail for the wrist to plop off.
An even better question is: “Would it hurt?”
The odds are effectively zero. Not actually zero, but just so close to zero that they are not worth calculating.
Tunnelling is an interesting idea and I love it !!! …
As to whether or not it would hurt, I would have to assume it would not as their would be no direct contact between your hand and the table (assuming that the impossibly grotesque odds lined up for you) so with no contact, you would have no pain.
the whole cross-section could snap, but your hand still may stay on your wrist. unlikely, but we are talking about the normal force giving out.
painful? I don’t think so. if your hand is stuck in a table, nerve impulses probably wouldn’t travel too well. but what about phantom limb pain?