# So, how much energy \*does\* it take to fire a pound of bacon into the Asteroid Belt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131 "2009-11-03T04:03:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/41 "2009-11-04T03:43:18Z")
He’s obviously insane to send bacon away from himself. ---
**Author:** ![ivn1188](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@ivn1188](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivn1188)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/42 "2009-11-04T05:28:04Z")
> [@Heller\_Highwater](#): > > Okay, eventually it’ll get far enough away to reach a point where the escape velocity is reduced to 1 m/s, but you get the picture. Just FYI that would be somewhere in the middle of the Oort cloud, about 10,000 AU out. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/43 "2009-11-04T15:20:22Z")
> [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](#): > > 1. An inert mass of bacon is launched ballistically from Earth’s surface with an instantaneous initial velocity of 25,000 mph. The Earth has its usual atmosphere. > Here, the atmosphere gives us velocity-dependent drag, which will reduce the bacon’s KE as it rises. This is not a problem, since the required KE for escape also reduces as the bacon rises. Offsetting it is a matter of using a higher initial velocity. I don’t think this works with any practical projectile (and certainly not for one consisting of bacon). Even at 25k mph, the energy lost to drag, and the destructive effects of the heating, would be enormous. At higher velocities, these problems are worse. It’s certainly not impossible - meteors (often with velocities greater than 25k mph) occasionally survive a plunge through the atmosphere). But a great many of them don’t, and those that do expend serious energy heating themselves and the atmosphere. It takes some significant initial mass for a meteor to have a good chance of reaching the ground at high velocity. From [this link](http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/meteors/impacts.html) (emphasis added): > [@](#): > > Meteorite Impact Velocities > The average velocity of meteoroids entering our atmosphere is 10-70 km/second. The smaller ones that survive the trip to the Earth’s surface are quickly slowed by atmospheric friction to speeds of a few hundred kilometers per hour, and so **hit the Earth with no more speed than if they had been dropped from a tall building**. For meteorites larger than a few hundred tons (which fortunately are quite rare), atmospheric friction has little effect on the velocity and they hit the Earth with the enormous speeds characteristic of their entry into our atmosphere. Thus, for example, it is estimated that the meteorite that produced the Barringer Crater was still travelling at 11 km/second when it struck what is now the Arizona desert 49,000 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Heller\_Highwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@Heller\_Highwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heller_Highwater)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/44 "2009-11-04T15:33:47Z")
[Quote=ivn1188] Just FYI that would be somewhere in the middle of the Oort cloud, about 10,000 AU out. [/Quote] Wow, that’s closer than I realized. Neat! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/45 "2009-11-04T15:45:22Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > You are all missing important factors > > 1. the bacon will probably fry on the way up… But I already postulated indestructible bacon. 🙂 You post dioes lead to a good question, thoiugh; what is the most efficient shape for bacon passing through the atmosphere, especially at 25000 mph? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/46 "2009-11-04T15:56:20Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > But I already postulated indestructible bacon. 🙂 You post dioes lead to a good question, thoiugh; what is the most efficient shape for bacon passing through the atmosphere, especially at 25000 mph? I see you got to the indestructible thing in a later post. But if it’s indestructible, it’s not edible! Bacon is the most delicate flower of meats. Do you really want to go to all this effort and trouble to deliver a lump of “thing that looks like bacon” to the starving natives of the asteroid belt? Won’t someone think of the alien children? ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/47 "2009-11-04T17:37:25Z")
This has been quite interesting, but I would like to point out another thing that the OP missed. The character in the book is talking about _his car_. I was deeply involved in hot rodding back int he sixties and seventies, and stay a little in it even today. And if there’s one thing that is true about guys and their cars, it is that **everybody lies about their car!** People used to ask me why my 1966 Mustang would only go 125 mph while everyone else’s would go 145 mph. I told them it was because I was telling the truth.\* So, I have to say that while we’ve got answers on how much energy the Deliverator’s car would need, we need to be very :dubious: about it actually having that much. - And the true top speed of that car was actually 120 mph…see what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![Stathol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@Stathol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stathol)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/48 "2009-11-04T17:45:50Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > what is the most efficient shape for bacon passing through the atmosphere, especially at 25000 mph? If my calculations are correct, when this bacon hits 25000 mph, you’re going to see some serious shit! I’m sorry, but _someone_ had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/49 "2009-11-04T18:24:11Z")
I’m thinkin’ once it arrives we’ll have to let the ol’ Asteroid Belt out a notch. ---
**Author:** ![Stagger415](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Stagger415](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stagger415)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/50 "2009-11-04T19:05:25Z")
When the bacon heats up and begins too cook, perhaps we could get some small boost by using the burning grease as a propellant. That way the projectile is not simply ballistic in nature. In a very inefficient sense, the bacon is itself, a fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/51 "2009-11-04T19:08:34Z")
Also, if it boils off the top, it may reduce the friction, acting as a lubricant for the whole system. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/52 "2009-11-04T19:10:36Z")
**Xema** , you are correct that there would be immense amounts of heat released as a slab of bacon moves through the atmosphere at speeds upwards of 20 kmph, likely sufficient to completely vaporize bacon. However, assuming (as has been stipulated above) indestructible bacon, you could indeed launch it from the surface with an escape velocity corrected to account for atmospheric drag. In a more realistic scenario, if you wanted edible bacon to survive the trip, you’d have to either move it to the asteroid belt in a non-ballistic fashion (i.e. space bacon elevator) or encase it in something that would withstand the energies of launch (a big metal rocketship would do just fine). **Stathol** : 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Corner\_Case](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/corner_case/32/234_2.png) [@Corner\_Case](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corner_Case)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/53 "2009-11-04T19:39:13Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > what is the most efficient shape for bacon passing through the atmosphere, especially at 25000 mph? It doesn’t matter. The FAA and NORAD will monitor the Domestic Events Network and determine that no one knows what this object, launched from the surface, is, nor where it is headed. NORAD will dispatch two F-16 fighters. It’s quality will be severely strained. It will droppeth as the gentile bits from heaven upon the place beneath. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/54 "2009-11-04T19:47:39Z")
How about this: We get, not one, but a billion Deliveratormobiles, and form a projectile out of a billion pounds of bacon. All the cars pool their available energy, and all work together to power a launcher to propel this mother of all meats. Due to square-cube scaling, atmospheric drag really will be negligible in this case, and the gravitationally-calculated escape speed will be correct. We have, then, a billion cars containing enough energy to launch a billion pounds of bacon. Is it not reasonable, then, to say that a single car has enough energy to launch a single pound? ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/55 "2009-11-05T01:34:46Z")
> [@Stathol](#): > > If my calculations are correct, when this bacon hits 25000 mph, you’re going to see some serious shit! > > I’m sorry, but _someone_ had to say it. Ah, my hat’s off to you sir. Or Madam. That’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a month! Well played. We’re also neglecting what effect the Bacon Salt would have on escape velocity. ---
**Author:** ![foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9a140/32.png) [@foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolscap)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/56 "2009-11-05T03:57:19Z")
> [@Stagger415](#): > > When the bacon heats up and begins too cook, perhaps we could get some small boost by using the burning grease as a propellant. That way the projectile is not simply ballistic in nature. In a very inefficient sense, the bacon is itself, a fuel. A ramjet augmented flight through the atmosphere neatly countering air drag.🙂 Perhaps a “bone in” ham hock to serve as an engine, burning the morrow. But, this would be ham not bacon:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/57 "2009-11-06T18:03:07Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > It’s a trick question. It’s impossible to do, because it won’t happen until pigs fly. Ah Matt, Matt Matt. I thought we’d broken you of this habit. Sigh. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kapntoad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@kapntoad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapntoad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/58 "2009-11-06T21:38:44Z")
If the bacon is already in orbit around the Earth, and assuming the delicious-but-lonely universe, wouldn’t any force applied in a direction away from the Earth (and adding to the velocity) deliver the bacon to any distance given enough time? (If you’ll pardon my physics 101 level question.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/59 "2009-11-06T22:09:21Z")
Any force will work if in the right direction and sustained long enough, but we’re not asking about “enough force”, we’re asking about “enough energy”. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131/60 "2009-11-06T22:33:32Z")
What about converting the bacon itself into a propulsive system? Not necessarily hidden in a nuclear mass (or vice versa)? Changed–how–into a nuclear system? How big would the bacon have to be to at least get a slice or two out there? I guess you’d have to start with the simple caloric expenditure per unit bacon, which I’m too lazy to look up now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-much-energy-does-it-take-to-fire-a-pound-of-bacon-into-the-asteroid-belt/516131.md?page=4)