If superpowers were real: Body mass - Joy Lin

如果超能力是真的: 體重 - Joy Lin

譯者: Ann Reeves 審譯者: Dong Mao

Some superheroes can grow

有些超級英雄

to the size of a building at will.

可以憑自己的意思長到高樓般的巨大

That's very intimidating!

那真是非常嚇人!

But a scientist must ask

但是身為一個科學家 一定要找出

where the extra material is coming from.

那些多出來的物質是哪裡來的

The Law of Conservation of Mass implies

質量守恆定律告訴我們

that mass can neither be created

物質不能被製造

nor destroyed,

也不能被消滅

which means that our hero's mass

這也就是說英雄的重量

will not change just because his size changes.

並不會因為他的大小改變而改變

For instance, when we bake a fluffy sponge cake,

比如說 當我們烤一個鬆軟的海綿蛋糕時

even though the resulting delicious treat

就算做出來的美味蛋糕

is much bigger in size than the cake batter

體積會比進烤箱前的蛋糕麵糊大的多

that went into the oven,

體積會比進烤箱前的蛋糕麵糊大的多

the weight of the cake batter should still equal

但其實蛋糕麵糊的重量

the weight of the cake

仍然跟蛋糕的重量加上蒸發的水分

plus the moisture that has evaporated.

是一樣的

In a chemical equation,

在化學公式裡

molecules rearrange to make new compounds,

分子會重新排列而產生新的合成物

but all the components should still be accounted for.

但是所有元素所佔的數量是一樣的

When our hero expands

當保護我們的英雄

from 6 feet tall

從(大約)180公分變大成

to 18 feet tall,

540公分時

his height triples.

他的身高成長了三倍

Galileo's Square Cube Law says

因為英雄一定是立體地變大

his weight will be 27

所以根據伽利略平方立方法則

- 3 times 3 times 3 equals 27 -

──3x3x3等於27

times his regular weight

他的體重應該會變成

since he has to expand in all three dimensions.

他原有體重的27倍

So, when our superhero transforms into a giant,

所以說 當保護我們的超級英雄變成巨人時

we are dealing with two possibilities.

我們面臨兩種可能性

Our hero towering at 18 feet

一種是英雄變成540公分時

still only weighs 200 pounds,

仍只有當他還是人類大小時的

the original weight in this human form.

90公斤重

Now, option two, our hero weighs 5,400 pounds

第二種可能性則是英雄在540公分時

- 200 pounds times 27 equals 5,400 pounds -

──90公斤重乘以27倍等於2430公斤

when he is 18 feet tall,

他體重是2430公斤

which means he also weighs 5,400 pounds

也就是說他在180公分時

when he is 6 feet tall.

他體重仍然是2430公斤

Nobody can get in the same elevator with him

跟他一起坐電梯

without the alarm going off.

而不讓電梯超載的鈴聲響起是不可能的

Now, option two seems a little more

第二種可能性

scientifically plausible,

似乎在科學上比較合理一點點

but it begs the question,

但它仍要被質疑

how does he ever walk through the park

英雄該如何走過一個公園

without sinking into the ground

爾不陷入地面的呢?

since the pressure he is exerting on the soil

畢竟他在泥土上產生的壓力

is calculated by his mass

是由他坦克般的體重

divided by the area of the bottom of his feet?

除以他腳底的面積

And what kind of super socks and super shoes

而究~竟他穿哪種超級威的襪子跟鞋子

is he putting on his feet to withstand all the friction

可以承受英雄在跑步時

that results from dragging his 5,400 pound body

拉動2430公斤的身體產生的摩擦力

against the road when he runs?

仍保持完整呢?

And can he even run?

他....真的能跑嗎?

And I won't even ask how he finds pants

我絕對不會想知道他到底怎麼找到

flexible enough to withstand the expansion.

那些在他變大時也同時伸縮自如的內褲

Now, let's explore the density

現在 我們來探究一下

of the two options mentioned above.

剛剛提到的兩種可能性的"密度"

Density is defined as mass divided by volume.

密度的定義是重量除以體積

The human body is made out of bones and flesh,

人類的身體是由骨骼跟肌肉組成的

which has a relatively set density.

這都有相對固定的密度

In option one, if the hero weighs 200 pounds all the time,

在第一種可能性中 如果英雄一直都是90公斤

then he would be bones and flesh at normal size.

他變身前會有正常的骨骼跟肌肉

When he expands to a bigger size

當他變大時

while still weighing 200 pounds,

如果他仍然是90公斤重

he essentially turns himself

他基本上把自己變成了一隻

into a giant, fluffy teddy bear.

巨大膨鬆的泰迪熊

In option two, if the hero weighs

在第二種可能性中

5,400 pounds all the time,

如果英雄一直是2430公斤

then he would be bones and flesh at 18 feet

那他在540公分時

with 5,400 pounds of weight supported by two legs.

他的雙腳將支撐2430公斤重的骨骼跟肌肉

The weight would be exerted on the leg bones

他在移動時,這個重量會

施加在腿骨上造成骨頭間不同的角度

at different angles as he moves.

Bones, while hard, are not malleable,

骨頭雖然堅硬 卻不具有延展性

meaning they do not bend,

也就是說他們沒有辦法彎曲

so they break easily.

所以他們很容易就會斷掉了

The tendons would also be at risk of tearing.

韌帶們也暴露在被撕裂的危險性中

Tall buildings stay standing

高樓大廈之所以能屹立不搖

because they have steel frames

是因為他們有鋼鐵支架

and do not run and jump around in the jungle.

而且不會在叢林裡東奔西跑和跳來跳去

Our hero, on the other hand,

反過來說保護我們的英雄

one landing at a bad angle

只要任何一次降落時角度不對

and he's down.

他就註定墜毀了!

Assuming his bodily function is the same as any mammal's,

假設他的身體功能跟哺乳類一樣

his heart would need to pump a large amount of blood

他的心臟就需要推動大量的血液

throughout his body to provide enough oxygen

到全身來提供足夠的氧氣

for him to move 5,400 pounds of body weight around.

讓他能移動2430公斤的身體

This would take tremendous energy,

這需要非常大量的能量

which he would need to provide

因此他每天需要消耗

by consuming 27 times 3,000 calories of food every day.

27倍3000卡的食物

Now, that is roughly 150 Big Macs.

差不多等於150個大麥克漢堡

27 times 3,000 calculated equals

──27x3000=81000

81,000 calculated slash 550 calories

一個大麥克漢堡約550卡

equals 147.

81000除以550約等於147

He wouldn't have time to fight crime

他將不會有時間去打擊罪犯

because he would be eating all the time

因為他會不斷地吃吃吃

and working a 9-to-5 job

而且要朝九晚五不停地工作賺錢

in order to afford all the food he eats.

才能買得起他吃光的所有食物

And what about superheroes

那麼 其他那些可以把身體轉變成

who can turn their bodies into rocks or sand?

石頭或沙子的超級英雄是怎麼回事呢?

Well, everything on Earth is made out of elements.

這個嘛~ 地球上的每個東西 都是由許多元素所構成

And what defines each element

這些元素是由

原子核的質子數來定義的

is the number of protons in the nucleus.

That is how our periodic table is organized.

這也是我們排出元素表的方式

Hydrogen has one proton,

氫有1個質子

helium, two protons,

氦 2個質子

lithium, three protons,

鋰 3個質子

and so on.

依此類推

The primary component of the most common form

一般常見的沙子中最主要的成分是

of sand is silicon dioxide.

二氧化矽

Meanwhile, the human body consists of

而在人體是由

65% oxygen,

65%氧氣

18% carbon,

18%碳

10% hydrogen,

10%氫

and 7% of various other elements

及7%其他多樣的(包含0.002%矽)元素

including 0.002% of silicon.

所組成

In a chemical reaction,

在化學反應裡

the elements recombine to make new compounds.

元素們會重新排列產生新物質

So, where is he getting all this silicon

所以 他到底是從哪裡得到 這些變成沙子所需要的矽呢

necessary to make the sand?

所以 他到底是從哪裡得到 這些變成沙子所需要的矽呢

Sure, we can alter elements

當然我們可以經由核融合或核分裂的方式

by nuclear fusion or nuclear fission.

來改變許多元素

However, nuclear fusion requires so much heat,

然而 核融合需要極多的熱力

the only natural occurrence of this process is in stars.

通常只發生在外太空的星球

In order to utilize fusion in a short amount of time,

為了能在短時間內利用核融合

the temperature of the area

環境的溫度

needs to be hotter than the Sun.

一定要比太陽更熱

Every innocent bystander will be burned to a crisp.

每個無辜的路人都會被炸成馬鈴薯片了!

Rapid nuclear fission is not any better

瞬間核分裂也沒有比較好

since it often results in many radioactive particles.

因為它常產生許多放射性物質

Our hero would become

保護我們的英雄會成為

a walking, talking nuclear power plant,

一個具語音功能的行動型核電廠

ultimately harming every person he tries to save.

最終會傷害每一個他想救的人

And do you really want the heat of the Sun

你會真心想要太陽般炙熱的溫度

or a radioactive nuclear plant inside of your body?

或放射性核電廠在你體內嗎?

Now, which superpower physics lesson

現在我們來聊聊

will you explore next?

你下次想探索哪個超能力物理課呢?

Shifting body size and content,

改變身體大小及組成

super speed,

超極速

flight,

飛行

super strength,

超強大的力量

immortality,

永生

and

及

invisibility.

隱身能力