A hypothetical question

[buckline]

Sitting out the back cleaning shoes and finishing them off water repellant spray it got me thinking...

If you were to spray your entire body from tip to toe in a superhydrophobic substance and jumped into the deep end of a pool would you sink and or drown?

YouTube "Ross Nanotechnology's NeverWet" for an example of what I am rabbiting on about.

For what it's worth I think you would be a goner, but I would be interested to hear what others think.

[TheHeretic]

You would float. It would make no difference to your density, (assuming you floated previously)

[nammynake]

TheHeretic said:

You would float. It would make no difference to your density, (assuming you floated previously)

I'm pretty sure that the human body is more dense than water, hence you would sink unless you were actively treading water.

[TheHeretic]

nammynake said:

I'm pretty sure that the human body is more dense than water, hence you would sink unless you were actively treading water.

Well, I float. Always have done. Granted, I have air in my lungs, which may help. Either way, if you sink before, then you would sink after, and vice versa.

[Simpo Two]

buckline said:

If you were to spray your entire body from tip to toe in a superhydrophobic substance and jumped into the deep end of a pool would you sink and or drown?

No different from normal - though it is tempting to suggest you would go 'boing!' back onto the side!

[buckline]

nammynake said:

I'm pretty sure that the human body is more dense than water, hence you would sink unless you were actively treading water.

I would think that you wouldn't be able to tread water water with the hydrophobic cover applied.

[TheHeretic]

buckline said:

I would think that you wouldn't be able to tread water water with the hydrophobic cover applied.

Why not? You would still apply force to the water with hands, feet, etc. the water would still move when you used your hands as paddles, etc.

[The Nur]

The real question is, once you were in the water, if you 'pushed off' from one side, would you go faster?

[buckline]

The Nur said:

The real question is, once you were in the water, if you 'pushed off' from one side, would you go faster?

• runs off to see how much a tub of Ross Nanotechnology's NeverWet is.

[The Nur]

buckline said:

• runs off to see how much a tub of Ross Nanotechnology's NeverWet is.

It isn't commercially available yet. I've been keeping an eye on it for a while. I want to make stuff waterproof too.

[TheHeretic]

The Nur said:

The real question is, once you were in the water, if you 'pushed off' from one side, would you go faster?

Well, you'd have less drag, so faster, I would imagine yes.

[The Nur]

TheHeretic said:

Well, you'd have less drag, so faster, I would imagine yes.

I know, just being daft

[TheHeretic]

The Nur said:

I know, just being daft

You may also be dafter if you smeared that stuff all over you. Would you never need a shower again?

[The Nur]

TheHeretic said:

You may also be dafter if you smeared that stuff all over you. Would you never need a shower again?

Only one way to find out I suppose...

[TheHeretic]

The Nur said:

Only one way to find out I suppose...

FIGHT!

Nope, I may have that wrong.

[Frik]

The Nur said:

TheHeretic said:

Well, you'd have less drag, so faster, I would imagine yes.

I know, just being daft

No you wouldn't.

In answer to the OP, you're already covered in a waterproof coating. Do you sink?

[The Nur]

Frik said:

No you wouldn't.

Meh, my momentary evaluation of the hypothetical situation resulted in me going "Yeah, it's plausible"

A scientist I am not. I pour a mean pint though.

[Marf]

TheHeretic said:

Well, I float. Always have done. Granted, I have air in my lungs, which may help. Either way, if you sink before, then you would sink after, and vice versa.

A witch! Burn him!

[The Nur]

TheHeretic said:

FIGHT!

Nope, I may have that wrong.

Could get the OP to waterproof himself and then have a fight with a shower?

[TheHeretic]

The Nur said:

Could get the OP to waterproof himself and then have a fight with a shower?

Only if there is a soap on a rope.