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Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by lady_rin on 2005-10-25 17:51:45 (edited 2005-10-25 17:53:01)
Alright Josh here's a chance for some whimsey and some real scientific theory; Postulate that fire breathing dragons did exist. The Physical evidence shows that dragons did indeed fly and were extremely fast and maneouverable(sp) however their wings did not provide enough lift for the mass of the dragon itself.

So...
1) How did they sustain flight?
2) How did they breath fire?

I wrote something on this years ago as part of a class on junk science. You're theory has to be workable and I'll support it with what I wrote. If there's no paticipation, I'm not going to post what I think is the answer.

BTW, This is the type of question you can expect to find on a test in my classes.


Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by Lu Bu? on 2005-10-27 10:30:06 (edited 2005-10-27 10:33:30)
Lady Rin... allow me to post in this thread...
Dragons... the great Mythical Creatures... I saw this on National Geographic once... They tried to explain and recreate Dragons using Scientific Facts and newly discovered Fossils... If I remember correctly they used an old fossil for a basis to its wings... and believed that Fire-breathing abilities of Dragons was caused by a chemical reaction...



Kneel Before the Great and Benevolent Cow!

Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by Joshua on 2005-10-27 20:18:25
I saw a whole show devoted to this and i did some research on it myself. I believe that they may have had enormous wingspans and that the wings may have been made somewhat like bats wings today. If they had such large wings and powerful muscles they may have been able to go airborne. Not sure if the physics would work out on that but its a guess. For the fire breathing part Id have to go partially with lu bu. I think there was probably some sort of sac or sacs that held chemicals that when combined would burst in to flame. It would make sense. Some lizard, whose name i forget, can squirt blood from its eye and that would seem very improbable until seen. Same for the fish that produces the super sticky good when attacked. Or any poisonous creature. Fire is not so complicated to create. It would be an excellent last ditch defense.


Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by lady_rin on 2005-10-28 07:26:21 (edited 2005-10-28 07:26:33)
I'n glad someone posted I was beggining to think no one would. How did I miss that show, I would have loved to seen it.

I have thoughts about it as well,

Fire could have been produced by two hypergolic* fluids kept in special bladders and expelled under pressure by muscular contraction. Rememeber your chemistry? On mixing together you have fire or; an excess of methane gas, which we have in abundane our own gastrointestinal tracts. Instead of farting did I actually saythat :LOL: out the back end it comes out the front like a belch. A naturally generated electric current or spark ala the electric eel could ignite it.

However there is still the problem of mass vs wingspan. I have to take Ranger to the airstrip. I'll be back later.

*Two components that will ignite on contact with each other. sodion and water are hypergolic.


Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by S-a-c-h-i-e-l on 2005-10-28 20:36:11
Well, if the dragons have hollow bones like birds do, then that would be more possible.

I think the movie mentioned was supposed to be Reign of Fire. That show's awesome.


Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by hoheshii on 2005-10-29 08:59:50 (edited 2005-10-29 09:00:18)
Reign of Fire was crap. Those dragons had huge holes in their wings but they still managed to fly.

@Lady Rin - I do believe sodium EXPLODES when it comes into contact with OXYGEN. The water merely washes away the oil it is stored in.

Wise Man says: "Take a dog off its leash and it will wander."

Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by S-a-c-h-i-e-l on 2005-10-29 13:32:06
Well, the holes, yeah... That stinks. But they did at least have a large wingspan, so that helps a little...


Re: Fire breathing dragons for Josh.
Link | by Nephilim on 2005-11-01 03:28:59
It could in theroy be possible that *if* the dragon was for the most part fire proof/resistent then it could have sacs in or near its mouth and cause a reaction with 2 different fluids (1 on each side) or it could release a spurt of phospherous. Phosferus is a chemical thet sets alight upon contact with oxygen. As for flight if it had hollow bones filled with a lighter than air gas and it flew on updrafts like some of the larger flying dinosaurs, or it could have just glided.

He's dead. He's in the ground now, sure it's bad for him but on the other hand it's party time for all the little wormies. Image hosted by Photobucket.com

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