Figure 20: Chordal Ricochet Pattern in Stretch Action of a Balloon Net

Figure 20:  Chordal Ricochet Pattern in Stretch Action of a Balloon Net

             Chordal Ricochet Pattern in Stretch Action of a Balloon Net:  A gas
balloon's exterior tension "net" has the shape that it has because some of the mole-
cules are too large to escape and crowded by the other molecules are hitting the
balloon.  But the molecules do not huddle together at the center and then simulta-
neously explode outwardly to hit the balloon skin in one omnidirectionally outbound
wave.  The molecules near the surface are coursing in chordally ricocheting patterns all
around the inner net's surface.  I therefore saw that because every action has its reac-
tion--it would be possible to pair all the molecules so that they would behave as can
two swimmers who dive into a swimming tank from opposite ends, meet in the middle
and then, employing each other's inertia, shove off from each other's feet in opposite
directions.

Back to Letter
Copyright 1999, Estate of Buckminster Fuller, all rights reserved.