Editing 1649: Pipelines
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| date = February 29, 2016 | | date = February 29, 2016 | ||
| title = Pipelines | | title = Pipelines | ||
− | |||
| image = pipelines.png | | image = pipelines.png | ||
| titletext = In the future, every single pipeline will lead to the bowl of a giant blender, and we'll all just show up with a bucket each day to take our share of the resulting smoothie. | | titletext = In the future, every single pipeline will lead to the bowl of a giant blender, and we'll all just show up with a bucket each day to take our share of the resulting smoothie. | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|The table with all the items should be filled out with explanations etc. and the diameter should be calculated from real data (with references).}} | ||
− | + | Follows a similar idea to the [[what if?]] {{what if|147|Niagara Straw}}, (from three days before this comic's release), where the entire water flow over {{w|Niagara Falls}} is imagined to flow through a straw (i.e. 7 mm diameter with disastrous results). | |
− | In this comic [[Randall]] imagines what size pipes are necessary to carry US domestic production/consumption of various fluids if the flow rate were fixed at 4 meters per second. Randall notes that "many pipes would overlap", owing to the fact that consumption of one item as corn syrup would be due to the production of one of the others, in this case soda | + | In this comic [[Randall]] imagines what size pipes are necessary to carry US domestic production/consumption of various fluids if the flow rate were fixed at 4 meters per second. Randall notes that "many pipes would overlap", owing to the fact that consumption of one item as corn syrup would be due to the production of one of the others, in this case club soda (another example, than the previous one which is actually mentioned in the comic, could be gasoline which is produced by petroleum ). |
− | The top panel is in [http://store-xkcd-com.myshopify.com/products/actual-size-stickers actual size] (something Randall often jokes about | + | The top panel is in [http://store-xkcd-com.myshopify.com/products/actual-size-stickers actual size] (something Randall often jokes about but here he means it). This means that if you look at the image in actual size (or measure lengths in the full size image) then the measured diameter is the diameter Randall has calculated the pipe should be, based on his data for the consumption of these substances. In the second panel the pipes are way to big for his drawing. To indicate the scale he has both inserted a human (appearance like [[Megan]], but with blonde hair, i.e. not Megan) and the top panel has been shrunk down to indicate how much larger the bottom panel is (this is similar to the link between the panels in [[980: Money]]). Using the size of the top panel and the smaller insert, it can be found that the scale is 20:1. So since the girl is 9 cm high in the image she is 180 cm (5 feet 11 inches) in "real life", which is high for most grown women, but not unrealistic, plus she might have high heels on (which would not render in xkcd). The pipe next to her for gasoline would be 2.2 m high. Again the diameter can thus be found easily by measuring the actual diameter in the image and multiply with 20. |
− | In the second | + | As usual with xkcd, the absurdity -- and improbability -- of routing the entirety of each fluid through a single pipe at any point is the source of humor. In addition, despite Randall's stated assumption that all the fluids are magically flowing at the same rate as public water (4 meters per second), many could never actually do so; some "fluids" shown are rather viscous (e.g. peanut butter, Silly Putty, meat), highly adhesive (e.g. maple syrup), or thermally impractical (e.g. glass, cheese, ice cream and yogurt). Lastly, many are just plain zany (e.g. saliva a reference to another what if? {{what if|144|Saliva Pool}}). Note that at the bottom of the last panel there is a much larger pipe for the tap water used by the public. All substances are listed below in the [[#Table|table]]. |
− | + | The title text refers to a possible future based on the idea of this comic in which all the pipes with the above mentioned fluids will actually lead into the same hole as shown in the top right panel. This hole will then be the bowl of a giant blender that mixes all these substances together to a toxic ''{{w|smoothie}}''. The future people will then just come up to this blender and get a bucket full of this mix each day. The resulting ''smoothie'', as it is, would be deadly to consume, as the largest part of it is petroleum and gasoline (except of course if the public water pipe also mixes into it. But it will probably still be lethal to drink). In the future, however, we would probably the have a house hold appliance, that separated the mix into the individual substances, so it would all make perfect sense then... or not! | |
− | + | Note: "Soup" has been left out, and it might have been expected in this comic due to the similarity to this system with [[Beret Guy|Beret Guy's]] use of a "soup outlet" as an entrepreneur in [[1293: Job Interview]]. It is probably a larger pipeline than salsa and possibly even ketchup. However, most soup is probably not bought finished, and this is a very good reason to not include it in the chart. But still the idea of having a soup outlet is very similar to this comic. | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | Note: "Soup" has been left out, and it might have been expected in this comic due to the similarity to this system with [[Beret Guy]] | ||
===Table=== | ===Table=== | ||
− | *All the substances are listed here in the "reading" order | + | *All the substances are listed here in the "reading" order also used in the transcript. |
− | *The diameter is for the inner part of the tube. | + | *The diameter is for the inner part of the tube (which only really have any impact for those less than 1 cm in diameter. But for those it has quite a difference. |
− | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
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! scope="col" | Substance | ! scope="col" | Substance | ||
! scope="col" | Size (cm) | ! scope="col" | Size (cm) | ||
− | ! scope="col" | | + | ! scope="col" | Calculated size (cm) |
! scope="col" | Explanation | ! scope="col" | Explanation | ||
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Toothpaste}} | | {{w|Toothpaste}} | ||
| 3.5 | | 3.5 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | In the title text of [[1599: Water Delivery]] | + | | In the title text of [[1599: Water Delivery]] Randall claims that he as a child could not understand whyt there were no toothpaste pipe to his house when there was one for water... Giving this is at the top, this is a clear reference to this comment. |
− | |||
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Nail polish}} | | {{w|Nail polish}} | ||
| 0.4 | | 0.4 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Windshield washer fluid}} | | {{w|Windshield washer fluid}} | ||
| 5.6 | | 5.6 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Silly putty}} | | {{w|Silly putty}} | ||
| 0.1 | | 0.1 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | Smallest diamter |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Shampoo}} | | {{w|Shampoo}} | ||
| 4 | | 4 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Honey}} | | {{w|Honey}} | ||
| 5.2 | | 5.2 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Blood donation|Donated blood}} | | {{w|Blood donation|Donated blood}} | ||
| 0.9 | | 0.9 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Vanilla}} | | {{w|Vanilla}} | ||
| 0.4 | | 0.4 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Not the ice | + | | Not the ice but the spice (which is black as the substance in the vanilla pipe). |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Ketchup}} | | {{w|Ketchup}} | ||
| 5.2 | | 5.2 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Salsa (sauce)|Salsa}} | | {{w|Salsa (sauce)|Salsa}} | ||
| 3.6 | | 3.6 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Sunscreen}} | | {{w|Sunscreen}} | ||
| 1.35 | | 1.35 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Personal lubricant}} | | {{w|Personal lubricant}} | ||
| 0.65 | | 0.65 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | Aka Lube |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|LCD liquid}} | | {{w|LCD liquid}} | ||
| 0.26 | | 0.26 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | For {{w|Liquid-crystal display | + | | For {{w|Liquid-crystal display}} |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Mayonnaise|Mayo}} | | {{w|Mayonnaise|Mayo}} | ||
| 4.4 | | 4.4 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | Or mayonnaise |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Printer ink}} | | {{w|Printer ink}} | ||
| 1.4 | | 1.4 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Maple syrup}} | | {{w|Maple syrup}} | ||
| 1.8 | | 1.8 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Hair conditioner|Conditioner}} | | {{w|Hair conditioner|Conditioner}} | ||
| 2.5 | | 2.5 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | For hair | + | | For hair |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Mustard (condiment)|Mustard}} | | {{w|Mustard (condiment)|Mustard}} | ||
| 3.7 | | 3.7 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Liquid soap}} | | {{w|Liquid soap}} | ||
| 4.7 | | 4.7 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Olive oil}} | | {{w|Olive oil}} | ||
| 6.2 | | 6.2 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Largest diameter in the upper chart | + | | Largest diameter in the upper chart |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Coffee}} | | {{w|Coffee}} | ||
| 58 | | 58 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Peanut butter}} | | {{w|Peanut butter}} | ||
| 8.6 | | 8.6 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Smallest diameter in the bottom chart | + | | Smallest diameter in the bottom chart |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Ice cream}} | | {{w|Ice cream}} | ||
| 20 | | 20 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Cheese}} | | {{w|Cheese}} | ||
| 70 | | 70 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Made from | + | | Made from Milk (cow) also in the chart |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w| | + | | {{w|Carbonated water|Soda}} |
| 82 | | 82 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | As in | + | | As in club soda |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Acetone}} | | {{w|Acetone}} | ||
| 13.6 | | 13.6 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Liquor}} | | {{w|Liquor}} | ||
| 15 | | 15 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Gasoline}} | | {{w|Gasoline}} | ||
| 220 | | 220 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Made from | + | | Made from Petrol also in the chart |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Yogurt}} | | {{w|Yogurt}} | ||
| 15 | | 15 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Made from | + | | Made from Milk (cow) also in the chart |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Milk#Cow.27s_milk|Milk (cow)}} | | {{w|Milk#Cow.27s_milk|Milk (cow)}} | ||
| 106 | | 106 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Bottled water}} | | {{w|Bottled water}} | ||
| 71 | | 71 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | See also [[1599: Water Delivery]] | + | | See also [[1599: Water Delivery]] |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Sugar}} | | {{w|Sugar}} | ||
| 42 | | 42 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | See also [[1639: To Taste]] | + | | See also [[1639: To Taste]] |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Saliva}} | | {{w|Saliva}} | ||
| 85 | | 85 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | From | + | | From these data it could be calculated how long it would take America to drool enough to fill that pool from the what if? {{what if|144|Saliva Pool}}. |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Wine}} | | {{w|Wine}} | ||
| 18 | | 18 | ||
− | | | + | | 20 |
− | | Americans drank just under [https://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/statistics/article86 900 million gallons of wine in 2014], or | + | | Americans drank just under [https://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/statistics/article86 900 million gallons of wine in 2014], or just over 4 million cubic metres per year meaning that Americans drink about 0.13 m<sup>3</sup>/s. With the pipe flowing at 4m/s this pipe must have an area of 320cm<sup>2</sup>. The radius of a pipe of area 320cm^2 is 10cm. The wine pipe should thus have a diameter of 20cm, very close to the one found by measuring on the chart. |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|HFCS}} | | {{w|HFCS}} | ||
| 20 | | 20 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | High fructose corn syrup | + | | High fructose corn syrup |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Breast milk|Milk (human)}} | | {{w|Breast milk|Milk (human)}} | ||
| 10.6 | | 10.6 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Petroleum}} | | {{w|Petroleum}} | ||
| 318 | | 318 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | Largest diameter in the bottom chart, except for the public water. Used to make for instance gasoline also in the chart |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Meat}} | | {{w|Meat}} | ||
| 59 | | 59 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Glass}} | | {{w|Glass}} | ||
| 28 | | 28 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Beer}} | | {{w|Beer}} | ||
| 54 | | 54 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Tea}} | | {{w|Tea}} | ||
| 41 | | 41 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Cement}} | | {{w|Cement}} | ||
| 74 | | 74 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | | + | | |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Tap water|Public water}} | | {{w|Tap water|Public water}} | ||
| 2550 | | 2550 | ||
− | | | + | | |
− | | Using the formula [http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/564058/calculate-the-radius-of-a-circle-given-the-chord-length-and-height-of-a-segment here] | + | | Using the formula [http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/564058/calculate-the-radius-of-a-circle-given-the-chord-length-and-height-of-a-segment here] it is possible to calculate the diameter of a circle given the chord length = l and height = h of a segment. From the drawing (and scaling) l = 390 cm and h = 15 cm. The formula states that D = h + l<sup>2</sup>/(4*h) = 15 cm + (390 cm)<sup>2</sup>/(4*15 cm) = 2550 cm. |
|} | |} | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Caption above the first main panel, to the left of a smaller panel to the right | + | :[Caption above the first main panel, to the left of a smaller panel to the right.] |
:<big>The size of the US’s</big> | :<big>The size of the US’s</big> | ||
:<big><big>'''Pipelines'''</big></big> | :<big><big>'''Pipelines'''</big></big> | ||
:<big>if each fluid produced or consumed in the US has to be carried by a single pipe</big> | :<big>if each fluid produced or consumed in the US has to be carried by a single pipe</big> | ||
:<font color="gray">Assuming they all flowed at the same speed of about 4<sup>m</sup><small>/</small><sub>s</sub></font> | :<font color="gray">Assuming they all flowed at the same speed of about 4<sup>m</sup><small>/</small><sub>s</sub></font> | ||
− | :<font color="gray">Note: Many pipelines would overlap (eg. soda/corn syrup)</font> | + | :<font color="gray">Note: Many pipelines would overlap (eg. '''soda'''/corn syrup)</font> |
:[There is a small panel to the right showing three gray pipes of different sizes leading out over a large hole in the ground. Only a part of the hole can be seen at the bottom left part of the panel, but it curves around indicating it is a large circular hole. The pipes are supported by small legs beneath them and from the end of all three thick liquids are squirting out and down into the hole. The first pipe is by far the largest; the liquid from it is white, but not as white as the background. The second pipe is by far the smallest squirting dark red liquid and the final rightmost pipe is in between and squirts our light brown liquid. Each pipe is labeled. The label on the smallest cannot be read properly, but from the info gained in the next panel it can be inferred for certain what it says (and this is indicated here below):] | :[There is a small panel to the right showing three gray pipes of different sizes leading out over a large hole in the ground. Only a part of the hole can be seen at the bottom left part of the panel, but it curves around indicating it is a large circular hole. The pipes are supported by small legs beneath them and from the end of all three thick liquids are squirting out and down into the hole. The first pipe is by far the largest; the liquid from it is white, but not as white as the background. The second pipe is by far the smallest squirting dark red liquid and the final rightmost pipe is in between and squirts our light brown liquid. Each pipe is labeled. The label on the smallest cannot be read properly, but from the info gained in the next panel it can be inferred for certain what it says (and this is indicated here below):] | ||
Line 293: | Line 287: | ||
:[Big olive green]: Olive oil | :[Big olive green]: Olive oil | ||
− | :[The panel just described is indicated to fit into a small rectangle at the top left of the next panel below. There are four lines ending at the four corners of this small rectangle, two of these are going to the two bottom corners and the other two ends on the lower part of the panel just above the small rectangle. They are indicated to go under the panel and would hit the two top corners if extrapolated. The 11 largest circles are clearly seen, but most of the other circles can also be noted. The colors are the same but any features in the original circles as well as the labels are gone. The part of the black top frame of the next panel below is faded out to gray in between the section cut off by the two lines going to the bottom corners of the panel above. This rectangle indicated the increasing size compared to the first panel above.] | + | :[The panel just described is indicated to fit into a small rectangle at the top left of the next panel below. There are four lines ending at the four corners of this small rectangle, two of these are going to the two bottom corners and the other two ends on the lower part of the panel just above the small rectangle. They are indicated to go under the panel and would hit the two top corners if extrapolated). The 11 largest circles are clearly seen, but most of the other circles can also be noted. The colors are the same but any features in the original circles as well as the labels are gone. The part of the black top frame of the next panel below is faded out to gray in between the section cut off by the two lines going to the bottom corners of the panel above. This rectangle indicated the increasing size compared to the first panel above.] |
− | :[Apart from the insert mentioned above | + | :[Apart from the insert mentioned above the second panel follows the same layout, but with 22 circles with even larger range of sizes. The panel is more than twice as long as the first panel. A Megan-like girl, but with white hair, is drawn at the top of the panel just left of the middle. Her hair close to the top, just below the line going to the right corner above. There are two medium and five smaller circles to her left and one small close to her head and one huge circle to her right. Her feet are less than a third down this panel standing on top of the next row of circles. In the bottom half of the panel there is a giant circle which almost touches the left side of the panel. There are smaller circles above it and down along the right side. One last circle is to the left almost at the bottom. At the very bottom is a slightly curving line to indicate a much much larger blue circle that only graces the panel (no. 23). There is a small green fish in this water to the left of the label. Below the labels are again listed as above. One label has a foot note. But it is written directly beneath the circle in which it is referenced. So it will be written together with the label on the next line. There is also one case with an arrow used to indicate where the label belongs.] |
:[Medium dark gray]: Coffee | :[Medium dark gray]: Coffee | ||
Line 320: | Line 314: | ||
:[Small gray brown]: Tea | :[Small gray brown]: Tea | ||
:[Large gray]: Cement | :[Large gray]: Cement | ||
− | :[Gracing bottom of panel light blue | + | :[Gracing bottom of panel light blue]: Public water |
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
− | *In addition to the what if? article, the relevancy of pipelines, particularly regarding public water, is heightened due to the ongoing public health crisis in | + | *In addition to the what if? article, the relevancy of pipelines, particularly regarding public water, is heightened due to the ongoing public health crisis in Flint, Michigan, caused by recent (mis-)management of their public water system. |
− | + | **Studies have shown that temporary use of the Flint River as a water source caused corrosive water to leach lead from old pipes, causing lead poisoning in many residents, particularly children; other ill effects in addition to lead have been noted. | |
− | **Studies have shown that temporary use of the Flint River as a water source caused corrosive water to leach lead from old pipes, causing lead poisoning in many residents, particularly children; other ill effects in addition to lead have been noted. | ||
**The crisis has lead to a public outcry against the state "emergency financial management" team appointed and supervised by the state executive (Gov. Rick Snyder and staff) and an outpouring of support from nearby communities such as Metro Detroit via bottled water donations to Flint residents. | **The crisis has lead to a public outcry against the state "emergency financial management" team appointed and supervised by the state executive (Gov. Rick Snyder and staff) and an outpouring of support from nearby communities such as Metro Detroit via bottled water donations to Flint residents. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
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[[Category:Charts]] | [[Category:Charts]] | ||
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[[Category:Food]] | [[Category:Food]] | ||
− | [[Category:Animals]] | + | [[Category:Animals]] <!--Fish in the water--> |