Re: The Doucet Theory on Pumpkins with Split Personalities

Diana

I think its great that you have tried to find an explanation for why and
how the pumpkins split.  We only learn by questioning events around us.
Sorry but I need to take issue with your explanation of what makes the air
heat up inside the pumpkin.  You have stated...
	"Have you ever gone inside a tent on a cool day when
	full sun is hitting the tent?  The air inside the tent
	gets stifling hot.  When I have pumpkins in full sun,
	I've noticed that the surface of the pumpkin facing
	the sun is hot to the touch and the bottom of the
	pumpkin is still cool.  The pumpkin has so much mass
	that the part of it that is not being directly heated
	by the sun changes temperature slowly even though the
	outside air temperature may be 85.  The air inside the
	pumpkin changes temperature very readily just like the
	air inside a tent."

I agree with your observation inside a tent.  In this case I don't believe
it is an appropriate analogy.  You have observed that "The pumpkin has so
much mass 	that the part of it that is not being directly heated by the sun
changes temperature slowly even though the outside air temperature may be
85."  It is precisely because of the pumpkin mass that the inside air does
not change much if at all.  It is this mass that insulated the inside air
from temperature change.  In contrast the tent example has little mass to
dissipate the heat so it is radiated into the captive air space inside the
tent and it gets hot. 

Next is a question for you.  How would your theory accommodate the changes
in barometric pressure?  Would these sometimes rapid changes (higher or
lower) have a catastrophic impact? 


keep thinking, its a good thing
Bart Toftness

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