Would you drown in jello?

September 12, 2006 11:01 AM

Could one swim/dig out from the bottom of a 15-20ft deep pool of jello (assuming you could hold your breath for a minute or two...or ten)?

It's evidently a tricky question because jello is a tricky
substance--due to it being viscoelastic and onhomogeneous.

I've found several related links, but so far none really answer the question:

http://www.physicscentral.com/lou/2003/jello.html

http://msgboard.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000090;p=1

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=296855

and even one other person who's angry that noone's answered the
question (http://positivemode.blogspot.com/2006/06/can-you-swim-in-jello.html)

posted by whatgorilla to science & nature (18 comments total)

Are we talking consolidated, set jello or broken/ stirred up jello?
Because the 'set' jello scenario prompts the question of how you got there, how you survived while it was setting for several hours?
posted by Flashman at 11:13 AM on September 12, 2006

Why doesn't the first link (from physics central) answer the question?
posted by vacapinta at 11:15 AM on September 12, 2006

I think it depends on how strong you are vs. how much jello there is around you. let's say you are surrounded by a blob of the stuff - you need to be able to shovel your way out with your hands. if you can push hard enough to break the outter perimenter or jello and thus cause the integrity of the structure to rupture, you win. if it just displaces within its structure, it will return to its original state once you stop applying force and your efforts have been futile.

so. 15-20ft? I'd put my money on 'no'. but it's interesting enough for me to be willing to take a bet.
posted by krautland at 11:15 AM on September 12, 2006

Would you set in the pre-congealed Jell-O first, like a rather large tangerine slice? Or would you be inserted into the Jell-O after it solidified?

AnecdotalFilter: Many years ago I participated in a radio station promotion involving a hot tub full of Cherry Jell-O, a swimsuit and some car keys. The Jell-O was partially set when I entered the tub (viscous but not as firm as say...a Jell-O sundae from a family buffet restaurant). The Jell-O did not support my weight (~115#) but it took a surprising amount of effort to move through the Jell-O and a lot of effort to dig down into it to reach the keys, so much so that it turned out to be easier to grab the keys with my toes and ferry them up to my hand. There were many amusing farting noises as the mass of Jell-O retained and released pockets of air while I struggled around in there.

My guess would be no, you could not dig your way out from that deep down as you would have nothing to push against; the Jell-O would not be solid to push against but solid enough to resist being easily moved aside as water.
posted by jamaro at 11:19 AM on September 12, 2006 [5 favorites]

I think you'd suffocate, but probably not actually drown (assuming that drowning means displacing the air in your lungs with something else). If you were beneath 15 to 20 feet of jello you'd have about 10 cubic meters of jello above you. If the density of jello was equal to the density of water that'd be 1000 liters of water or 1000 kilograms.. Because jello is much more viscuous than water any movement would be more like moving with 1000 kilograms of sand on top of you rather than 1000 kilograms of water. You'd be pinned. Once the air ran out that somehow let the jello congeal around you you'd expire.
posted by substrate at 11:25 AM on September 12, 2006 [2 favorites]

Heh, I think jamaro with firsthand experience gets the win.

I think he's about right - not thick enough to support you (no climbing up), plenty thick enough to resist you (no swimming up) - a deep pool of gelatin would be deadly to any large, air-breathing life form that fell in it.

Maybe your guy could get to the ladder and pull himself out.

See also: La Brea Tar Pits.
posted by jellicle at 11:27 AM on September 12, 2006

A couple years back there was a paper that gave some results for swimming in viscous fluid. So if the jello is not fully set, I guess it shouldn't be a problem.
posted by Galvatron at 11:28 AM on September 12, 2006

try moving horizontally (moving along) before trying to move vertically (moving up).

If I found myself at the bottom of a pool full of jello, I would attempt to move along the bottom until I got to the side of the pool, and then attempt to push off the side with my feet while letting the vicosity of the jello hold me as I slowly made my way up. basically walk up. I have no idea if this would work.

I would never, ever, ever do this but I couldn't help thinking about it: How do you feel about animal testing? Humans aren't the best swimmers. Might want to start with a frog or something that is good at swimming through sand or mud. Maybe even a rat? They can swim. Try them out in jello in a size proportional to their body sizes. RESCUE THEM before they drown. But, if they can do it, there is hope for humans. Once again, I would never do this. You could also try it out yourself with snorkel gear, I guess. Jello changes consistency when it heats up, so, you might melt it as you move along.
posted by Eringatang at 11:35 AM on September 12, 2006

Well, of course Homer Simpson has this advice from his venture into tar pits: "I'm pretty sure I can struggle my way out. First I'll just reach in and pull my legs out, now I'll pull my arms out with my face.".
posted by Ohdemah at 12:02 PM on September 12, 2006

I think it'd be similar to being caught in quicksand or some kind of muck that you sink into, or, as jellicle mentioned, the La Brea tar pits. I'd imagine you could resist sinking by laying down, so that your weight is spread over more surface area, but I doubt you could swim or dig your way out from 15-20 ft.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 12:03 PM on September 12, 2006

Let's say that you fell in, feet first, with sufficient force to sink to the bottom.

At this point, I'd have to believe that you'd be pooched - I can't see you ever getting sufficient arm-leg speed going to start any sort of ascent through the Jello.
Eating your way out might seem like a delicious alternative - but all of that gelatin collapsing in and suffocating you would probably end the enjoyment of that pretty quickly.

But if I had to choose a way to go....

Nah. That'd still suck.
posted by Tbola at 12:28 PM on September 12, 2006

A popular Canadian writer in the early 1900's (I forget his name at the moment) was also a practical joker. He was fond of having a variety of friends and acquaintances over to spend the weekend as house guests.

On one occasion, one guest had a reputation for being a crashing bore as well as an attention getter. Immediately after dinner he announced that it was time for his bath (as was his custom) and asked that the host instruct a servant to draw it for him. All water in the house was heated by wood stove, but the host knew of the habit and was ready.

Some half hour or so after the guest climbed into his bath, he was heard to scream horrifically. All the other guests rushed into the bathroom to find him stuck fast in a bath full of gelatin which had set as the bath cooled. After much derision and general merriment, the maids were instructed to bring more hot water to melt the gelatin in order to free the poor fellow.

Given that a terrified man was unable to extricate himself from a bath of set "Jello" it is most unlikely that escape would be possible from 20 feet down.
posted by RMALCOLM at 3:42 PM on September 12, 2006 [2 favorites]

I believe what you describe would be a Jell-o grave.

Also, jamaro, this is why flickr was invented. Get on it!
posted by planetkyoto at 3:45 PM on September 12, 2006

SpeculationFilter: While you couldn't swim, if you have a sufficient supply of oxygen, I suspect you could displace jello downards by the handful, and if you are slightly bouyant (which you should be, you are in water at least), you could take part of the place of the displaced jello and inch your way up over hours of tedious hard work.
posted by -harlequin- at 5:22 PM on September 12, 2006

Let's say that you fell in, feet first, with sufficient force to sink to the bottom.

Consider that in this specific scenario, the force of you entering the jello, with sufficent force to hit bottom, will also smash the jello around you, in the same way you would splash water around you. Except the jello is significantly denser and more viscious than water, and won't automatically reform itself around you after the "splash" wave is complete.

In other words, you may leave a hole around you. You probably won't be able to climb out, and depending on how deep you are, the jello might slump down on top of you again. But I'm not sure you'd be completely screwed.

asavage ... I SUMMON THEE!
posted by frogan at 8:14 PM on September 12, 2006

Seems to me your biggest problem would be the difference in displacement compared to water...when you're in water and you move up, there is a corresponding movement in the water so that you never lose your buoyant force. Without that buoyant force, with each stroke up you'd be lifting your whole body weight. Tough and tiring, but not un-doable for someone in pretty good shape, I would think.
But now you have to think about the pressure you're applying. Move your body up, and the whole force of your weight is now distributed over the area of only your hands. Jello probably can't take that.
BUT...given sufficient time, you could probably break it up until it does move to fill the space underneath you and maintain the buoyant force. At which point you maybe could "swim" up. Although that would probably all in all take a lot more work than your average person could provide.
Maybe you should eat your way out.
posted by solotoro at 9:36 PM on September 12, 2006

yeah, my guess was that it was impossible--the first link says you can "dig" your way through jello, but gravity isn't going to let you dig upwards. i just have a friend who is convinced she could do it--and had hoped to use some of your answers to convince her that this would be a bad pony to bet on.
posted by whatgorilla at 11:55 PM on September 12, 2006

of course, my second inclination was to think of something else that floats in jello...i came up with the following:
1. very small rocks
2. gravy
3. a duck
so i guess we'd have to find out if the person to be placed/congealed in the jello weighed more or less than a duck.
posted by whatgorilla at 12:01 AM on September 13, 2006