UCLA MAE281 Microsciences Winter 2010 Prof.

CJ Kim

MAE 281: Microsciences, Winter 2010

Homework #1
Due 4 PM October 6 (Wed) in class

Prob. 1
Watch one (or more if you like) movie involving small-scale (below 1 cm) objects/creatures moving
around, e.g., Empire of the Ants, AntZ, Bug’s Life, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, or their sequels. Focus on
scale issues while enjoying the movie. In the movie you watched, discuss the scenes correctly describing
the world of ant scale and the scenes incorrectly describing (at least one correct and one incorrect scene)
in less than 1/2 page. Also, provide the information (e.g., title, release year) and source (e.g., rental,
internet address) of the movie you watched.

The running list of the movies reported in this course is given below. You may watch one of them or find
a new movie yourself (and build the list). Fantastic Voyage (1966); Empire of the ants (1977) (has a scene
a giant ant climb the wall); Innerspace (1987); Honey, I shrunk the kids (1989); Microcosmos (1996
France; real world, not cartoon); AntZ (1998); Bug’s life (1998); Sakura (2002); The Ant Bully (2006);
Minuscule la vie privee des insects (2006 France); Arthur and the Invisibles (2007); South Park Episode
1103 “Lice Capades.” (This episode originally aired on Comedy Central on March 21st, 2007 and is now
available on the “South Park: The Complete 11th Season” DVD box set.

Prob. 2
Derive the d vs. L relationship in the Scaling Example 2 (Common Nails produced) of the lecture on
Scaling Issues. I just want you to go over the derivation for yourself and digest it.

Prob. 3
Using simplified arguments and simple equations, discuss whether you can say ants are burnt more easily
than us near flames. Let’s assume (1) ants and we shares the same cells and (2) flames are at the same
distant from the skin surface.

Prob. 4
Derive: Stopping Distance = 1/18 x Re.

Prob. 5
Following the class discussion, predict the relationship between the speed V and the number of oarsmen n
found in the Olympic records. In short, find “a” in V ∝ na. Use the information in the next page to start.
UCLA MAE281 Microsciences Winter 2010 Prof. CJ Kim

The relation between speed and size in rowing shells (from On Size and Life)

Observed: The proportions of

the different-sized boats are
very close to being
geometrically similar, at least
over the wetted surfaces.

Figures: The shape of a

rowing shell. This same shape
describes boats seating one,
two, four, and eight oarsmen.

Let the length of the boat = l

and width (beam) = b.

Can we predict the relationship between the speed and size of rowing shells found in the Olympic records
shown below?

Figure: Average speeds over a 2000-meter course for rowing shells seating one, two, four, and eight
oarsmen. Triangles show the 1964 Olympics, Tokyo; solid circles are the 1968 Olympics, Mexico City;
crosses, the 1970 World Rowing Championships, Ontario; open circles, the 1970 Lucerne International
Championships. The races were rowed in calm or near-calm conditions. The solid line shows the
theoretical result.

Start: The power available from the oarsmen equals the drag force. In general, drag consists of skin
friction (Reynolds number) and wave making (Froude number). However, skin friction dominates in this
case, because of the relatively low speed and the slender shape of the rowing shells.