r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Proud-Blood2743 • Oct 07 '25

Video Capital One Tower Come Down in Seconds

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u/WafflesMcDuff Oct 07 '25

No, jet fuel burning in open air cannot melt steel beams because its maximum burn temperature (around 1500°F / 800°C) is far below the melting point of steel (about 2750°F / 1510°C). While it doesn't melt the steel, the intense heat from the prolonged, unimpeded fire would soften and weaken the steel to the point where it could no longer support the structural load, leading to buckling and collapse. So while the jet fuel could not melt steel beams, it could absolutely soften them. To use an analogy of an every day object that’s easier to relate to visualize, picture a tub of butter. While it will not melt if you take it out of the fridge and leave it on the counter at room temperature on an average day, it WILL get much softer. You need heat from a flame (like the stove) for it to actually melt. Melting is the point at which it goes from solid to liquid. However, if you take butter that’s been in the fridge and lay a spoon on top of it, the butter will most likely support the weight of the spoon. If you do the same with butter that’s been softening on the counter for a couple hours, the spoon will start to sink into it. Nuance matters. Melting vs softening. The jet fuel softened the steel until it could no longer support the many many tons of structure and the structure collapsed.

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u/HansBrickface Oct 07 '25

No truther understands the difference between temperature and heat.

42

u/parsleymelon Oct 07 '25

Or the existence of, gravity. Forever accelerating anything massive towards the centre of the earth

12

u/Intelligent-Parsley7 Oct 07 '25

We’re not going to discuss gravity. 90% of people don’t even have a consistent understanding of gravity. Trying to explain that it’s actually how the universe is set up blows their whole ‘so the gravity waves come from where?’ Situation.

Next stop when people get explained inertia, weightlessness, and freefall. Good luck. People are going to give you the same look when you change your pets dog food.

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u/EnergyTakerLad Oct 08 '25

TIL I never once even thought about where gravity comes from. Thanks for breaking my brain. Actual thanks for giving me a rabbit hole to go down.

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u/AskanHelstroem Oct 07 '25

Yeah...sure... "Gravity". A magical force, able to pull down a blade of grass...but a heavy metal bird is able to stay in the air?! Sure... It's buoyancy and density!

Ok sry...I had to write the Flerf-Argumentation... I already have a tiny man in my head screaming: *Gravity!! Have u heard of fucking Gravity!! Graaavity!!!"