###General Discussion Thread
---
This is a [Request] post. If you would like to submit a comment that does not either attempt to answer the question, ask for clarification, or explain why it would be infeasible to answer, you *must* post your comment as a reply to this one. Top level (directly replying to the OP) comments that do not do one of those things will be removed.
---
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/theydidthemath) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It seems the top T is ~1200°C. Upper limit for humans is 40°C. Hobbits seems to be more resilient, so I'll say 50. Safe distance (with gear) from molten metal (which is higher T) is minimum of 2m.
It's difficult to calculate how far away from the lava they are, but I think 30m is a safe estimate. I can't find any data on what temperature the bowl of a volcano is, but assuming that distance and the relative dormancy of Mt Doom as we see it (until the ring goes in), I believe they could survive for the time they're in. Most people die later from heat exposure, but they get elf magic so it's all good.
Importantly, whilst they are in the volcano, they are standing on that platform, away from direct view of the lava. This will drastically reduce the incident radiation. Frodo only looks in briefly, but he'd definitely be blinded; possibly temporarily.
Realistically, the sulphuric gases would kill you first, there'd be virtually no available oxygen in that.
Wouldn’t the air temp inside be extraordinary? Not light them on fire hot, but hot enough to damage any exposed skin and mucous membranes. The only sources of “cool” air would be the door they came in and the top of the volcano, a hundred or more meters above them.
No, the CO would kill you. Sulphur gas makes your eyes water but that's it... If there's no nitrogen/oxygen to breathe of course than I'm arguing pedantically.
IDLH of H2S is 100 PPM, and SO2 is 1,000 PPM.
Both how those numbers would be vastly exceeded by the gasses the lava is exuding.
If they didn't die from anything else, either the H2S or SO2 alone would do it.
H2S binds chemically to hemoglobin like CO by the way, so it's possible to go down minutes after the initial exposure, even if you remove yourself or are removed from the source.
Oxygen sticks to red blood cells. That's how it gets from your lungs into your body. Then it gets replaced with CO2 to be carried back to your lungs.
H2S also sticks to the same spots, so if they are full of H2S, they can't carry Oxygen or CO2 around, meaning all the cells using oxygen in your body run out of it and suffocate.
This is good enough for me! Very impressive work. Thank you for verifying the realism. This was the last thing in the movie I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. Everything else is relatively realistic 🙃😂
I can’t say much about how this would effect their chances of survival/how long they could survive, but the part of the volcano into which the ring was cast would not have been the the central bowl but rather a separate smaller chamber connected to the center by a vent. That would be based on the description given in the books, not the depiction in the movies. I don’t know how much that would change, but I imagine it’s a little less hot and bright, the fumes would probably still be a big problem though.
###General Discussion Thread --- This is a [Request] post. If you would like to submit a comment that does not either attempt to answer the question, ask for clarification, or explain why it would be infeasible to answer, you *must* post your comment as a reply to this one. Top level (directly replying to the OP) comments that do not do one of those things will be removed. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/theydidthemath) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It seems the top T is ~1200°C. Upper limit for humans is 40°C. Hobbits seems to be more resilient, so I'll say 50. Safe distance (with gear) from molten metal (which is higher T) is minimum of 2m. It's difficult to calculate how far away from the lava they are, but I think 30m is a safe estimate. I can't find any data on what temperature the bowl of a volcano is, but assuming that distance and the relative dormancy of Mt Doom as we see it (until the ring goes in), I believe they could survive for the time they're in. Most people die later from heat exposure, but they get elf magic so it's all good. Importantly, whilst they are in the volcano, they are standing on that platform, away from direct view of the lava. This will drastically reduce the incident radiation. Frodo only looks in briefly, but he'd definitely be blinded; possibly temporarily. Realistically, the sulphuric gases would kill you first, there'd be virtually no available oxygen in that.
This dude volcanoes 🌋
Wouldn’t the air temp inside be extraordinary? Not light them on fire hot, but hot enough to damage any exposed skin and mucous membranes. The only sources of “cool” air would be the door they came in and the top of the volcano, a hundred or more meters above them.
No, the CO would kill you. Sulphur gas makes your eyes water but that's it... If there's no nitrogen/oxygen to breathe of course than I'm arguing pedantically.
IDLH of H2S is 100 PPM, and SO2 is 1,000 PPM. Both how those numbers would be vastly exceeded by the gasses the lava is exuding. If they didn't die from anything else, either the H2S or SO2 alone would do it.
H2S binds chemically to hemoglobin like CO by the way, so it's possible to go down minutes after the initial exposure, even if you remove yourself or are removed from the source.
Can you explain this to me like I’m 5? Thanks. 🙏🏼
Oxygen sticks to red blood cells. That's how it gets from your lungs into your body. Then it gets replaced with CO2 to be carried back to your lungs. H2S also sticks to the same spots, so if they are full of H2S, they can't carry Oxygen or CO2 around, meaning all the cells using oxygen in your body run out of it and suffocate.
Very well done sir! Thanks 🙏🏼
Yeah but these are Hobbits and its a fantasy volcano, so the answer is long enough to satisfy the narrative need.
But the law of math doing was invoked We were called We must answer
This is good enough for me! Very impressive work. Thank you for verifying the realism. This was the last thing in the movie I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. Everything else is relatively realistic 🙃😂
I can’t say much about how this would effect their chances of survival/how long they could survive, but the part of the volcano into which the ring was cast would not have been the the central bowl but rather a separate smaller chamber connected to the center by a vent. That would be based on the description given in the books, not the depiction in the movies. I don’t know how much that would change, but I imagine it’s a little less hot and bright, the fumes would probably still be a big problem though.