I was walking home last night. I was cold. I was thinking about that and I started thinking about the Titanic. That scene in the film where they are in the sea and she gets up on the wardrobe while he sits in the sea. Now, I know the sea is cold. Bloody cold. But surely the wind chill, or even the process of evaporation, would be damn cold too. Possibly colder since she had to get cold in the water and then let it freeze on/off of her and so on. So, drowning aside, is it theoretically better to be in or out of the water in a situation like that. Treading water to stay warm, or out of the water and in the wind? This are serious convo.
With absolutely no science to back it up, common sense tells me the water would be colder. I don't really know why, it just seems that way to me. In the same situation, I'd rather be on the wardrobe, shivering like a bitch than treading icy water. Maybe a poll would be a good idea? Then somebody can come along with the physics and make me look stupid
The water will most certainly be colder - it will suck the heat out from you giving you hypothermia in just a few minutes. You'll die either way without shelter.
Hmmm... which is more effective: air cooling or water cooling? Now where did I have that conversation before?... Think it over.
the mass of water (sea) would most likely conduct heat away much quicker I'd imagine. But to be honest, if you had gotten wet, and then were sitting out of the water, the wind chill would most likely kill you too. So really you'd have to be dry OR covered in something dry to stop the wind getting to your wet clothes. again, no science to back it up but this seems logical to me?
Wet clothing will be worse than dry clothing but still better than being immersed. I think you're mixing metaphors...
Water would be colder as its a better conductor of heat so Jack (no idea why i remeber his name) would lose heat quicker being submerged in it. But she was wet already, but could have dried out a bit (maybe?) so been a bit better off but not much. Don't women heat up differently too? Their core is warmer than their limbs and its visa versa for men, which is why my gf is always has cold hands. d'oh, cpemma beat me by 1 min!
The water will be colder. As a kayaker in the uk i know from experience that if its windy and the air temp is very low it may feel actually warmer in the water.
Don't move as it increases blood flow to your skin, which will cool you down. Your more likley to survive if you've had a big meal too, as most of the blood will be around your organs, carrying the glycogen around.
I've also read that since they were swimming in salt water, it was significantly colder than "regular" ice water. Just something else to keep in mind. -monkey
I don't mean to be a an ass or anything but I am actually surprised to see that some people don't know the answer to this, especially on a modding forum with a watercooling section
Ghys, the problem is that whilst water conducts heat away very quickly, the argument seems to have shifted to: Would you die more quickly from being wet and then exposed to pretty servre artic winds and more spray OR from simply being in the water? It's not as clear cut as water pwn's being dry.
Since no one else mentioned it, who said it was windy that night? No wind = no wind chill. Oh yea... and the water be colder... but thats already been said... several times...
The water wins The water may seem like it's still but there is current and the flow of water around your body would act exactly the same as the wind would do, only with greater thermal conduction efficiency. Now of course the wind does blow faster but the air being a poor thermal conductor, I doubt it would be nearly as efficient as water alone would be, let alone with current/flow PS: I am not a pro and I am not sure if what I said or how I said it make sens at all. It's just an opinion
Even with severe winds, evaporation of water you still have clothing on which would minimise that. Water can penetrate clothing easier and so you'd die quicker in water. Really, it makes little difference, if you're in that situation you're totally ****ed.
