Jozer99
Jozer99 t1_ja0i4wg wrote
For several reasons:
- Bike wheel rims get dirty and wet when riding (especially off road). A dirty wet rim doesn't work as a friction surface very well. Because discs are near the hub, they avoid most of the spashback and remain cleaner.
- Bike wheel rims are made of thin aluminum. You can't press too hard on a wheel rim or it will bend or tear. Brake discs are made of thick steel, and can withstand a lot higher loads without breaking.
- Because of the steel disk, you can use a more aggressive brake pad. Rim brakes have rubber friction pads, while disc brakes have ceramic pads which create a lot more friction. Using ceramic pads on a rim would quickly destroy the delicate aluminum.
Rim breaking actually has a mechanical advantage, being closer to outside of the wheel gives it a longer moment arm and more stopping power for the same applied friction force. But the fact that rims are so delicate means you can't use very much friction force, while a disc brake can withstand much higher load.s
Jozer99 t1_je3ip2t wrote
Reply to ELI5: How come the Earth's oxygen content isnt decreasing when everyday we have millions of engines consuming tons of ? by abrandis
Oxygen levels are decreasing slightly, but there is a lot more oxygen (20.95%) than CO2 (0.02%). If CO2 doubled to 0.04%, without any oxygen being added back, the level would decrease to 20.93%, which is barely noticeable.
Plants (especially algae) convert lots of CO2 back into oxygen, this slows down the rate at which CO2 levels are creeping upwards to a crawl. A change in the natural ecosystem which disturbs photosynthesis, such as a mass die-off of algae, would cause a much larger shift in O2 and CO2 levels.