| Subject | Date Asked |
| Rail gun mania | 2/9/2012 |
| Q: I am seeing a lot of ink on science/technology websites lately about rail guns,and how great they ... A: Much more than twice, actually, and rail guns are reeeally old-hat. They were invented in 1918, ... | |
| Astronomy | 2/7/2012 |
| Q: I am going into 7th grade and want a science fair project about astronomy that would woo the ... A: What about astronomy interests you? What kind of equipment do you have? Astronomy projects that ... | |
| hockey pucks | 2/7/2012 |
| Q: If two hockey pucks are pushed at the same time from the same straight hockey stick, one puck is 4oz ... A: Of course it takes more force to accelerate the larger pucks. In the real world, ice is a funny ... | |
| Balancing of static motorcycle | 2/6/2012 |
| Q: It is very difficult to balance a two wheeler when it is non moving unless the leg support is given. ... A: Of course it depends on the angle and the location of the center of mas of the motorcycle. You ... | |
| thermodynamic | 2/6/2012 |
| Q: what is the thermodynamic assumption made incase of inlet and outlet velocity of the turbine. A: Not being a turbine expert, per se, I would have to know more about the turbine. In the case of a ... | |
| Electric Field Lines | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: I took a test, and there was a question which is still bothering me, and I'm anxious to see if I put ... A: I'm not going to go into specifics, because this really reads like a homework problem, but the ... | |
| seniors thesis | 1/31/2012 |
| Q: my seniors thesis (philosophy) was an attempt at outlining an ontological sub-structure of the ... A: I can see why they rejected it, for one it's not written in the form of any reasonable journal ... | |
| effect of moon's gravitational pull on cerebral fluid | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: When I lie on my back face up, I cannot fall asleep because my brain won't shut off. I keep thinking ... A: Not by physics, no, this is a biology issue. And it's not the Moon's gravitational pull (yes Moon ... | |
| general relativity | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: Does each and every object even a dust mite bend space time? ANSWER: Yes. This site won't let me ... A: What you're poking at is the borderline between relativity and quantum mechanics. No one has been ... | |
| relative strength of forces. | 1/29/2012 |
| Q: Steve, I heard a number of times that the force of gravity is considered to be massively weaker than ... A: Well, you have the terminoligy slightly wrong. The force it would exert on another body would ... | |
| speed of light | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: I asked this question to Richard J. Raridon He replied it was not his expertise I hope it is in ... A: What do you mean, light with mass? You mean the light source has mass? Because then you have an ... | |
| relative strength of forces. | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: Steve, I heard a number of times that the force of gravity is considered to be massively weaker than ... A: Not at all, the strength of the electromagnetic force and the existence of opposite charges is what ... | |
| relative strength of forces. | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: Steve, I heard a number of times that the force of gravity is considered to be massively weaker than ... A: With your example, you're dealing with a magnetic dipole (north and south ends). With gravity ... | |
| Investigating Static Electricity Using an Electroscope -- fun stuff. | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: We performed a lab where using a neutral electroscope, we rubbed a PVC rod with fur, which made the ... A: Like charges repel, whether positive or negative. Electroscopes are generally based on ... | |
| Snowboard Physics | 1/23/2012 |
| Q: i am conducting an experiment in my science class and was wondering if you would be willing to be my ... A: Hey, I'm a snowboarder myself! Amount matters less than texture. The amount matters for how long ... | |
| The Universe | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: We know that the Universe is Infinite and expands macroscopically (from the outside). But is true ... A: As far as we know, the space in the universe itself is not only expanding but accelerating. I'm not ... | |
| physics | 1/16/2012 |
| Q: sir does angle of incidence is equal in irregular reflection to angle of reflection? ANSWER: What ... A: No, irregular reflection definitely means that the angle of incidence is probably not equal to the ... | |
| What may be the sources of error in this lab? (Fluid Mechanics) | 1/13/2012 |
| Q: We did a Fluids lab, and its procedure is below: Place a bottle with a sealed hole in the middle on ... A: While this come reeeeally close to my no-homework policy, you're asking for something much more ... | |
| superconductivity question | 1/11/2012 |
| Q: 'Current in a superconductor is not driven by an electric field but but it exists by it self wrapped ... A: No, that's not how they work. Electrons have a charge. As such, they distort the crystal lattice ... | |
| Imploding Pop Can | 1/10/2012 |
| Q: I am trying to help my son understand a demonstration he saw in school - pop can with a bit of water ... A: The question here is whether or not the turning upside-down was the way the can was sealed. If it ... | |
| science fair project-help | 1/9/2012 |
| Q: This is my first time on here, and was wondering where a good place to start research would be. My ... A: I always liked this one: get a balloon and fill it with like a teaspoon of water, then blow it up ... | |
| Perfect vacuum | 1/7/2012 |
| Q: I guess I sort of have two questions, but they're very closely related: How have physicists learned ... A: Precision measurement for the first one. The second one is not only the consequence of the form of ... | |
| vacuums and bubbles | 1/5/2012 |
| Q: I've found by reading online that a vacuum can hold to a maximum height of roughly 30 feet. ... A: Yes, it's impossible, That's basic physics. The reason you mentioned is the why, it would take you ... | |
| How much liquid nitrogen? | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: Greetings Steve, A liquid nitrogen evaporation question for you :) This is not homework!! A large ... A: This question contains nowhere near the information needed to answer it. How long is the tube, and ... | |
| gravity | 12/20/2011 |
| Q: Steve, Does a miner weigh less deeper underground? If I could tunnel to the center of the earth, ... A: You need to google something called geodesy, if you're concerned about such small distances relative ... | |
| gravity | 12/19/2011 |
| Q: Steve, Does a miner weigh less deeper underground? If I could tunnel to the center of the earth, ... A: It would be linear, yes. The miner at the bottom would, of course weight less. I mean, if you ... | |
| Nuclear Energy | 12/18/2011 |
| Q: Why don't some countries reprocess spent uranium into plutonium or what are the disadvantages? A: There's no logical reason, it's purely political leftover from the cold war. We recycle glass, ... | |
| physics | 12/12/2011 |
| Q: If I drop a ball from 3 feet high off the ground who will catch it faster a young or older person ? A: That depends. If they catch it at the same height, then they would catch it at the same time from ... | |
| radiation | 12/9/2011 |
| Q: is it true that the color blue absorbs radiation A: No, it is not. Blue is a color because whatever is colored blue is reflecting blue light and not ... | |
| space | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: Is there an accepted theory among scientists of just what space is? Is it like a container within ... A: There are many possible theories between scientists about "what space is." But I don't think any of ... | |
| Einstein | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: Did Einstein visualize spacetime or was his conception of spacetime purely mathamatical A: How do I know what he visualized or didn't? I'm not a time-traveling mind reader. Visualization ... | |
| electromagnetism | 12/4/2011 |
| Q: Hey!I was practicing some random questions when i came across one I've never heard anything ... A: Well that's definitely not enough to go on to calculate anything. Are you talking about a pinched ... | |
| Candle, mirrors | 12/2/2011 |
| Q: If I have a candle in a closed room, I see, of course, one candle. If I add a mirror, I see two ... A: You can increase it to a point, but it can only bounce back and forth between mirrors so many times ... | |
| How "mass" works | 12/2/2011 |
| Q: I keep reading that we are learning more and more about what "mass," or as I call it 'weight' might ... A: If you call it "weight" then you misunderstand the difference between the two. What causes mass to ... | |
| speed and deceleration | 12/2/2011 |
| Q: How can I calculate the speed of a vehicle at a given point in its deceleration. Example if a car ... A: Well, this is starting to sound like a homework question, but I can tell you that your first formula ... | |
| speed and deceleration | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: How can I calculate the speed of a vehicle at a given point in its deceleration. Example if a car ... A: Well, you don't have enough information to solve this particular problem. You don't know the ... | |
| speed of light/light photons | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: why is the speed of light inviolable? is it just the nature of light to be this speed or do other ... A: The speed of light is a result of a wave equation, Maxwell's equations (which collectively form a ... | |
| hypothetical physics | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: If one were to implode a small piece of matter into infinite density with extremely high explosive ... A: You said infinite, which means it can't be done. And no, if you're referring to things like the ... | |
| relativity | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: Dr Mr. Nelson I am taking the liberty of asking a simplistic and maybe silly question. Thank you ... A: Let me stop you right there at the words "add on" speed, since that Light travels at the speed of ... | |
| FTL studies | 11/27/2011 |
| Q: I recently read in the media about 2 scientific studies which claimed to have discovered particles ... A: No, Einstein was a fantastically capable theoretical physicist and mathematical genius. I would ... | |
| Complex 4 Wheeler Automobile Design Model | 11/27/2011 |
| Q: This is regarding a Complex 4 Wheeler Automobile Design Model VIZ Cars, Jeeps, Lorries, Bus, Tempo ... A: Being a physicist and not an automotive engineer, this is definitely outside of my area of ... | |
| physics | 11/24/2011 |
| Q: sir if earth get stopped suddenly to rotate than what happens and sir what will be the effect on our ... A: Everything would CRASH! We're traveling at massive velocities! The value of g would increase ... | |
| physics | 11/23/2011 |
| Q: What does the "observable universe" encompass. Does it refer to only those things that can be be ... A: Observable, as a descriptor, means something we can measure. Neutrinos interact with matter rarely, ... | |
| physics | 11/23/2011 |
| Q: sir what will be the time period of simple pendulum having lenth infinity? and how please explain ... A: It would be infinite, but or course you cannot create a pendulum of simple gravity in such length. ... | |
| Archery Variation Sport (angular Velocity) | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: Do you feel this variation of Archery game can be introduced as a Good Olympics Sport in future ? ... A: No, wow, global sports would take a visit to campus and a small set of lectures to make it even ... | |
| Boomerang - Laws of Physics | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomerang How does a Boomerang and Returning Boomerang works ? What ... A: It's mostly making sure that the materials are light and then the second part is the geometrical ... | |
| science | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: If the law of conservation of matter states that no matter can be destroyed or made then i was ... A: Ummm...brain cells "die" means that they are cleaned out by the immune system. It's not physics, ... | |
| massless particles | 11/20/2011 |
| Q: the concept of massless particles escapes me. Is a massless particle no more than a theoretical ... A: Your problem is not the problem with massless (meaning it can have energy, like a photon, but no ... | |
| Archery and Shooting Games. | 11/20/2011 |
| Q: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archery_at_the_Summer_Olympics ... A: Of course they involve laws of physics, laws of physics govern how everything in the universe moves. ... | |
| What is the statistical chance that there are not a god or creator? | 11/20/2011 |
| Q: What is the statistical chance that there are not a god or creator? A: The problem is that you've asked a question about the supernatural (i.e. a creator for the universe ... | |
| mass, I think? | 11/19/2011 |
| Q: I am making those little beach scenes for my friends for Christmas. You know that ones with the ... A: It turns out that when I started grad school I worked in a field known as granular flow. The simple ... | |
| physics | 11/18/2011 |
| Q: How do scientists isolate individual electons, neutons and protons so that these particles can be ... A: Based on their charge. But we can't isolate individual ones, they're identical particles. We ... | |
| physics | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: "sir my question is if 12wires each of 1 ohm is arranged in a cube and 1 amp current is following ... A: It's the same as the potential difference between any path, but you never specified a lot of things. ... | |
| Validity of an Internet source about radiation. | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: At: http://pissinontheroses.blogspot.com/2011/11/raw-downloadable-data-from-102611.html Mr. Potr ... A: First, his data kind of implies that he actually did the measurements, but very little about how ... | |
| Rolling motion with off-center weight | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: I am working on a kinetic sculpture that uses rolling motion. I'll be using cylindrical shapes where ... A: Security rules prevent me from seeing where you're getting your guide to rolling motion, but ... | |
| physics | 11/8/2011 |
| Q: sir i have a question that The masses of the three wires of copper are in the ratio of 1 : 3 : 5 ... A: The formula for the resistance of a wire is simple, R=pL/A where p is the resistivity of the ... | |
| Validity of an Internet source about radiation. | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: At: http://pissinontheroses.blogspot.com/2011/11/raw-downloadable-data-from-102611.html Mr. Potr ... A: The cricticality at Fukishima resulted in the release of hydrogen gas. That resulted in a chemical ... | |
| Fukushima and nuclear explosions | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: Can the crippled Fukushima atomic power plant in northern Japan produce a nuclear explosion? Can any ... A: First, let me preface this by saying that a reactor and a weapon are fundamentally different ... | |
| a polytheistic universe? | 10/28/2011 |
| Q: This might be kind of an odd question. I am in an ongoing debate with a Christian (I am a ... A: Physics says nothing about religion at all. It does not prove one type of religion over any other. ... | |
| light | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: When you polarize light in one direction..and since there are two components..E and B..does it mean ... A: No, it's not quite like that. You can't "cut out" a single component, they're related. You can ... | |
| Van De Graaff generator | 10/18/2011 |
| Q: In Van De Graaff generator, What is the mathematical formula for the transfer of charge from the ... A: There is no such formula. It depends on many factors, like the charging comb, the place in the ... | |
| big bang explanation | 10/6/2011 |
| Q: Probably really obvious but one I've not got my brain around. If you blow something up generally the ... A: First, the statistics are based on the first two concepts, you can't ignore them and hope to truly ... | |
| big bang explanation | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: Probably really obvious but one I've not got my brain around. If you blow something up generally the ... A: The really brain-bending concept here is twofold: 1) There is no "center" of the universe that we ... | |
| physics | 10/5/2011 |
| Q: what is friction ? its helpful or not ? A: Friction is a force due to contact between two surfaces that resists their motion. Of course it's ... | |
| air powered vehicles | 10/4/2011 |
| Q: My partner and I are doing a science fair project on air powered vehicles and we would like you to ... A: Yes, but it's very complex exactly how. Yes, but it's not so straightforward. The leakage rate of ... | |
| Gravity | 10/3/2011 |
| Q: Sir, in my science book it was written that the earth provides the centripetal force by its ... A: The acceleration of the Moon is towards the Earth, but acceleration is not the same as velocity. ... | |
| Hi | 10/2/2011 |
| Q: Im studying in 12th. I want to know the reason for the early sunrise and late sunset?Can you please ... A: Not really important, given that refraction changes the sunrise and sunset by only the tiniest of a ... | |
| freezing time of water | 9/29/2011 |
| Q: I know salt effects the freezing time of water, but does sugar and baking soda affect it to? If so ... A: Anything you dissolve in water has some kind of polar attraction to the water. So it will always ... | |
| drinking bird - does it do work? | 9/28/2011 |
| Q: I have looked at all the equations for Work, and I am unable to find one that demonstrates that the ... A: I don't know what S is, since you have not defined it in either posting. But assuming that you're ... | |
| drinking bird - does it do work? | 9/28/2011 |
| Q: I have looked at all the equations for Work, and I am unable to find one that demonstrates that the ... A: You have friction in the bearing, though low. Air resistance to motion as well, also low. And then ... | |
| Megnetic field and its effect on protons | 9/27/2011 |
| Q: Sir / Madam please tell me which pole of a magnetic field attracts or repels +ve charge. If +ve ... A: They don't attract or repel charges. The magnetic field applies forces to moving charges, key being ... | |
| Physics/Light Speed + LHC | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: On 4/1/2010 David Montiel answered a question about the ability to pass the speed of light. I just ... A: How is it right is not the current question. How is it not wrong is the current question. A mile ... | |
| Thermodynamics | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: Sir, How can you best use a spoon to cool a cup of coffee? Stirring-which involves doing ... A: Stirring increases surface area and convects hotter liquid to the top as evaporation cools the ... | |
| Old radium watch question | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: I saw a question from a couple of years ago about watches with radium dials/ hands and have a ... A: You are, kinda, because about 55% of everyone's natural radioactive exposure (the reason your dryer ... | |
| Chemistry | 9/21/2011 |
| Q: I have few questions that i need help 1.in order to obtain a stable inert gas structure,electrons ... A: Yes, you're definitely confused. Part 1 makes absolutely no sense at all, what do you mean by that ... | |
| I Want A simple Title in physics to make a research on | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: I Want A simple Title in physics to make a research on im a student and the Auc(American University ... A: What do you mean, just a title of an experiment? What kind of research topic area, and how simple ... | |
| Parallel Universe Theory | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: I have a question regarding Multiverse theory or at least a part of it. I hope I can present my ... A: I think you meant the first stars and quasars were formed in the first several hundred million years ... | |
| Electric Heating Element | 9/20/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to design an electric heating element for a new application my wife and I thought of. ... A: Yes, nichrome appears to be the material of choice here. Check out the wiki for general ... | |
| Old radium watch question | 9/19/2011 |
| Q: I saw a question from a couple of years ago about watches with radium dials/ hands and have a ... A: For one thing, even if all the radium were scraped off and dumped randomly around your house, it ... | |
| Proving Yarkovsky Effect in Science Fair | 9/19/2011 |
| Q: My name is Matt. I'm in the 8th grade and I'm working on a science fair project this year that ... A: Sorry for the delay. OK, how astophysics-related do you want the topic to be, and how much do you ... | |
| Proving Yarkovsky Effect in Science Fair | 9/18/2011 |
| Q: My name is Matt. I'm in the 8th grade and I'm working on a science fair project this year that ... A: First, let me lead off with the bad news. This is a very bad idea (VERY bad) to present in front of ... | |
| Silence | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: What is Silence according to science? ANSWER: "Silence" is the lack of sound waves, just like ... A: That must mean that their recordings showed a lack of sound waves. It's kind of like measuring ... | |
| optics | 9/15/2011 |
| Q: When we wear polarized sun glass it cuts out either the E or B field ie if the E field is vertical ... A: It doesn't "cut out" one or the other, that would imply you can split up a photon. A photon is not ... | |
| Outcomes of Weeble Set Ups | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: I'm interested in building a prototype which involves a weeble. I am wondering what the outcomes ... A: Depends on what you have to work with more than anything else. Concrete or cement is pretty dense, ... | |
| Physics | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: i am a senior high student.. light sources and power supplies are easy to find..but diffraction ... A: You're really not giving me much in the way of list to go on. I'll pull an idea from the science ... | |
| gravitational acceleration anti-hydrogen | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Nelson, About 6 years ago I asked you a question about a model of the atomic nucleus I study. ... A: Welcome to the world of research...such experiments are still a work in progress, all these years ... | |
| Quantium Physics question | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: I am not sure if my question is a physics question. If it is not, I apologize. I saw a pic of a book ... A: An entire course on quantum mechanics is far beyond the scope of this forum. It seems, from the ... | |
| Outcomes of Weeble Set Ups | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: I'm interested in building a prototype which involves a weeble. I am wondering what the outcomes ... A: This is a matter of torque and rotational inertia. The absolutely ideal situation is to have a ... | |
| where does it come from? | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: when we suck some water inside a syringe, the water is getting some height and as a result some ... A: You both have points. Your hand provides the energy to cause a pressure difference between the two ... | |
| Physics | 9/11/2011 |
| Q: sir. this is me again.. i think it is much better if my invention is in the field of optics or ... A: That's even harder, I still have no idea what level of education you have or what equipment you have ... | |
| Hello ! | 9/11/2011 |
| Q: What is the difference between a generator and a dynamo? Why a dynamo is not necessarily a generator ... A: I suggest you see the basic Wiki on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamo It appears to be ... | |
| circular motion = acceleration ? | 9/11/2011 |
| Q: circular motion = acceleration ? A piece of mass falling is defined by (mass x acceleration). Is a ... A: That is absolutely NOT the reason! It's because the x and y directions of motion are completely ... | |
| Thermodynamics | 9/10/2011 |
| Q: Sir, Far above the Earth's surface the gas kinetic temperature is reported to be on the order of ... A: A person would die from decompression and lack of oxygen. While decompression might cause temporary ... | |
| circular motion = acceleration ? | 9/9/2011 |
| Q: circular motion = acceleration ? A piece of mass falling is defined by (mass x acceleration). Is a ... A: No, you're asking about two dissimilar things. First, you're asking about the motion of the center ... | |
| circular motion = acceleration ? | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: circular motion = acceleration ? A piece of mass falling is defined by (mass x acceleration). Is a ... A: No it is not. It is a disc. I believe you meant the motion of the disc. The spinning disc has an ... | |
| hello..^0^ | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: why the length of a solenoid is greater than its diameter ? Also how the north and south pole of a ... A: 1+2: The magnet poles are spinning. They're shaped to swing by the stator magnets as closely as ... | |
| physics | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: can you help me to do an investigatory project that can be passed for a competition or a science ... A: Physics is an enormous subject, and rarely not eco-friendly. What sub-field of physics are you ... | |
| Gravity | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: I'm over 40, this is not homework. At the science centre there's a vortex that you roll a ball down ... A: The ball's coefficient of rolling friction should have something to do with it, but not its density. ... | |
| radioactive decay by protons ? | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: I would like to know why is not observed natural radioactive sources that produces protons, we only ... A: In fact, there are nuclei which decay by proton emission. Their lifetimes are ridiculously ... | |
| hello..^0^ | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: why the length of a solenoid is greater than its diameter ? Also how the north and south pole of a ... A: The length is not just greater, it's much greater. A solenoid assumes an infinite cylinder, which ... | |
| Gravity | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: I'm over 40, this is not homework. At the science centre there's a vortex that you roll a ball down ... A: 1) Yes, that's what would happen. 2) That depends on the taper. It would have to balance out the ... | |
| radiation | 9/1/2011 |
| Q: Human body emit its maximum radiation that is caused by the temperature of the human body at ... A: It's called blackbody radiation, see here: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mod6.html ... | |
| Question about Protons and Neutrons | 9/1/2011 |
| Q: Hey there! I am a geologist and I teach a few classes. One of my students asked me a question the ... A: Different isotopes are more or less stable than others because of the quantum mechanics of how a ... | |
| physics | 8/31/2011 |
| Q: 1. when we see balmer series, lyman series it usually involves electron transition in electron ... A: Your first question makes very little sense. These lines don't "usually" involve transitions ... | |
| science | 8/30/2011 |
| Q: why can't we exceed the speed of light A: It would require an infinite amount of energy to reach the speed of light. While not technically ... | |
| sparks - arcing | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: My wife said she thought she saw sparks coming off the stove's electrical coil into the air. I said ... A: It's possible that you're both partly right. A sudden burst of fire from material on the hot stove ... | |
| About electric field patterns | 8/26/2011 |
| Q: I'm currently studying electric field, but getting confused when I deal with questions about field ... A: Between two oppositely charged plates you get a relatively uniform field between and nothing ... | |
| Model.(energy) | 8/24/2011 |
| Q: Sir. Its like eco-friendly ways to use energy . I want to make a heat pump.(working model) like when ... A: Geothermal energy then, pretty simple. You need something to pump the water, like an aquarium pump, ... | |
| Power lines | 8/24/2011 |
| Q: I live on the 10th floor of a high rise building. The high tension power lines run about 50 metres ... A: 50m away? That's definitely plenty far to protect you from the weak EM fields of a power line, you ... | |
| centripetal and centrifugal forces | 8/23/2011 |
| Q: It's my understand that centripetal and centrifugal forces are equal and opposite, am I wrong? If I ... A: Most people don't refer to a "centrifugal" force at all anymore, we just stick with the ... | |
| weather baloons, | 8/23/2011 |
| Q: When a weather balloon rises it will expand..now these things unlike kids balloons go very high.Will ... A: That totally depends on how it's filled and how it's constructed. If it's not overfilled and it's ... | |
| Exploration paradox | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: Yes, this is similar to the twin paradox, but with a few changes: Two brothers set off from earth ... A: You've got it all backwards, so stay with me here. First, if they embark on a journey of exactly ... | |
| Shadow Matter and its implications | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: My name is Alexander,45,living in Toronto,Canada.I am Software Quality Assurance Analyst,but like to ... A: No, unless the "shadow matter" interacting with normal matter via gravity mimicked it in exactly ... | |
| Stimulated emission | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: Suppose an electron is in a higher energy level and a photon comes along with an energy equal to the ... A: Again, you don't *need* a photon to cause an energy level change. The electric field of the photon ... | |
| Exploration paradox | 8/18/2011 |
| Q: Yes, this is similar to the twin paradox, but with a few changes: Two brothers set off from earth ... A: You already have equations for time dilation. No, the problem here is that they do not take the ... | |
| pulley | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: I have a machine that current is powered by a 50 cc 2 stroke engine. I use it to power a wench drum ... A: It'll give you more mechanical strength to use a smaller spool, but it'll move less quickly. So you ... | |
| Capacitor EMP | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: Capacitor EMP Hello, I just need to know how to maximize an electromagnetic pulse. Is a flat coil ... A: Again, it's really more about the dielectric you use and the inductance of the circuit. So no ... | |
| Capacitor EMP | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: Capacitor EMP Hello, I just need to know how to maximize an electromagnetic pulse. Is a flat coil ... A: Cellular processes are not that fast, you don't need the ultimate in EMP speeds and it doesn't ... | |
| Virtual Particles | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: I'm having a hard time understanding virtual particles in empty space. E=mc^2 says that matter and ... A: Well, you definitely expressed the equation wrong. Mass is positive, even if it's antimatter. You ... | |
| Capacitor EMP | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: Capacitor EMP Hello, I just need to know how to maximize an electromagnetic pulse. Is a flat coil ... A: First, why do you need to know how to maximize an EMP? Are you trying to knock out computers? That ... | |
| billard balls | 8/11/2011 |
| Q: I am an avid pool player..there is a shot..the masse or curve ball.I hit the ball almost vertically ... A: The Coriolis force has absolutely nothing to do with this, it's pure friction and rotation of the ... | |
| Invention of the Wheel - Circular Shape | 8/11/2011 |
| Q: Invention of the Wheel ---------------------- There are Two Wheelers, Three Wheelers and Four ... A: OK, I'm only going to answer this ridiculously simple question one more time. If the contact ... | |
| Invention of the Wheel - Circular Shape | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: Invention of the Wheel ---------------------- There are Two Wheelers, Three Wheelers and Four ... A: Your wiki.answers.com link has all the answer you need. If you have tires (that's how we spell it) ... | |
| car tint | 8/3/2011 |
| Q: Is there such thing as polarized windows for cars? A: There are tinted windows, but they're generally not polarized. It would be simple enough to make, ... | |
| heat | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: what is intermolecular potential energy? what work does it do? A: Asking what work it does is pointless, energy is energy. Potential energy change is work. ... | |
| Reflector systems | 8/1/2011 |
| Q: How does the design of the Hubble Space Telescope optical system differ from the basic Newtonian ... A: The Hubble was made wrong and had to have corrective optics installed on a series of spacewalks. ... | |
| Photon vs neutrino | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: The photon is massless and travels at the speed of light. The neutrino has a very very small amount ... A: The word "neutrino" means "little neutral one." The photon is *made* of electromagnetic fields, the ... | |
| Reflective Character Series - (Exact Replica of the Character/Letter/Alphabet in Mirror) | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: As similar to Reflective Number Series. we can also note down the Reflective character series for ... A: The arbitrary symmetry of letters and numbers as humans draw their characters is exactly that. ... | |
| Mirrored Numbers - (Exact Replica of the Number) - Optics & Real Life Use ? | 7/26/2011 |
| Q: What i observe by looking at the Numeric Whole Numbers(Integers) in Mirror (Glass) Object are the ... A: Not that I know of. Specular reflection explains the first one and then we're pretty much done. ... | |
| Mirrored Numbers - (Exact Replica of the Number) - Optics & Real Life Use ? | 7/26/2011 |
| Q: What i observe by looking at the Numeric Whole Numbers(Integers) in Mirror (Glass) Object are the ... A: Why are you asking a physicist and not a mathematician? No, this is not a class of numbers that I ... | |
| radioactive dating now inaccurate? | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: I just learned that radioactive decay can be affected by outside forces, such as solar flares. if ... A: Have you read these papers? They all deal with electron capture by k-shell electrons in heavy ions ... | |
| radioactive dating now inaccurate? | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: I just learned that radioactive decay can be affected by outside forces, such as solar flares. if ... A: No, radioactive decay itself is not affected by things like solar flares. Radiocarbon is also ... | |
| waves | 7/15/2011 |
| Q: Hey Steve, In most diagrams and computer simulations of EM wave..lets take a photon...the E and b ... A: Of course the energy is stored in the E and B fields both, they both represent energy. They do not ... | |
| ELECTRICITY | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: Steve I have a question. Could you explain in microscopic terms why 2.5 ohm is less than 4 ohm, ... A: Ummmm...2.4 is less than 4 because 2.4 is less than 4. There's no microscopic anything about any of ... | |
| electrons in metals | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: A bonded electron when it "jumps" orbits absorb/emit discrete amounts of energy.What abt.when it is: ... A: a) Yes b) You're oversimplifying. The wavefunction overlaps between many atoms, it's distributed ... | |
| physical science | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: can you explain why sound travels faster in stone,and water than in air? A: The speed of sound depends on the collisions between molecules. Connected molecules (like liquid or ... | |
| relation between mass & hight | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: sir when a body of mass 'm' is dropped from a hight 'h' then the potential energy 'm*g*h' is ... A: I just explained *why* it's independent of mass (this doesn't account for the air resistance of tiny ... | |
| Nomenclature | 7/8/2011 |
| Q: Could u pls tell me by what name we designate the following effect. "If we suddenly release a ... A: Ummmm...of course it's related to thermodynamics, it's just a definition in thermodynamics. You ... | |
| ball in motion. | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: In golf for example if a ball is rolling on the green and it hits the pin, is it possible for it to ... A: Further than if it rolled by? Only if it was rolling uphill and bounced back downhill, according to ... | |
| Physics/Homework Help | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: A student swings his keychain around in a circle. What is the source of the centripetal force for ... A: I don't answer homework questions, your title says Physics/Homework help. Why would you ask me ... | |
| Mechanics | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: I want to know that how to calculate the total number of wraps of a finite length coil of given ... A: Ummm...we need a real problem, rpm has nothing to do with geometry. A finite length of wire and a ... | |
| Measuring the speed of light | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: In Roemer's method of measuring the speed of light, he found that the orbital periods of Io were ... A: Not shorter, later. Which is accommodated by the face that Earth is twice as far away at ... | |
| Physics | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: I have learned the equation of Newton's gravitational law and I wonder how Newton calculate the ... A: Observationally. It's a little different than experimentally, where you get to perform controlled ... | |
| Physics | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: I have heard that the F-117A stealth fighter is specifically designed to be a non-retroreflector of ... A: A massive combination of non-metallic materials and asymmetric plates in the design give it its tiny ... | |
| possible explanation for dark matter | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: I am not a physicist so if this makes no sense then dont waste your time. It strikes me that ... A: No, because of the distribution of galactic spins and galactic cluster velocities, they match with ... | |
| water to ice | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me,I was wondering when freezing water to make a solid (ice) is it ... A: I'd say you need to start by boiling the water to degass it, boiling all the air out. Then let it ... | |
| Spinning a car around 90 degrees - force required | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: I am a lawyer acting for a Claimant in a road traffic accident, where there is a liability dispute. ... A: You're asking for force and speed, without any testing or any of the parameters you actually need to ... | |
| broken window | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: 1st off I live alone, I was in my front room watching TV when I heard a loud sound(something hitting ... A: While it is slightly possible that flexing caused glass to fall on the outside, they absolutely ... | |
| speed of a car | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: How fast would a car have to be going to throw a 200 lb. body on a bicycle 100 feet? A: The weight of the body and the fact that it's on a bicycle is relatively immaterial. I can't answer ... | |
| spin altering | 6/29/2011 |
| Q: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110605132431.htm 'because photons at the right ... A: Yes. Research how an MRI (also known by its original name, NMR) machine works. A photon has an ... | |
| Color Theory | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: Why have most models for primary colors been in 3 colors? Like cyan, magenta, and yellow, or red, ... A: It is indeed because the human eye has 3 basic cones. You should investigate the vision of the ... | |
| On which principle is the Electrostatic Radiant Impulse concept of Nikola Tesla based ? | 6/21/2011 |
| Q: How are you ? Do you remember me ? I will not give up till I understand the secrets of the ... A: There aren't really secrets to electromagnetic field theory, just a lot of math and that requires a ... | |
| physics/mechanics | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: I have a problem where I will vertically drop a 2 lb. steel ball onto a thin steel plate from ... A: You can't! There's no way to compute that without knowing tons and tons of parameters about the ... | |
| x ray | 6/20/2011 |
| Q: I have been working in x ray room last 2 years. x ray capacity is 300kv and 7.5ma. there is also ... A: Presumably if you were an x-ray tech then you had a radiation badge...therefore you should know ... | |
| Designing Reverse Gear/s for Trains i.e Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes. | 6/19/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible to design Reverse Gears for Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes OR Theoretically and ... A: Ummm...floatation of a ship has nothing to do with its thrust direction. And train engines run in ... | |
| Movement of CO2 and Cooling Gases that Create a Vacuum | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: Nelson, I am a novelist trying to set a death mystery scene utilizing the chemistry and physics ... A: Caves can fill with weird gases naturally which could preserve bodies. Many caves have multiple ... | |
| Engines | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: I used to be able to start my car..1965 Datsun by engaging 1st or 2nd gear ...manual ... A: I'm a nuclear physicist (), not an expert on cars, so this is really a little outside my experience. ... | |
| Laser | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: In Helium-Neon laser, why is the ratio of He to Ne 4 to 1? (as in why does He need to be supplied ... A: I'm not a laser guy, but I'm guessing it's what we in the business of experimental physics call ... | |
| Movement of CO2 and Cooling Gases that Create a Vacuum | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: Nelson, I am a novelist trying to set a death mystery scene utilizing the chemistry and physics ... A: If you're creating carbon monoxide, you don't have to worry about sealing the cave. CO will bind to ... | |
| Designing Reverse Gear/s for Trains i.e Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes. | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible to design Reverse Gears for Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes OR Theoretically and ... A: Most of the operating conditions you mentioned will be relatively immaterial to the vehicles you're ... | |
| energy conservation | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: ive got a project to make a car that can move as fast as possible. it should be made out of a body ... A: Ahh, then lowering friction and air resistance are your only concerns! Make sure you pay attention ... | |
| Positronium | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: My question concerns positronium. Literature speaks of a bound state of electron and positron, ... A: It doesn't matter what kind of answer you want, you get the answer physics gives you. And quantum ... | |
| Designing Reverse Gear/s for Trains i.e Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes. | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible to design Reverse Gears for Locomotives, Ships and Aeroplanes OR Theoretically and ... A: This isn't really a physics question, it's engineering. You can reverse any thrust. For a plane, ... | |
| physics science | 6/14/2011 |
| Q: Particle accelerators are devices that speed up charged particles in order to smash them together. ... A: Tricky, because they don't last very long. But in that brief time, scientists can observe how much ... | |
| Resonance patterns | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: I understand (from a course in the Philosophy of quantum mechanics I am currently attending) that ... A: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-04-quantum-physics-i-spring-2006/ If you're looking for ... | |
| sci-fi space travel calculations | 6/4/2011 |
| Q: I am working on a science fiction story, involving travel to the Oort Cloud. I have almost no math ... A: The problem is that it gets far, far more complex when you go to relativistic speeds. You can't ... | |
| Resonance patterns | 6/3/2011 |
| Q: I understand (from a course in the Philosophy of quantum mechanics I am currently attending) that ... A: "Resonant patterns" would correspond to the solutions to wavefunction equations (the Schrodinger ... | |
| Bouncing up and down | 6/1/2011 |
| Q: First of all, I thank you for offering freely to help enlighten people. I recently bought myself a ... A: You're confusing mass (which is constant), weight (which depends on gravity), and force (which can ... | |
| Egg drop Physics | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: Im doing the egg drop and need help with some questions... What can you conclude or what is ... A: Well, let me just say they're basically wrong without accounting for a lot of factors and that ... | |
| Egg drop Physics | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: Im doing the egg drop and need help with some questions... What can you conclude or what is ... A: You only included the one, graph B. Obviously the other two are integrals and derivatives of this ... | |
| RE: car crash investigation | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: My name's Jack. I'm doing my car crash investigation. i need to prove a 2 equations which is in ... A: No, actually, I can't tell you who was and was not lying. I'm not a psychic. I don't know the ... | |
| Two Big Queries | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: If you have a golf ball falling to earth the earth pulls on it with force "A". The golf ball pulls ... A: 1) You have Newton's 3rd law totally wrong, the ball (no matter the size) exerts the same force on ... | |
| electricity | 5/26/2011 |
| Q: I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT THE BULB IN MY BEDROOM GOT HOTTER AS IT GREW DIMMER OVER THE YEARS. ... A: Light bulbs emit about 90% of their energy as heat, not light. If it got dimmer over the years then ... | |
| RE: car crash investigation | 5/25/2011 |
| Q: My name's Jack. I'm doing my car crash investigation. i need to prove a 2 equations which is in ... A: In any case like this I can never speak on behalf of the university I work for, but I can always ... | |
| uncertainty principle | 5/24/2011 |
| Q: my question is about uncertainty principle.i was reading Feynman lecture where he had described(in ... A: Again, missing the point of scale. A detector is made of billions (or more) of atoms. An electron ... | |
| uncertainty principle | 5/24/2011 |
| Q: my question is about uncertainty principle.i was reading Feynman lecture where he had described(in ... A: No, you're pretty much missed the point completely. Any detector that sits at one of the holes ... | |
| egg drop | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I have an egg drop project coming up in my class. I am given 10 sheets of paper and 1 meter of duct ... A: First, you might turn the paper into strips for streamers to keep it from turning over. Also, use ... | |
| physics | 5/12/2011 |
| Q: Is there a way to separate biodegradable from non-biodegradable materials using machines? A: This question is more about engineering and materials than physics. But I'll give it a crack, even ... | |
| infrared radiation | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: When people use special technology to take a picture of someone reflecting their electromagnetic ... A: Well, fascinating question Gena. It totally depends on the camera. I have a camera that *only* ... | |
| Radioactivity | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: I read with interest your assessment of the negligible health effects likely from radiation exposure ... A: For one, the darkened room only dilates their pupils and lets more light in, it doesn't hamper the ... | |
| Evidence that the universe is expanding | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: It is my understanding that the evidence that the universe is expanding is that the furthest ... A: No, it's straight-up Doppler shift. We measure the precisely-known shift of wavelength of specific ... | |
| Physics - Safety of a Swimming Pool | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if their was any possible physics experiments linked to the safety of a swimming ... A: Safety? That's not really physics, and pressure has little to do with pool safely. Pressure is ... | |
| electromagnetism | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: when you drop a metal bar from a height through a closed loop, an EMF is induced. my question is how ... A: You just capture the trace on the oscilloscope and measure the induced voltage vs. time. You ... | |
| electromagnetism | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: i need help explaining to me an experimental way i could proof electromagnetism in the lab. so, i ... A: How exactly it depends on the geometry and the magnet strength are very complicated, depending on ... | |
| electromagnetism | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: i need help explaining to me an experimental way i could proof electromagnetism in the lab. so, i ... A: So an EMF is another word for voltage. Read the voltage off the vertical scale of the scope. Then ... | |
| Career Physics, Advice | 5/5/2011 |
| Q: Steve: My name is Jim Ray. I am a student of physics at Indiana University. To explore the ... A: This really sounds more like research for some kind of report than basic questions. A career ... | |
| Question about the Chernobyl Disaster and Physics | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if there was a connection between the Chernobyl Disaster and any part of Physics as ... A: How can you write a detailed report without knowing enough physics to answer this question yourself? ... | |
| GPS Idea | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: Just the same I want your input on both its marketability and if the technology would be easy enough ... A: I know absolutely nothing about marketability. I can tell you if it has half a chance of working if ... | |
| Local GPS | 5/3/2011 |
| Q: I believe you said you could help me with my GPS idea sometimes back? ANSWER: Well, you'll have to ... A: Getting a patent is a process that takes years and costs in the thousands of dollars. It has to be ... | |
| Local GPS | 5/3/2011 |
| Q: I believe you said you could help me with my GPS idea sometimes back? ANSWER: Well, you'll have to ... A: I recall. It would be insanely expensive to build something so special-purpose as localized GPS. ... | |
| Lorentz force and relativity | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: Consider two point charges each moving with velocoty, v, on the same plane along perpendicular ... A: I don't understand why you even asked the first question, defining a charge density x has to be ... | |
| Laser ablation | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: I have been researching laser ablation on the internet for a project I am working on, but I am ... A: Seems like you could do that, but the optics behind it are far beyond me for what you'd need to ... | |
| Lorentz force and relativity | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: Consider two point charges each moving with velocoty, v, on the same plane along perpendicular ... A: So since those should cancel out (no, I didn't do the calculation) and the calculated force should ... | |
| blood pressure/atmospheric pressure | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: I used to study physics in high school and a friend recently put the question to me regarding blood ... A: No. In a vacuum, you'd be dead. For absolute pressure, you have to add exterior fluid pressure. ... | |
| Lorentz force and relativity | 4/24/2011 |
| Q: Consider two point charges each moving with velocoty, v, on the same plane along perpendicular ... A: You're forgetting that this problem involves *changing* magnetic fields as well as relativity. ... | |
| Inelastic relativistic collision | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: !! I still have a doubt about inelastic collisions in relativity. I think that DeltaK (variation in ... A: You really need a course in relativity, and to stop asking me questions that are the very ... | |
| Relativity | 4/23/2011 |
| Q: I am an Italian boy who is trying to remedy his ignorance in natural sciences and studies physics by ... A: 1) In your correction you write that it's an isolated system where an inelastic collision happens, ... | |
| Relativity | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: I am an Italian boy who is trying to remedy his ignorance in natural sciences and studies physics by ... A: 1) You reversed your position on relativistic mass. As I said, it can change, since energy can be ... | |
| Relativity | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: I am an Italian boy who is trying to remedy his ignorance in natural sciences and studies physics by ... A: I don't have time to check this over carefully, but I think I can help: 1) Not really. You can ... | |
| Elec&Mag | 4/17/2011 |
| Q: Does inductance of a coil depend upon temperature like resistors? Can it be theoretically proved as ... A: Only a tiny bit, as the geometry of the coil expands and contracts with temperature. Theoretically? ... | |
| electricity | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: What is the basic difference between ballistic galvanometer and suspended type moving coil ... A: They're largely the same. The large moment of inertia of a ballistic galvanometer, however, allows ... | |
| light intensity within a hologram projection. | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: I have a question about holograms and light/lasers. I know that light generally travels in a ... A: Well, this is a rather simplistic view of holography, which involves 3D interference. It's not as ... | |
| 3rd law of motion | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: is 3rd law also follow in cricket???means vn ball came 2batsman and batsman pushses....dn action and ... A: Yes, it *always* works. The ball may push as hard on the batsman as the batsman does on the ball, ... | |
| Quantum indeterminacy | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: First of all I cannot find any expert who would mention quantum physics as his main area, so i ... A: Yes, we refer to this as the collapse of the wavefunction. This is the "orthodox" position in ... | |
| 2D Mass | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible in our 3D world for a particle of Mass to be only 2 dimensional ? Thanks, Craig A: "Our 3D world" just implies that there are three spatial coordinates for the particle to be located ... | |
| Fish | 4/3/2011 |
| Q: Maybe silly question, but was wondering what would happen to a fish in say a Basketball filled with ... A: Fish are neutrally buoyant. They would float with the water and experience its same acceleration. ... | |
| Interview for Science Research | 4/2/2011 |
| Q: I want to ask you a few questions for my science research. Please reply as soon as possible. 1. Do ... A: First, what is a negative material? Are you referring to something in the triboelectric series? ... | |
| kinematics/waves? | 3/31/2011 |
| Q: My professor said today in class that two cars going the same speed at a distance from each other ... A: If they decelerate uniformly then they stay at the same relative velocity and your professor is ... | |
| fluids | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: How does water from a tap fill a bucket that is already a quarter full as in what position of the ... A: You'll have to draw me a picture. If I have a tap pouring from above a bucket which is 1/4 full it ... | |
| Nuclear Physics | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering that if in the case of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant having a triple meltdown, not ... A: Wow! You have a severely overinflated impression of what humans have built and our power to destroy ... | |
| car crash | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: A 1 ton 2002 Ford van weighing 9000 lbs travailing 55 mph tee boned a 98 Mitsubishi Montero weighing ... A: You can't calculate that, and anyone wh says they can is lying to you. 42 feet is a long way, so I ... | |
| Nuclear Physics Questions | 3/19/2011 |
| Q: I'm a undergraduate student with a strong interest in science, returning to school after recovering ... A: OK, I can gauge your level of understanding by the statement "how it behaves when released into the ... | |
| Entropy | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: How can we theoretically conclude that entropy is a state function.Can describe the mental steps ... A: State function just means it doesn't matter how you assembled the system. They generally describe ... | |
| Crystal Reaction to Electrical Current | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm curious if there is a known crystal or mineral type that emits light when an electrical current ... A: Not that I know of, perhaps you can ask a geologist. Generally crystals are insulators and not ... | |
| electric field penetration | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: We know from theory that when the operating frequency of an antenna is higher, then the penetration ... A: Well, dielectrics are funny, based on their measured material properties. For example, visible ... | |
| law of radioactive decay | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: I have published this hypothtical paper on scitopics.com and would appreciate if you could solve ... A: It's NOT universally applicable because it implies (by calling it a Law) that it's an absolute and ... | |
| Noetic Science | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: I'm a sophomore in Saudi Arabia and I've been assigned to write an article on Noetic Science for USA ... A: Thoughts are formed of chemical patterns changing, not physical things. Technically there's a ... | |
| law of radioactive decay | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: I have published this hypothtical paper on scitopics.com and would appreciate if you could solve ... A: Well, you're slightly off and certainly haven't discovered anything original. In my doctoral ... | |
| Nuclear blast radius/fallout | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: Nelson, Hello! I am writing a speculative fiction book, and I would like to know about the blast ... A: There's not hard and fast "blast radius." See here: ... | |
| Impact of fallen objects | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: How much force is created when a 200 pound weight is dropped 10 feet? The specific situation is ... A: There's no way to calculate the "force." There's an impulse you could calculate, but a maximum ... | |
| Aero Bike | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: Please, may I ask you to comment on my idea for the Aero Bike? I want to store energy in the frame ... A: It's very similar in concept to pneumatic hybrid cars, of course. They were supposed to hit the ... | |
| cosmic rays | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: We are bombarded by cosmic rays every sec.how come it does not interfere with our TV,mobile and ... A: One spurious event every few seconds in the midst of GHz communications systems aren't going to ... | |
| ferrofluids | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: For my third year expirimantal course, im making a ferrofluid 'hour glass' to find out the viscosity ... A: Most of the physics of ferrofluids would be published in professional journals. Because they're ... | |
| mechanics | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: earth is bulging at equator nd flattened at poles is because of centrifugal force how?? A: Technically no, it's called centripetal force. But the Earth is spinning, and a force is required ... | |
| Expectation of Braking time for a car | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: This is by no means homework related, just to settle a disagreement. What is the reasonable ... A: Not really, you didn't even ask me what was reasonably expected. A stopping distance? Do you have ... | |
| Work Problem | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: A block of mass 3 kg, which has an initial speed of 5 m/s at time t = 0, slides on a horizontal ... A: Your question presumes to command me to "Answer in units of m." I have an alternative proposal. ... | |
| Forces acting on surfaces | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: I am an Italian boy who is trying to teach himself the basics of physics. I studied at a classical ... A: Yes, the forces exerted are equal for a static situation. This is one of Newton's laws, and it is ... | |
| falling object exerts ? force--- | 2/24/2011 |
| Q: I am hardly a student of physics or any sort of experienced in those equations, although I am quite ... A: You can, ignoring air resistance, calculate the velocity it would hit after falling that far. It ... | |
| mechanical seismograph | 2/24/2011 |
| Q: I have an assignment from my teacher and that's about "the relationship between mechanical ... A: Well, for an overview, see here: http://www.thetech.org/exhibits_events/online/quakes/seismo/ ... | |
| GPS | 2/23/2011 |
| Q: Are you the expert I contacted involving local GPS? I think I met the MAX number of followups ... A: I guess I was. GPS is complex because there are satellites involved. You could create a local GPS ... | |
| rotation | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: I want to ask about a comman observation which has an unanswered question. i want to know why the ... A: The frames of the video are captured quickly and at specific intervals. If those intervals coincide ... | |
| How to solve complex problems | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could provide some advice on how to solve problems.When solving problems i ... A: Interest in learning physics is ultimately important to the learning process, it provides the ... | |
| How can I produce strong and quick pulses ? | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: Nelson, Here I am again and would like to ask you a simple question, not like the others. Hmm, You ... A: a) No, you will create a back EMF in the motor, inhibiting the current and voltage you create. ... | |
| electronics,differaction | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: sir why cable Tv is preffedred? Also tell how transmission of radio waves can be heard in hilly ... A: I have no idea why it's preferred or if it's preferred, perhaps you should refer that to a ... | |
| Ping pong balls | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: which surface does ping pong balls bounce higher on?? The surfaces are floorboards, tiles, grass, ... A: You can read my name and qualifications on my profile on this website. It wouldn't hurt you to do ... | |
| double slit | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: What will happen if I keep a metal plate in the places where dark fringes are formed in Young's ... A: The change is in the probability that the photon would hit the metal or not hit the metal. If the ... | |
| Local GPS? | 2/19/2011 |
| Q: How does GPS work exactly? When I was a kid I remember having toys that were designed to resembled ... A: Many cell phones have locators which use cell towers as a version of GPS without actually having GPS ... | |
| random | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: How come some days a rainbow forms on my wall other times it doesn’t? Why cant eyes see infra red ... A: That's the clouds and/or the angle of the Sun as it changes during the year. What kind of rainbow, ... | |
| physics | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: why does a heavy object accelerated upward returns to the same point at the earth from where it is ... A: It doesn't, actually, not quite. I mean, satellites orbit because they're projected upwards so fast ... | |
| bouyancy | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: my friend and I got into quite an argument over the bouyancy object that is sealed air tight. He ... A: You're both wrong. Pressurizing it will increase the air density, increasing the weight. Foam will ... | |
| questions torturing me | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: Steve Nelson, Can you tell me how to ask questions properly from Professors? It always happens that ... A: Don't feel awkward, just ask your questions. You'd be shocked at the percentage of your classmates ... | |
| questions torturing me | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: Steve Nelson, Can you tell me how to ask questions properly from Professors? It always happens that ... A: Physics professors value specificity in questions. Be specific about exactly what you want to know, ... | |
| Local GPS? | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: How does GPS work exactly? When I was a kid I remember having toys that were designed to resembled ... A: Yes, it could be used for that. GPS, the details of how it works are incredibly complex, even has ... | |
| sci fi | 2/16/2011 |
| Q: Good Day to you Sir. I have a question which migh be a bit silly. From a physics standpoint, are the ... A: Possible or plausible? Possible with current technology, absolutely not. Someday? I mean, I would ... | |
| Particle Accelerator | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: First of all , I want to say hi , my name Azzam Hamad from Syria , Hims and I am a student in the ... A: Advising you on building a particle accelerator is well beyond the scope of this forum, especially ... | |
| physics | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: My question is how can I calculate the mass of the sphere and the pulling force or atmospheric ... A: The force and radius are directly related. Atmospheric pressure is equal to p=101,000N/m^2. If you ... | |
| physics | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: I want to know all about the phenomena of sticking two half hollow sphere together when air is ... A: This is just a historical demonstration of the strength of air pressure when a vacuum is applied on ... | |
| cars on ice | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: Going the same speed , would a longer or shorter wheel based vehicle spin faster on ice? ANSWER: ... A: I told you that the linear speed won't matter relative to their rotational rate. As a practical ... | |
| Two Slit Experiment | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: What happens to the results of this experiment if the source is biased towards one slit over the ... A: The bias will alter the interference pattern according to the strength of the wave towards each ... | |
| Who created God? | 2/10/2011 |
| Q: You say that as we don't know what came before Big Bang, there must be a God. But who created God? ... A: I said no such thing about there must be a God. Therefore, your question is meaningless. And I ... | |
| Dent in Mass | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: A dent that occurs in a piece of Mass. How is that defined via Physics. Mass x Distance ? Mass x ... A: A dent being formed would be the rate of change of the volume in the mass. Again, NONE of the ... | |
| Are you an atheist? | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: Are you an atheist? A: This is not a physics question, and my personal religious beliefs are absolutely none of your ... | |
| Crumple zone | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could answer mywhat will make a naked egg remain intact from falling after 10 ... A: Impact forces are what remove the energy from the moving egg. Force multiplied by distance is equal ... | |
| Phase change in a metal? | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: Back in the late 60s I was microwave supervisor at the NASA ATS transportable ground station in ... A: Interesting question. Something would have to have either released energy or released gases. I ... | |
| Impact from deer caused cracked windshield | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: I recently got hit by a deer on the left side of my car. From the hit, there is damage all along the ... A: While I have to attach the disclaimer that I in no way represent my university when I give you my ... | |
| heat | 2/2/2011 |
| Q: What would happen if bridges are not supported by roller what is the role of roller?is its ... A: It would induce thermal stress if not supported by some kind of moving structure. Usually there are ... | |
| physics- magnetism | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: What causes magnetism? I understand what causes another force such as gravity, that it is just ... A: Magnetic fields are caused by fields...heh, I just wrote something that totally made no sense. ... | |
| physcis | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: we usually say that mobile should be switched off near petrol pump.what is its reason.what would ... A: That's a myth, gas pump fires are caused by static electricity from people getting back in their ... | |
| two slit experiment in a vacuum? | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: i was thinking, maybe in the two slit experiment the electron that was being fired at the two slits ... A: Ummmm....to conduct the experiment in the first place you had to do it in vacuum. Seriously, ... | |
| inductor | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: what is meant by inductor has less resistance but high self inductance?is every coil like rehostate ... A: This is a spaghetti mess of questions, I'll approach them in order. Less resistance than what? High ... | |
| Spin | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: Please see the following links 1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern%E2%80%93Gerlach_experiment ... A: I think you're confusing orbital angular momentum with intrinsic angular momentum. You keep ... | |
| ultrasound and ice dams | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: Previously you stated that using ultrasound would be 'excessively dangerous' for ice removal. Why? ... A: I don't recall that answer, but I get a lot of questions. The power levels required would be ... | |
| Radio Waves | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering how do you protect yourself from micro or radio waves? I live in an apartment and I ... A: I've gotten questions like this before about sound devices and microwave devices and neighbors. ... | |
| nature of time | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: I have heard things said such as that all time already exists but that we just haven't gotten to ... A: Physics doesn't define time in such a way, but as a fourth dimension of space-time. Certainly not ... | |
| Is the Electromagnetic stationray wave, longitudinal in its nature ? | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: Can you still remember me ? I am still researching and found some interesting results ! There was a ... A: You mean a standing wave, not a "stationary" wave. A standing wave is made of multiple traveling ... | |
| Electricity | 1/21/2011 |
| Q: Two small plastic balls hang from threads of negligible mass. Each ball has a mass of 0.33 g and a ... A: The asking of this question indicates that you don't read profiles. Mine says I don't answer ... | |
| generators | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: How does rotational energy translate to electric generators? Say i have a wind turbine. Do i create ... A: Of course it will generate more energy the faster you spin it, but there's not hard and fast ... | |
| capacitor | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: why ac can pass through capacitor while dc can not pass through it? A: Well, that's a dramatic oversimplification, isn't it? If you apply a DC voltage to a capacitor it ... | |
| Reflection from water | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: My email address is a clue to my age.But I'm still curious. My pond water is perfectly clear & deep. ... A: This forum doesn't give us your email address, so I have no idea what comment meant. It's not a ... | |
| working model | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: "i am 14 years old and i have to make a working model on any of these ... A: Why the quotes around your question? If you're just cutting and pasting someone else's question, ... | |
| Oar Boats | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: My history teacher was talking about ancient battle ships, and he said that one of the battle ... A: The statement is erroneous. You'll have a slightly different amount of power due to the fluid ... | |
| Physics question | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: "A mass of 323 g connected to a light spring of force constant 24.5 N/m oscillates on a horizontal, ... A: You have a physics textbook. It has all sorts of formulae by which you could arrive at the answer ... | |
| another vehicle crash | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: I recently hit an electric pole and broke it. Is there a way to determine the speed my vehicle was ... A: There's a way, but you won't like it. Take a bunch of cars and crash them in exactly the same way ... | |
| Bending of space | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand what it means to bend space itself. It seem counterintuitive since space ... A: The distance within the empty distance itself, where light or particles might pass through, is ... | |
| Physics | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: Good day Sir! How can we make a ripple tank for our Physics project? A: You just make a shallow glass or clear plastic bottomed tank with some water, some cloth to absorb ... | |
| car crash | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: I was recently involved in a collision on a motorway. We were travelling between 60-70mph and ... A: I'd need quantitative data to prove anything quantitative about the accident, sorry. In this case I ... | |
| black holes | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: With the discovery of an expanding universe where everything will eventually disipate, what will ... A: Regardless of the expansion of the universe, black holes are gravitationally bound together. ... | |
| Bending of space | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand what it means to bend space itself. It seem counterintuitive since space ... A: Well, quantum-mechanically speaking, space is totally full of particle/antiparticle pairs which are ... | |
| properties of matter | 1/3/2011 |
| Q: i got doubt in this topic...why maximum height of mountain is only 10km??..it shud b ... A: The pressure at that depth corresponds, if you look at the units, to an energy density. That's why, ... | |
| Sound | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: I am a student currently studying in a secondary school also known as high school. It's about my ... A: The power of "the sound produced" (you don't specify by what) depends on how it is produced. A horn ... | |
| a simple but confusing question | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: what is the cause of gravity?? A: Gravity curves space. A simplification is probably necessary, so I'll use an initial image I ... | |
| Detecting Alpha and/or Beta radiation | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: I hope you don’t consider this an academic or professional question? I have no academic credentials ... A: Excerpts are to be treated with appropriate caution. There are at least three *huge* mistakes I see ... | |
| Detecting Alpha and/or Beta radiation | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: I hope you don’t consider this an academic or professional question? I have no academic credentials ... A: My critical evaluation starts on several fronts. Setting aside the bad spelling and grammar, the ... | |
| Do you believe in this? | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: Do you believe in psychic/spiritual healing, ESP, haunted houses, demonic possession, ghosts/spirits ... A: Believe? That would imply that it was obvious, like gravity, which I think we all believe in. Am I ... | |
| loght | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: Sir, A photon has no mass but it has momentum..how? Since momentum is mass x velocity.Thanks A: Light has no rest mass, but has energy. For light, you need to consider relativity and wave ... | |
| nuclear physics | 12/24/2010 |
| Q: What are main differences between beta particle and electron? is there difference between ionization ... A: Your question is quite meaningless. Beta particles have a decay energy given to them during the ... | |
| physics | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: SIR, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THE MOTION OF CENTER OF MASS OF FIRE-CRACKERS WHEN THEY EXPLODE IN AIR. ... A: Yes, it's quite simple. The horizontal motion of the center of mass of a firecracker does not ... | |
| electricity and phase transitions | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: Could electricity do the same thing as temperature and pressure to a atom, say could electricity ... A: Electricity can add energy, but these concepts are separate and you're mixing them. Passing ... | |
| physics | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: find the value of an angle theta an inclined plane for which a=g A: HAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Sorry, I just love it when the answer to an obvious homework question is soooo ... | |
| Electroscope | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to figure out what exactly is an electroscope and how it works, what is the meaning of ... A: Wow, there are tons of pages on wikipedia which actually (I just searched) actually describe these ... | |
| science | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: A cement compound CaO.Al2O3.10H2O gives certain peaks when using the powder diffraction method. The ... A: You may get that if the form of the crystal remains the same, however, crystals like this are ... | |
| Washing machine | 12/12/2010 |
| Q: how do you calculate the energy efficiency of a Washing machine?! A: Well, that's a difficult question. For a washing machine you don't have measurable outputs like ... | |
| Physics of a verticle bouce with acceleration | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: I understand that if i am moving at a set speed of say 45 mph and drop a ball out the window that ... A: The sheriff called me the other day and asked a similar question, actually, involving shell casings ... | |
| question | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: How do I Calculate the period of a ball that is tied to a string with a length of .3 meters that ... A: Since this is the third time you've tried to ask me this obviously homework question, I'll tell you ... | |
| Einstein | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: I have a good reason for not wanting to believe in Einstein's relativity/special relativity ... A: First, FTL travel is possible via many gravitational phenomena, even according to Einstein's field ... | |
| Correct Solution for Power Problem | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: Me and my physics teacher are at a disagreement for how to solve a physics problem on a previous ... A: Your method is not quite correct, but your method is a lot closer. Your physics teacher's method ... | |
| Thermal columns, Exciting Molecules and other Physics | 12/4/2010 |
| Q: Hey Steve, I have a question regarding thermals and other molecular sciences. First a ... A: Sorry for not getting back to you faster, but it's finals time here and we're really under the gun. ... | |
| electric waves | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: what happens when a em wave hits a electron or hits an atom does it give the electron charge or ... A: No, the electromagnetic wave may or may not interact with the electron, but it certainly doesn't ... | |
| Several Questions | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if I could get you to answer a series of questions for me, they all revolve around ... A: I have no idea why or how you would pay me to answer these, but the first one is ridiculously ... | |
| High School Science Fair | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: I am currently a freshman at high school, and was looking for a science fair project that I could do ... A: Parallel universes are, of course, out. Seriously, what equipment can you get and where would you ... | |
| self-force | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: This is with regard to the self-force or radiation reaction force in electrodynamics. There is ... A: Of COURSE they're significant, otherwise they wouldn't be considered. Shortcomings to science? ... | |
| High School Science Fair | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I am currently a freshman at high school, and was looking for a science fair project that I could do ... A: You're a freshman, that means you can handle a project, but not what you will be able to handle as a ... | |
| magnetic properties | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: if i had a non metallic tube that on the exterior had 1/4 arc magnets evenly spaced along the outer ... A: Eddy currents would create forces resisting its motion. As for your second question, it would ... | |
| guass law | 11/26/2010 |
| Q: why is electric field everywhere ON the surface of a guassian surface ZERO?? ANSWER: In general, ... A: Because the field is zero, if the cavity was ellipsoidal, then there's a non-spherical component to ... | |
| question about heat | 11/25/2010 |
| Q: when water boils, and turns to steam, why does the heat always go up? My guess is that the water ... A: While water vapor is slightly less dense than air, it's also much *hotter* than air and therefore a ... | |
| Damage done to a body when it falls | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: a science teacher that specializes in biology so this is a little out of my realm of expertise. I ... A: This is incredibly complex physics depending on the angles of impacts (meaning the entire detailed ... | |
| magnitude and direction | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: how do i find an answer of magnitude and direction if my question doesn't involve direction? ex. ... A: The question says "across." That means perpendicular to the direction of flow. So use the ... | |
| Air and water dynamics - air lift pump princple underwater | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: I'm interested in understanding the dynamics between air and water in the underwater environment. ... A: made it much clearer. It should work just fine, as long as the bottom is open for the water to ... | |
| phase and group velocity | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: What does the following paragraph mean? As you toss a rock into a pond. If you concentrate on a ... A: To be any more specific about the interference of waves in your specific problem, I think I'd need ... | |
| phase and group velocity | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: What does the following paragraph mean? As you toss a rock into a pond. If you concentrate on a ... A: I don't know who said that, but it basically means that the front waves are fading and the group of ... | |
| Quantum Mechanics | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: Why v(quantum)= hk/2m*2PI where k^2=2mE/(h-bar)^2 Why not just v=hk/m*2PI ?? A: You just basically asked me why does 1+2=3 where 1+1=2, why not just 1+2=3? You quoted the same ... | |
| radio wave help | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: I am just starting out in shortwave and went to wikapedia.com for help. I know when the Ionosphere ... A: You got two answers that agree (if you thought they disagreed, re-read your own question), and I ... | |
| Casuality | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: I am an Italian student of Arts who is beginning to self-teach something of natural and exact ... A: I think you mean "random" and not "casual." The forces causing their movements are well-understood ... | |
| Dielectric material | 11/8/2010 |
| Q: I am trying to find a commonly available dielectric material that is transparent (or semi ... A: For a nuclear battery, you're better off using a conventional design with phosphors or scintillator ... | |
| guass law | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: why is electric field everywhere ON the surface of a guassian surface ZERO?? ANSWER: In general, ... A: No, in a truly electrostatic situation, all surfaces in a conductor are equipotential surfaces. If ... | |
| mass | 11/4/2010 |
| Q: i am a medical student and i just wonder if the word mass in medicine interfere with mass in ... A: This question makes very little sense, because of the lack of proper grammar and punctuation. Mass ... | |
| physics | 10/29/2010 |
| Q: Work=force*displacement,when an athlete runs along a circular track his displacement finally becomes ... A: Huge amounts of chemical energy are required to cause the muscle fibers to contract and make the ... | |
| movement sensor | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a motion sensore baby monitor, (not a visual one that you see/hear the baby) this detects ... A: Perfectly OK. No scientific study has conclusively linked even heavy cell phone use to cancer, no ... | |
| physics | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: Regarding trains Is the one pulling from front or the one pushing from the rear doing more work-or ... A: It's really about the same. A train is so long that torque and friction play very little role in ... | |
| help on project | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: my question is about my project on sound ,we have to create a working model of the project and also ... A: You can use a ripple tank, but probably everyone will do that. Why don't you get a kitchen baking ... | |
| physics | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: rex shot an arrow into the air and it fell to earth he shot it at an angle of 38 degress and a speed ... A: The fletchings on an arrow are designed to keep it flying in a more straight line than a standard ... | |
| physics | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: good day sir,i am an undergraduate of physics electronics in a Nigerian university presently in my ... A: Well, you mention electronics. That's not really my specialty, but you could do circuit design for ... | |
| physics | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: i read about time machine , i take interest in physics , but i think that making time machine is ... A: No one knows, because no one has come up with a good scheme for a time machine...or we would've ... | |
| 3D Visual Information | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: I know this might not strictly be a physics question, but I had a photography idea in mind I wanted ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by the word "defusion," but the whole point of strapping two cameras ... | |
| 3D Visual Information | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: I know this might not strictly be a physics question, but I had a photography idea in mind I wanted ... A: The type of "advice" you're looking for isn't like legal "advice," where you can hire someone cheap ... | |
| radioactivity | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: do element emit all radiations means alpha, beta and gamma at same time or only one type of emission ... A: No, the uranium itself pretty much emits just alpha particles. You can see the modes of decay by ... | |
| What happens? | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: What happens when you die? A: This is more of a chemistry question, since the physics of what happens when you die is that ... | |
| radioactivity | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: do element emit all radiations means alpha, beta and gamma at same time or only one type of emission ... A: Isotopes, not elements. For example, oxygen 15 is too light to emit alpha particles, but will ... | |
| 3D Visual Information | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: I know this might not strictly be a physics question, but I had a photography idea in mind I wanted ... A: Actually, my older brother is an expert in this matter. However, unless you have the ability to ... | |
| Superposition | 10/22/2010 |
| Q: According to quantum mechanics a physical system is in a superposition until it interacts with ... A: Basically, superposition just means "it adds up." That means the same thing in electrostatics as it ... | |
| ask questions | 10/21/2010 |
| Q: an elevator and its load have a total mass of 800kg. find the tension,T in the supporting cable when ... A: OK, people apparently don't read my "I don't answer homework questions part," and that's how they ... | |
| Superposition | 10/21/2010 |
| Q: According to quantum mechanics a physical system is in a superposition until it interacts with ... A: No, not positions. It means that vector quantities add up, that they're superimposed on one ... | |
| Physics hw help ;] | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: A ball is thrown upward. What is its maximum height? Its initial vertical speed is 10.2 m/s and the ... A: The acceleration of gravity is positive? Then it'll keep shooting up at an accelerating rate until ... | |
| electromagnetic induction | 10/20/2010 |
| Q: i know that a electric current creates a magnetic field and vice versa but why? what's the science ... A: Not quite. Currents create static magnetic fields. Changing magnetic fields create electric ... | |
| Air VS Water | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: DivingIt is a known fact that air doesn't go easily underwater. I'm trying to figure out if there ... A: As little energy as possible? Yes, probably there's some kind of way to do it without using a ... | |
| Water Draining out of Washer | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: We had a clog....and thought we removed it....now we still have a slow drain....I am thinking that ... A: You probably have less flow out of your hose than you do out of your laundry machine. Or just a ... | |
| physics | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: what general relationship between an ability to conduct electricity and an ability to conduct heat, ... A: See here for detail, especially the bottom of the page about metals: ... | |
| ringing sound in our house | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: "Our home is 5 years old. Insulated concrete home with radiant (plastic tubes)heat in concrete ... A: Very difficult problem, due to the resonances and interference effects of high-frequency sound. ... | |
| electromagnetism | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: My son did a science fair experiment making an electromagnet using different gauges of wire. The ... A: The thinner wire can wrap in more turns/inch than the thicker wire, which is the primary determiner ... | |
| newtons laws | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: if a 50g carton is sliding at 4 m/s across an icy surface, what force is necessary to stop the ... A: 50g is really tiny, can you even call that a carton? You probably read the problem that said 50 kg, ... | |
| Stable particles | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: Do the atoms that form glucose or cellulose(carbon atom,oxygen atom,etc) consider as stable ... A: That's exactly what I typed. 14C occurs at about 1 part per trillion, so the rest of the carbon ... | |
| energy storage | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: how is energy stored in atoms? how is electrical potential energy stored is there a possible way to ... A: Energy isn't usually stored in atoms, it's stored in the form of molecules with the potential to ... | |
| science fair paper | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: hey i have to write a three page paper on my science fair project. the project is on "if i drop an ... A: Research? I would start by wrapping the egg in different protective packages and actually dropping ... | |
| Physics (I think) | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: My fourth grade students and I were discussing how far crickets can jump. We discussed that if a 6 ... A: Yes, that would definitely break your legs. Bone strength varies widely person-to-person based on ... | |
| What sort of limits do the laws of physics put on the strength of materials? | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: I may have asked a similar question before/elsewhere, but I couldn't find any conclusive results on ... A: The future is wide open for several reasons. First, we don't know what makes up 80% of the ... | |
| Electroscope | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: i have this physics project where i have to construct an electroscope. i haven't been given any ... A: The website looks good. Did you use a single piece of foil bent in half or two actual separate ... | |
| work | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: when golfing, i pull my bag on a cart and my friend carries his. assuming we hit in exactly the ... A: While technically neither of you do any work if you're not moving the bags against the force of ... | |
| displacement | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: You are rushing to the train station to catch your morning commute. The train leaves the train ... A: a) You don't. Do you know how fast 8.5 m/s is? There's no way you can run the 100m dash in 11.7 ... | |
| physics | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: about the archimedes principle...i want to ask the different between when an object is floating the ... A: This question is phrased completely improperly. Archimedes' principle is simple and ... | |
| Mirage question | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: Is the waviness above the toaster a mirage? Is it right to say that a mirage can only be seen from ... A: This is no longer a physics question, it's an English question. Therefore, I shall refer to my ... | |
| Fluid Dynamics | 9/20/2010 |
| Q: I'm a student studying some physics. Now, we were given a project to make a boat propelled by a ... A: Ducting the fan in the manner you're talking isn't really going to gain you anything aside from some ... | |
| Fluid Dynamics | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I'm a student studying some physics. Now, we were given a project to make a boat propelled by a ... A: OK, your question is tricky. It would create a shaft of decreasing diameter in water, also, of ... | |
| Can a mirage happen in a car? | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: When I park my car in a parking lot just below the hot sun for an hour, the inside of the car will ... A: Visual distortion is just that, bent light as you look through something that distorts the image of ... | |
| Can a mirage happen in a car? | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: When I park my car in a parking lot just below the hot sun for an hour, the inside of the car will ... A: You might see some waviness, like you do above a toaster, but it's unlikely unless you open the ... | |
| Ramps | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: Why is it that when a ramp becomes steeper, and an object is placed on that ramp, say a toy car, for ... A: The force is always the same, gravity. The component of force along the ramp is what changes. As ... | |
| melting of ice | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: sir please answer my question the latent heat of fusion of ice is 336J/g. Now when we supply heat to ... A: Molecules in thermal equilibrium (which is maintained because you're heating slowly) share energy ... | |
| Light | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: What happens to the light when you turn off the lights and why does it go dark instantly? A: Light is constantly being absorbed by surfaces, which is why we have to keep the lights on to ... | |
| Where does a mirage happens? | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: Is it right to say that a mirage only happens in large open places such as desert and highway? Does ... A: Right at the surface of a parking lot is reeeally hot because of the Sun. That makes a huge ... | |
| Air resistance and pressure | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I am a meteorologist working on a research project. Are you aware of any mathematical relation ... A: Are you really a meteorologist? You should probably consult this page, where viscosity is largely a ... | |
| Whole Body Vibration Platforms | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: I am researching the purchase of a Whole Body Vibration machine for my mother who has osteoporosis. ... A: No, if the two were truly identical in amplitude settings and frequency. In the real world, the ... | |
| Water Pressure | 9/5/2010 |
| Q: How is water pressure measured? Like what units? The size of the opening of where the water comes ... A: Not energy, power. Just about anything can be built with the proper engineering. You'd need to ... | |
| Water Pressure | 9/5/2010 |
| Q: How is water pressure measured? Like what units? The size of the opening of where the water comes ... A: It's measured with a mechanical pressure gauge, like air pressure is. Pressure is in force/area ... | |
| Physics Project | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm a senior student right now. We need to make a project in a week, and until now, i still don't ... A: There aren't many good projects involving gravity which you can actually do without advanced ... | |
| Gen physics | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: 1)What is the use of a solenoid in daily life? 2)I can't understand why we need to define magnetic ... A: Solenoids usually operate switches and valves. They're in your dishwasher and car blinker. Review ... | |
| Question about electricity | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering; have you ever read WHY electricity goes - if you grab a wire - down through your ... A: There's a finite resistance in the wire, and an electric field across it. It doesn't matter whether ... | |
| AC | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: SIr few questions on AC generator and altrnating current. 1) In all textbooks i have seen it is ... A: You get an alternating EMF from a generator, so you'll get the same pattern no matter what position ... | |
| Physics | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: Who will get wet more in rain? The one who slowly walking or the one who is running faster? ANSWER: ... A: The person moving faster will run into droplets that would fall in front of him between his head and ... | |
| Physics | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: Who will get wet more in rain? The one who slowly walking or the one who is running faster? A: Over the same amount of time, the person who is running will actually get slightly more wet. ... | |
| Creating electricity | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: All most (if not all) way of creating electricity use some sort of input, i.e. hydroelectric power ... A: Current formed? That depends on how the magnet is spun relative to the wire. But the energy input ... | |
| Dents and scrapes | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: A lady backed into me at a grocery store parking lot. I was stationary and blowing my horn to try to ... A: There shouldn't be enough information in a photo of just damage to her car alone to determine which ... | |
| How FTL works in Frank Herbert's "Dune" | 8/22/2010 |
| Q: and thanks for your willingness to answer questions. Some secondary sources, such as the book in ... A: OK, I read though all this and it's a bunch of gobbldygook. None of it makes sense from a physics ... | |
| fluid mechanics | 8/20/2010 |
| Q: in a infinite tube block falls and waterflows opposite to it if vel of water is v1 block goes to h1 ... A: What you describe isn't what would happen. There must be some kind of shape to your tube. If it's ... | |
| Capacitors | 8/20/2010 |
| Q: We know that inductor resists any instantaneous change in current and capacitor resists any ... A: There's no such thing as saturated. That depends on material properties and geometry of the ... | |
| master | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: i am student in a 3rd year physics and as i am going to finish my bachelors i want to ask if i can ... A: It would help going into any of those fields if your written English was more precise, firstly. Of ... | |
| Sci-Fi related Questions Focusing on Rifts/Parallel Universes | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: Hey Steve, Not sure if this is the right place, but it's hard to find a Parallel Universe ... A: Well, there's certainly nothing practical you can point to for this. You're going to have to make ... | |
| ocean pressure question | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: Nelson, I was thinking that the pressure at the bottom of the ocean is huge. What would happen if I ... A: No, the fluid pressure in the column in the pipe would maintain the pressure. Try it with a ... | |
| heating ice | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: I look forward to your thoughts. Damien A: Not really. You can see from the phase diagram of water here: ... | |
| clarify science question | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: Can you imagine what would happen to lives on Earth if water did not expand when freezing? Give ... A: Well, iceburgs would sink, so the Titanic would've never happened, but they'd be a danger to ... | |
| Codified Universe Cosmology | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: Could the hidden variables interpretation of quantum mechanics be consistent with a codified ... A: The hidden variable theory of quantum mechanics have largely been discredited by experiments which ... | |
| Red Lights | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: Earlier in the week I was taking a long drive the open road at night. The roads don't have any ... A: Red filters would diminish car headlight brightness and efficiency. Also, while red light won't ... | |
| Golf/Swing/Spin/Flight | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: Aloha Steve from Maui Hawaii, We are having a debate on the pure science behind a question of how ... A: Your assumption starts out wrong, clubs are angled (as you know). They hit at an angle, producing ... | |
| Solar plant in Sahara | 7/26/2010 |
| Q: I know there are talks of making solar power plant in Sahara and that if only 1% of Sahara is ... A: Solar thermal is a better way to go, yes, but as usual with these companies their estimates are ... | |
| Solar plant in Sahara | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: I know there are talks of making solar power plant in Sahara and that if only 1% of Sahara is ... A: Desert storms would kill it, the Sun doesn't always shine in the Sahara, and I don't know where you ... | |
| Observation/Superposition | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: I studied physics( a while ago) and came across shrodinger's cat.I followed up finding more ... A: You have to be careful what you mean by "observation." The word observation, in physics, does not ... | |
| physics | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: please give me idea to make a working model on any topic of physics for class 11th (CBSE) A: I'm really not sure what you mean. How to make a working model? Experiment on something like a ... | |
| Water flow calculation | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: Could you please help me with the following - water under pressure (V)is being pumped into a ... A: OK, not enough information. Is the pressure V1 at the lower end, the middle, or the top? You just ... | |
| force | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if there was a three car (all rear-end) accident would the force from the initial ... A: It's not nearly that simple, and don't trust anyone who says it is. There are crush zones, you ... | |
| Bee on a train! | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: How does a bee (or any flying creature)fly on a train, a car, a plane etc? If it's not in physical ... A: You're in a state of motion with the plane when you jump on it. Newton's first law of motion states ... | |
| wind affecting running times | 7/11/2010 |
| Q: Since I see you have some expertise in trying to gage wind to running as a sprinter I have this ... A: Well, on a track the wind would help you on some legs and hurt you on others but even out if you're ... | |
| rainbow | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: sir this is a question regarding rainbow I know how a rainbow is formed due to total internal ... A: Rainbows do vary in shape, but due to the uniformity of the mist you need to form one and the ... | |
| One-way Plastic? | 7/8/2010 |
| Q: Are you aware of any type of one-way plastic that will let light come in one way, but not the other? ... A: Not really. The principle of a one-way mirror involves more light on one side than the other, so ... | |
| Time, Distance and Speed | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: Firstly, I am not requesting you to solve a text book problem. In fact, I could not really ... A: The problem is that you're trying to visualize the whole physics problem at once. Common mistake. ... | |
| Boiling Ice | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: hi i was wondering what happens to ice when you boil it? A: You either mean you're trying to heat the ice by dropping it into boiling water? The stress will ... | |
| physics | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a question to you about X-ray and ultrasound. Is x-ray can penetrate more inside the human ... A: Well, they're completely different. It depends on the frequency. If you mean actually going all ... | |
| falling speed | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: i recently fell 20ft out of a tree,and i weigh 202lbs.can you tell me appox.how fast i was going ... A: How much you weigh doesn't matter, gravity pulls on you harder but you've got more inertial mass to ... | |
| temporal mechanics | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: Is infinitely small the same size as infinitely large ? ANSWER: No. Small is not equal to large, ... A: You can disagree with me all you want, but until you can adequately define infinity in a proper way ... | |
| temporal mechanics | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: Is infinitely small the same size as infinitely large ? A: No. Small is not equal to large, they have meaning in our comprehension of language and ... | |
| N-machine | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: Bruce Delpalma of MIT patented a homo-polar generator that didn't suffer the effects of back emf.Is ... A: It's real technology, based on eddy-currents in the disc, and it was invented waaay back in 1831 by ... | |
| DG set | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: How do we calculate carbon content in 1kva DG set? I have gone through many websites and all they do ... A: First, it doesn't have carbon content. It will produce carbon dioxide at a certain rate while in ... | |
| gallons of oil - 55psi | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: how many gallons per minute of oil through a 4 ft 1/2 inch diameter line equals 55psi? Help!...I ... A: I answered your second question on this topic already, 41 gallons/minute. See below:Kendall series ... | |
| Leg Sled physics | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: I've noticed that people in the gym can load way more weight on the leg sled machine than they could ... A: I answered this yesterday, but allexperts appears to have eaten my response. The sin(45)=0.70. ... | |
| maximun puck speed point | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: Hockey players say it is better to block the shot closer to shooter than farther away. Does this ... A: Maximum speed happens right after the puck leaves the stick. However, you say that it's "better" to ... | |
| vacuum technology | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: I was hoping you could help my brother and I with an argument we have regarding vacuum technology. ... A: A longer hose has a lower conductance, which is more important in vacuum systems than "suction." ... | |
| What The Bleep Do We Know | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: The film that I specified suggests various pseudoscientific and irrational things, including that ... A: This film is one of the worst films ever made. The best physics expert they could come up with in ... | |
| Radium clock | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I am very interested in building a "radium Clock". Such as the one at the link below. ... A: 1) Sure, its half-life is even longer. You can find 241Am in many models of smoke detectors, it's ... | |
| Rotating wheel. | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: Nelson. I wish to know how wheel rotation works. Suppose If I rotate a wheel (with center point 'O' ... A: Weeeelll, this sounds homeworkish, but not directly. Just realize that angular velocity is just ... | |
| Gravity | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: The equation for height of a mass is y=-1/2gt^2+v.t+y. when we suppose the gravity acceleration ... A: If the change in height is small compared to the distance from the center of the Earth, you can show ... | |
| Lost World Jurassic Park | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: In a scene in Lost World: Jurassic Park, the girl Kelly kicks a raptor out a window. Given the ... A: She should've bounced back more, but the velociraptor can't ignore physics. As strong as they were, ... | |
| Physics | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: Nelson, My question is about special relativity, regarding time dilation at speeds close to the ... A: I'm not sure I understand what a "c-ship" is, so I'll assume you mean some form of spacecraft. You ... | |
| Can energy be created or destroyed? | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I have heard of quantum particles that do exist in a non-existent state they switch 'off' and back ... A: No, it can only be borrowed for a time allowed by the uncertainty principle. And I'm not sure what ... | |
| water | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: Water has a boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius. When you pour water on a glass surface or any ... A: Water has a finite vapor pressure at any temperature. Even in your freezer, ice cubes will ... | |
| This has been bothering me | 5/28/2010 |
| Q: How could a cat respond, and react, to a human's hallucination? How could I be at the speed of 40 ... A: A cat? I'm not sure what you mean by how a cat would react in the context of the rest of this ... | |
| Physics Learning | 5/24/2010 |
| Q: I'm a student and i need some advice regarding learning physics. I have a lot of difficulty doing ... A: Actually, you can tackle it either way. You can either read the theory and do the problems to learn ... | |
| Physics Learning | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I'm a student and i need some advice regarding learning physics. I have a lot of difficulty doing ... A: Yes, what you need to a particular type of practice which will give you the confidence to solve ... | |
| quantum physics | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: A new age person told me that everything has light in it including all cells and atoms. She said ... A: Everything has electromagnetic forces, but not what you would perceive as "light" inside it. ... | |
| hello | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: Are you sure that newtron is chargless? ANSWER: Yes. Interferometry experiments prove it. ... A: Well, the question here is what's kinda backwards. X ray and gamma ray are names we give to photons ... | |
| Conservation of energy | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: As the altitude increases, do the velocity of air increase or not? If increases then how the energy ... A: Conservation of energy is ever-present and always important...and has very little to do with the ... | |
| general physics | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: this is varma and my question is " why does a motorbike appear to weigh less when in motion than ... A: It does not weigh less or appear to weigh less. Weight is the vertical force of gravity, if you ... | |
| Electricity | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: I'm a 12th grade student.I'm confused a lot about electricity and it's hard to imagine the flow of ... A: There isn't a direct one, because there's not "positive water" and "negative water." I have to ... | |
| Doubt | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: A person is sitting in a car that travels with constant velocity. He throws a ball verticall ... A: It was moving at the same horizontal speed as the car when he threw it, he didn't throw it forwards ... | |
| Very stange occurance. | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: One night playing light tag with my daughter, I noticed a stange phenomenon. The living room is ... A: Well, I tried it just now and got no similar effect. Where the light beams overlapped, there was a ... | |
| Wind force | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: Why in very strong winds the roof can be lifted easily from a house without causing much damage on ... A: It depends on the angle the wind hits the house. Usually walls are strong to support the roof and ... | |
| News reports on physics (for the layman) | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: I actually have two questions. 1. I read recently online that Stephen Hawking now believes that ... A: 1) Hadn't read the popular interview, so I went and looked it up. Check out the telling part of the ... | |
| Electricity | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: I'm a 12th grade student.I'm confused a lot about electricity and it's hard to imagine the flow of ... A: I'm not particularly fond of the "shotgun" question, try and limit questions to one or two at a ... | |
| Exactly what IS "Physics"? | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: HMMmm... As I re-read this, it seems to have the air of a rebuke about it—but trust me, it isn't ... A: As a word of caution on combing through my answers and interpreting me telling people that they need ... | |
| LHC | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: In various media surrounding the LHC, there are claims that the particles attain a speed that is ... A: Ummm...no, this is not "just theoretical." If it were, they wouldn't be able to accelerate them to ... | |
| Black body radiation law | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: Hope you remember me... I am here with a question after a long gap... I have few doubts in ... A: Reverse-order answer... 3) It does depend on the type of material. Google search the word ... | |
| atoms | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: Hey. For science, i am studying atomic model history and i so I was wondering if you could suggest ... A: Ummm...I don't know what bad things we've learned, just the science that has led to good things. ... | |
| Heating air | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: i have a question about air heating. In a instalation we are sucking air that needs to be heated. ... A: Sure. Multiply the heat capacity of air by the mass (1.2 kg/m^3 at 3 cubic meters per minute and 60 ... | |
| Optics (shadows) | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: As seen in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEfiUHi6SXI (between 2:40 and 3:10 of the video of the red ... A: It's kinda tricky, but I see it. It appears to be an optical illusion caused by polarization and ... | |
| electricity=heat | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: how do you basically create heat out of electricity?i mean how does heating elements basically work? ... A: In very basic terms, electrons scatter off atoms and impurities as they are travel through a ... | |
| Parallel universes | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: Is the concept of parallel universes proven? Are there really infinite number if universes where ... A: The idea of parallel universes is, at the present time, just an idea. No credible scientists would ... | |
| ............................. | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: plzz diffrentiate random error and systematic errorin the measurement of any physical quantity. A: Systematic errors are those which always occur in a measurement because of some fundamental error in ... | |
| q factor | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: i have a problem about RCL parallel circuit . when we have a RCl circuit with applied sinsusoid ... A: You don't necessarily need to prove it, just use and understand it. Unless this is homework, which ... | |
| egg has to survive a fall built in a toothpick and glue thing | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if there is a easy way to make an egg survive a fall from about a 2 story height ... A: You need angled crush space, as much as possible, beneath your egg. Also, a shape which won't turn ... | |
| Neutrons | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: Is there any configuration of multiple neutrons that is stable without any protons being present? ... A: There is, but it's a big one. A neutron star is stable. It requires enough neutrons to allow ... | |
| historical earth science | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: Has the quantity of water in liquid, solid and gaseous forms combined ever changed since the ... A: It's believed that it's possible Earth's water may have come primarily from comet bombardment in its ... | |
| Magnets | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: I believe there are materials out there that are natural magnets? If so, do they ever lose their ... A: Lodestone is a natural iron magnetic material, quite strong. It would take an extraordinarily long ... | |
| physics | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: In what ways can scientists test for the presence of each of the different components of the ... A: Well, this sounds homework-ish, but kinda general, so I'll give you a general answer. If you're ... | |
| mixture temp | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: can u please tell me any formula 2 find the temperatre of mixture when 1) ice and water are mixed 2) ... A: There's not a single formula, you just balance the heat out of the hot objects with the heat into ... | |
| Egg Catcher | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: I have to design an egg catcher out of 10 sheets of 81/2 by 11 inch typing paper and an arm's length ... A: I'd make sure you made something that would definitely stay vertical as it dropped, covered as much ... | |
| lu | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: Are you sure electron negative charge? Are you sure electron revolved around the nucleus? ANSWER: ... A: For every electron in an atom, there is a proton with a positive charge. Atoms are electrically ... | |
| lu | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Are you sure electron negative charge? Are you sure electron revolved around the nucleus? A: The sign of the electron charge is negative by convention, but it's opposite to the sign of a proton ... | |
| Physical meaning of torque | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Oh I'm damn confused with the physical meaning of torque.Please help me. What does it 'physically' ... A: The direction of the torque comes from the right hand rule, which is a mathematical convention based ... | |
| color subtraction | 4/22/2010 |
| Q: If I wanted to have one color of light on a solar panel I was thinking of using a colored filter. ... A: No, that's not how color transparencies work. If you shine light on or through a red object like a ... | |
| compton effect | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: when any kind of electromagnetic radiation is incident on a metallic target the photons are ... A: Ummm...no, the physics you state here is all wrong. X-rays get partly absorbed and partly scattered ... | |
| 3.7v 700 mAh battery. what does it mean? | 4/21/2010 |
| Q: I saw an answer to another question that explained the 700mAh part. How does the 3.7v relate to the ... A: They're not related. However, when multiplied, they give the total amount of energy stored by the ... | |
| If earth is rotating, why do we need airliner to travel? | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: My question is earth rotates about its own axis in approx 24 hours. So, if we want to go from India ... A: The air rotates with the Earth. If you're standing on the equator, you're moving around in a circle ... | |
| velocity of sound | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: velocity of sound is more in H2 than in O2, but velocity or sound is more is more denser medium..(as ... A: Molecular speeds. You're talking about media with different phases, like solids and liquids, which ... | |
| Electric potential | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: Sir I've had my first class of electricity today.So my q might seem a little stupid. 1)In a charging ... A: 1) Not necessarily. Based on the triboelectric scale, the neutral body could potentially actually ... | |
| Physics of blimps | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: What mathematics/sciences are used to determine the size and shape of balloons to allow lift, and ... A: Buoyant force. Air is 1.2 kg/m^3 at room temperature, hot air and other types of balloons lower ... | |
| u-236 in nuclear fission reaction | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: I note that u-235, the most fissile kind of uranium, in a fission chain reaction, absorbs a neutron, ... A: U236 in its ground state has an alpha-decay half life like what you mention, but with the added ... | |
| Is science self contradictory? | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I find the following article "So, do we really respond to a thing? Don't we respond' only the ... A: You're not accepting a scientific account, you're accepting someone's account of science. That's ... | |
| Relative size of an object | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I am curious about the smallest size of anything that humans can comprehend with our senses. I read ... A: I'm not a string theorist, so perhaps I'm not the person to ask this exact question. However the ... | |
| Popping and Floating | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: and I have one more thought: Bubbles can easily pop, but not all the time. I've experienced a time ... A: The liquid material in bubbles is affected by wind and gravity, too. It's not uniform. That's why ... | |
| is there a difference? | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: There is a bridge that connects the cities Ocean Springs & Biloxi. It is 1.75 miles long. Built ... A: From a standpoint of simple physics, no. You'd have to have shifting headwinds or something. ... | |
| physics and bubbles | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: How do bubbles form? Why do they pop, and tell me about the surface tension, please. A: A bubble is generally a surfactant layer with water. A surfactant (usually some kind of soap) is a ... | |
| monment of inertia , radar | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: sir (1) Two sheres of copper and lead have same mass.It is found that the lead spere can be rotated ... A: The lead sphere will be smaller, giving it a lower moment of inertia (rotational equivalent of ... | |
| accident probability of vehicles of different height | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: Could you please explain why double Decker buses accident much than ordinary buses....?? the ... A: Probability isn't easily derived in this way, however, it is obvious that that torque ("twisting ... | |
| p | 3/27/2010 |
| Q: On youtube.com there are a few realistic examples of people using telekineses. Do you think those ... A: No, I don't think it's real. I'm a physicist, the notion of their thoughts moving objects doesn't ... | |
| physics | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: ok... I'm doing this project for science class on balloon powered cars. The testable question is how ... A: Your hypothesis is your guess for what will happen when you include features in the design. That's ... | |
| follow up : alpha emitters - uranium, plutonium | 3/26/2010 |
| Q: i have read up on the production of 99Mo for medical use. The reference is ... A: The picture I mention below didn't attach. See here: ... | |
| velocity... | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: if you dropped a stainless steel piece of cutlery like a fork or a knife (not like a super shard ... A: It's unlikely. The flat shape and any wind make it most likely that they would tumble as they fell, ... | |
| argon gas | 3/22/2010 |
| Q: I am a plumbing and fire protection engineer getting into laboratory work. I have done medical gas ... A: This is a little outside my area of expertise, you need an engineer trained in these types of ... | |
| What does it mean if the world is a hologram? | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: I read from a online article, that our world may be a Hologram, I got some question about it ... A: It implies that the universe has holographic properties, yes. It implies that what we perceive is ... | |
| What does it mean if the world is a hologram? | 3/17/2010 |
| Q: I read from a online article, that our world may be a Hologram, I got some question about it ... A: I think it's a thin argument, and most physicists seem to agree. The idea is that distributed ... | |
| Corn Syrup | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: I was talking to my friend the other day, and he said that if I put corn syrup in my mouth and hold ... A: I think you'll end up with a sticky hand. I'd try blowing the corn syrup first and see if you can ... | |
| Thermal Conductivity | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: i have a question about my science fair project. i am testing the amount of time it takes to melt a ... A: You need to make sure that the copper isn't conducting heat to the brick itself. Put a piece of ... | |
| Follow up on aggregation of plutonium dioxide | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I just put this as a private question because i think this is too indepth to be of use to anyone at ... A: OK, this is really long. If you can break future questions into smaller bits it's easier to find a ... | |
| What does it mean if the world is a hologram? | 3/14/2010 |
| Q: I read from a online article, that our world may be a Hologram, I got some question about it ... A: First, check with other sources than newscientist.com, half of what I see in there is highly ... | |
| Thermal Conductivity | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: i have a question about my science fair project. i am testing the amount of time it takes to melt a ... A: Well, it depends on several factors. How are you heating the bottom of the surface? How thick is ... | |
| aggregation of plutonium dioxide/plutonium in physisorption scenario | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: Really hope you can help as i really need it. you see, my orthopedic recommended me and i did a ... A: I'm familiar with the various processes used for production of this radioisotope, so you probably ... | |
| forces | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: what type of forces act on moving spear with no external contact.center as spear center moving with ... A: I just told you, you cannot decrease the force of gravitation by moving an object with higher speed ... | |
| Soundproofing | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in a small long room in a house. How would I go about reducing sounds leaving the room, ... A: Really soundproofing a room is reputed to take a lot of work. I have no idea about your spray-on ... | |
| Soundproofing | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: I live in a small long room in a house. How would I go about reducing sounds leaving the room, ... A: I really still don't have a good idea of the geometry you're talking about here. What walls are you ... | |
| Soundproofing | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: I live in a small long room in a house. How would I go about reducing sounds leaving the room, ... A: If you place objects in an irregular pattern, the noise will have a tendency to randomly negatively ... | |
| momentum explanation for blind student | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: Steve. I am trying to explain to a blind student why a small car can have the same momentum as a ... A: Perhaps a demonstration would help. Momentum comes from Newton's Laws, which mean that in the ... | |
| car collisions | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: if a car is turning left at a rate of 15 kms per hour and is struck in the passengers side door (at ... A: There's no way to know. I don't know the coefficient of friction of the car's tires with the road, ... | |
| photocell | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: If you take a typical photocell on a pocket calculator, If you shine red light on it and then blue ... A: "Work function" typically refers to the photoelectric effect. If you get below a certain energy, ... | |
| question on ripples | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: Respected sir, why the ripples in a water tank are in only circular shape? why not in any other ... A: You can create planar waves and waves of other shapes. It's just that waves with corner shapes tend ... | |
| Physics | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I am a fifth grade teacher and have an experiment where my students place a thermometer strip inside ... A: Temperature depends on the energy of molecules have, which is kinda like how fast they're moving. ... | |
| physics | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: tell me why the magnetic field of earth points NS always? Is it possible for the earth,magnetic ... A: It turns out that's wrong. The magnetic field points S-N, not N-S and it's not perfectly aligned ... | |
| nuclear physics | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: is there any formula for the different energy levels of a nucleus as it is in the case of atoms. ... A: No, there are not any such formulae. The exact form of the strong nuclear force is one of the last ... | |
| Hot Milk | 2/14/2010 |
| Q: This is a follow-on my my previous question. Just to re-cap: If you fill a mug with hot milk, give ... A: OK, by tapping multiple times as the stirred liquid slows down, I get what you're getting at. I can ... | |
| SF query | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: I once read a fascinating science fiction story about an alien diplomat("Diplomatic Immunity" by ... A: It's not vague or arbitrary, really, energy production and consumption drives civilization. There ... | |
| TIRE FRICTION SCIENCE PROJECT | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: I AM IN 8TH GRADE AND AM DOING A SCIENCE PROJECT ON TIRE FRICTION. I NOTICED WHEN AN AIRPLANE LANDS ... A: Tire smoke from cold airplane tires is quite different than hot tire smoke. It's particles which ... | |
| Maths / Physics | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: Is there a formula for working out how far a fire fighter can pump water. can you calculate the ... A: Fluid mechanics just isn't simple. You can try to estimate it from the pressure of the water and ... | |
| Physics | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: Annular Solar eclipse occurred on 15th Jan 2010.How did it took place and when A: You just said when it was. It happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, but far ... | |
| Wave | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: Common mathematical representation of wave: Ψ_(x,t) =A cos(kx±ωt) ……………………….1 ... A: The physical meaning depends on the type of wave you're trying to describe. Since I don't know what ... | |
| baseballs | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: How far would a heated baseball travel if hit off a tee? A: By what kind of bat, moving how fast, and with what kind of impact parameters for the baseball? At ... | |
| Triple Point Analogy | 2/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm looking for a good analogy which would quickly and visually explain the concept of the Triple ... A: Well, you can choose your own crowded situation if you like, but I'd compare it to a stadium rock ... | |
| Triple Point Analogy | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm looking for a good analogy which would quickly and visually explain the concept of the Triple ... A: At the triple point, what students have to understand is that the molecules are still at a finite ... | |
| MAJOR science fair help with ferrofluidic damping | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to design an experiment on ferrofluidic damping and how it changes with the strength of ... A: You may have already realized this, but do be careful with ferrofluid. It's mildly toxic and ... | |
| Physics-optics | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: Please explain what's caustic curve and how can it be avoided by using a parabolic concave mirror. A: A caustic curve is the curve of light reflected from a point surface by a curved surface. ... | |
| Hot Milk | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: this is a very basic physical observation but no-one can tell me the answer. If you hold a mug (any ... A: OK, so when you say "hot milk" you mean milky coffee? Coffee is an especially interesting liquid ... | |
| Recovering from a collision | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I think you're the right person to whom I can ask this question. If not, my apologies. How long ... A: I'm not quite the right person to ask this, because modeling environmental fallout is not my ... | |
| Physics/Project In Fair | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: Nelson, I am in the 7th grade, and were doing a upcoming science fair.And my projcet is, Do white ... A: If it's daytime, then there's light outside. While your body heat may convect just as well through ... | |
| Is the Wireless Power Transmission Concept of Nikola Tesla working according the principles of Electrostatic Induction ? | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: Is the Wireless Power Transmission Concept of Nikola Tesla working according the principles of ... A: I didn't learn anything new. The ground is a simple conductor because of its geometry and material ... | |
| Can Light Particles contain Charges (Electron) | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: Can Light Particles contain Charges (Electrons) ? Hello Steve, How are you ? I am working on a ... A: I'm sorry, but this book is a work of pure fiction. He's talking about spaceships and gravity beams ... | |
| car crash | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to tell from pictures of vehicles from an accident how accident happened and where ... A: Most of these cases are settled out of court for shockingly little money compared to how much was ... | |
| car crash | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: Is it possible to tell from pictures of vehicles from an accident how accident happened and where ... A: In general no. You can put some basic physics limitations on some things, but generally photos ... | |
| heat absorbment | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I am in 7th grade and im doing a science fair project involving heat absorbment. My question is what ... A: Sure. Hard question to answer without direct data, but at least you have a question and can take ... | |
| Physics -force of impact | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: Vehicle #1 traveling 55 MPH is hit from behind by vehicle #2 traveling 90 MPH, can you calculate the ... A: No, there's nowhere near enough information to answer this question. You know nothing about the ... | |
| Trains | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: In my exam there was a question "When a train(rail)driver starts a train(diesel train) he first ... A: Unless there were some restoring force, like a force in the engine itself or the train was on a ... | |
| atmospheric pressure and weight | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: Does atmospheric pressure have an effect on an object's weight? If so then am I lighter at higher ... A: Yes, pressure affects density, which affects buoyant forces...but at higher altitudes the air will ... | |
| Possible Electroluminenscence? | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: You pointed out that you enjoy explaining odd observations so was hopeful you could answer my ... A: It's too weird even for me, if it really cuts off suddenly then it can't come from the plastic ... | |
| Egg Drop Answer | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: Steve, I just read your answer to the egg drop question. Can you explain how gravity is causing ... A: Gravity exerts a force downwards. The force causes acceleration. Eventually, if you reach a high ... | |
| Wet Towels | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: When a wet towel is flicked, it may create a cracking sound like a whip.(I suppose this is an ... A: Momentum. The wet towel has more mass, when you swing it you put more momentum into the whole towel ... | |
| thermal expansion | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: A hollow steel sphere ,weighing 200kg is floating on water.A weight 10 kg is to be placed on it in ... A: I don't answer homework, but I'll give you a hint: The volume of the hole will expand at the same ... | |
| physics | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: "safety boots help to protect workers throughout the word in many different types of occupations. ... A: Insulating shoes would protect the wearer somewhat from anything they might touch that would be ... | |
| Physics | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I am Marium from first year.Why light never pass through shadow?please help me,i'll be very thankful ... A: Light can pass through a shadow. If I have a shadow under an umbrella from the Sun, I can shine a ... | |
| why systems tend to go wrong? | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: Sir, i need this for my understanding and research. why do systems tend to go wrong? i have ... A: OK, you're asking me to simplify an entire field like reliability engineering into this forum. ... | |
| Science fair | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I am doing a project on how high an egg can drop, and right now I am looking for some info. How does ... A: The height depends radically on the egg and on the surface it lands on, so I can't answer the second ... | |
| Possible Electroluminenscence? | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: You pointed out that you enjoy explaining odd observations so was hopeful you could answer my ... A: Hmmm...this is a tough one. I've never heard of anything like that cycling as well. I figure you'd ... | |
| Water and Friction | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: How is it that water can decrease friction on a surface (slipping in a wet hallway) but sometimes ... A: The water changes the surfaces you're talking about. It makes paper puffy and rough, increases the ... | |
| Intensity Ratios | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Nelson I know that this is a mathematical question of some kind. However, I am not certain if ... A: Ummm...see wikipedia for a better example of how to do variation in brightness (near the bottom of ... | |
| Waves | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: How do I find the "curved" distance of a wave if I only know the straight peak to peak length ? ... A: Ummm...that's easy if you know the amplitude, because you can write down a form for the length of a ... | |
| electromagnetic waves heat | 1/19/2010 |
| Q: I am doing an extracurricular engineering project - the Engineering Education Scheme England(not ... A: Sure, as long as people aren't near it. I mean, you could microwave the roads or use and infrared ... | |
| Leg Muscles | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: Okay, so I would like to say sorry, but I WAS offended that you thought I was being deceptive. In ... A: Gravity acts into the surface, but the way you put it was as if the acceleration of gravity was in ... | |
| radiation | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: If ozone layer is protecting us from harmful radiation then how the astronauts manage to be there ia ... A: You're misusing the word radiation. The ozone layer stops ultraviolet radiation, which is near ... | |
| Leg Muscles | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: Okay, so I would like to say sorry, but I WAS offended that you thought I was being deceptive. In ... A: No, it's just not that simple, every runner's legs have a different stiffness and length, as well as ... | |
| ENERGY SCIENCE | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL ENERGY OF AN OBJECT KEPT AT THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH? HEIGHT h = 0 THEREFORE ... A: Potential energy needs a reference point. There's no absolute potential energy, only changes in ... | |
| GROUND POTENTIAL | 1/7/2010 |
| Q: I measure a potential of a body using infinity as the reference point. Then I measure the potential ... A: They're not the same, the Earth has an electrical field at its surface but that's heavily attenuated ... | |
| Electrical measurements | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I'm an engineering student. Our teacher taught us that the range of an electrodynamometer voltmeter ... A: Well, it really measures current. I'm surprised it doesn't read in Amps or, if the voltage is ... | |
| GROUND POTENTIAL | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I measure a potential of a body using infinity as the reference point. Then I measure the potential ... A: Yes, it's not necessarily the same. All potential is relative to a reference point, but "ground" ... | |
| Speed of light | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: We know that the light travels at a speed of 3,00,000 km/sec. Does the light emitted by a tube light ... A: All light travels at that speed, yes. The distance thing is a matter of intensity being spread out ... | |
| volume of a gas due to water vapor | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: I am not a student. I need to know if when passed through water, if a gas will experience a volume ... A: Yes, water molecules occupy space and a dry gas passed through water would get molecules of water ... | |
| entropy reversal | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm wondering whether it is ever possible for the entropy of a closed system to drop. In a ... A: It's possible for entropy to drop, just statistically so unlikely that you never observe it ... | |
| Liquid nitrogen | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: My name is Jonny. I'm 14 and in a advanced 8th grade science class. I'm making a maglev train for ... A: Carnot efficiency is 1-Tc/Th, which for room temperatures equals about 34%. Typically you get half ... | |
| Electrostatistics | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: In the diagram..... http://oldfacebookrox.t35.com/fys.jpg (its working now) Had the concentric ... A: No, there's no written mathematical proof. By Gauss's Law, if I enclosed net charge inside a metal ... | |
| Physics | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: 1.What is mean by horizontal accelerations and how it can be measured? 2.What is the unit of the ... A: Horizontal, vertical, it doesn't matter. Acceleration is acceleration. Acceleration is measured as ... | |
| Maxwell's Equations | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I got stuck with Maxwell's equations thinking about their in depth meaning. Most of the examples ... A: Maxwell's equations relate electric and magnetic fields to the position and motion of charges and to ... | |
| Physics - focal points and lens power | 12/28/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to work through a homework question associated with a focal length, distance to object, ... A: I think that your textbook might have meant the object and the image units for size or position. Of ... | |
| burning questions | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: Referring to this diagram, http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3579325/Untitled.jpg The textbooks state: Rays ... A: Yes, the ray diagram is an approximation which assumes an infinitely thin lens. The only time a ray ... | |
| Optics-sprectum | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible that an atom can radiate frequency of complementary color in hot condition of the ... A: No, the energy levels of atoms are fixed and determine their emissions. Also, "complementary ... | |
| decay of matter | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I would like to know why materials biological and non-biological decay or disintegrate over ... A: y a First, you must understand that your question is quite odd. Idleness? An explosive compound ... | |
| clouds | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: Cloud is a condensed form of water. Its weight must be higher than water vapor and even the ... A: There are several processes involved. As droplets fall the air around them heats up so they ... | |
| electric current | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: I'm getting confusion by understanding these two questions. 1.What is the difference between emf and ... A: 1) they're similar. Both have the same units, Volts. A potential difference is caused by charges, an ... | |
| guitar string tension | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: I have occasion to change the pitch of certain strings on my guitar for different pieces that ... A: The local stresses of strings are really pretty extreme because of the small diameter of the ... | |
| guitar string pitch/temperature | 12/23/2009 |
| Q: This question may or may not be related to the previous question about string tension. The 3 lowest ... A: Again, slightly outside my area of direct expertise, but hydrocarbons don't expand when heated like ... | |
| Punkin chunkin | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: Has anyone heard of Punkin Chunkin in Delaware? Well we are building an air cannon to shoot the 8-10 ... A: Is that big enough for your pumpkin? Will the barrel explode? You should always make a smaller ... | |
| Feather at high speeds | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: My brother and I are in a bit of an argument. He says that a feather traveling at a high rate of ... A: The stone/window would exert forces on the feather and the feather would exert the same (not less, ... | |
| Radiation | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I am developing a presentation on Radiation (both ionizing and non-ionizing) and I need a simple ... A: Well, you're not really going to do much better for keeping your explanation simple than the ... | |
| Velocity of two objects in outer space | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question to ask you that may be a simple or complicated answer. If you have two ... A: No, they don't necessarily have the same mass so they won't go the same distance or reach the same ... | |
| Science Fair Project | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: OK, i cant think of a really good science fair project. i am in 12th grade and am extremely ... A: OK, projects involving things like you mention are generally the province of major research ... | |
| Torque Question follow-up | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: A two cylinder 4 stroke gas engine has 360 degree crankshaft (pistons rise and fall together) and ... A: The basic physics would seem to make the result the same, but the power delivery will be far more ... | |
| Teleportation a Reality | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: I am working on a science project pertaining to technology around 20 years into the future. Since ... A: Be careful, an idea which "seems more realistic as each day passes" is one you're fixating on ... | |
| Science of an Intelligent Universe | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: Greetings Mr Nelson, My work on www.ascensionq.20fr.com is religion and science based and is a ... A: It takes a lot longer to review work with such a large body of reading to do, and posed in such long ... | |
| Science Fair Project | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: OK, i cant think of a really good science fair project. i am in 12th grade and am extremely ... A: Astrophysics directly, you're waaaay too late in science fair season to get a serious project ... | |
| optics-magnification | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: how can an image be magnified ?, because if a real image is magnified, then no.of rays emitted by an ... A: It's easier to read if you turn off the caps-lock key. Your drawing is a little off, the image ... | |
| Science of an Intelligent Universe | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: Greetings Mr Nelson, My work on www.ascensionq.20fr.com is religion and science based and is a ... A: I study alternative theories of physics, actually. This one is similar to theories of physics I've ... | |
| ice skating | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I am about to start competitive figure skating and was wondering about the friction between the ice ... A: What precisely were you wondering about? At best, the way it's posed right now, I could answer this ... | |
| Projectile motion | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: "A line runs like this "For two projectiles to collide,mid-air, their relative velocities must be ... A: It means that you need to forget about observers on the ground and only think about looking at one ... | |
| What would be better? | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: What in your opinion would be better suited to act as a parachute for an egg, an old rag(old, used, ... A: I would think a rag would be bigger and therefore a better parachute. But if you get to use more of ... | |
| vibrations | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: Does every atom and cell in our bodies vibrate? If so, what does this mean? Would it involve ... A: Sound is everywhere at finite temperatures and atoms do vibrate...but the scale of atoms and the ... | |
| speed of 40 ft fall and impact force | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: I recently had an accident will working in which my equipment failed causing me to fall from the ... A: I get these questions all the time, usually from people with court cases pending, and I can only ... | |
| CLASSICAL MECHANICS | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: Sir, A long time has gone since my last question. Today,I have few doubts in classical mechanics. ... A: I believe, based on your problem number 3, that your book has the same misprint as mine where the j ... | |
| Spring Scales | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: WHAT DOES THE DARK LONG LINES ON A SPRING SCALE REPRESENT? WHAT DOES THE LIGHTER, SMALLER LINES ON ... A: A spring scale is a simple device for measuring weight, but you'll have to be more specific about ... | |
| Space Missions and Momentum | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: If a spaceship used momentum, shouldn't it be able to make the return trip using less fuel than the ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by momentum. Do you mean that the momentum of the outbound spacecraft is ... | |
| cathode ray | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: why is the cathode ray tube airless, what would hapen if it was a conductive liquid inside would the ... A: They'd move at the drift velocity due to molecular collisions. Kinda like a skydiver falls at ... | |
| nuclear physics | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: Please tell me what are some of the branches of physics related to nuclear physics? A: Well, mostly there are sub-branches of nuclear physics such as nuclear astrophysics and cold neutron ... | |
| Question from the TV show CSI: Miami | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Nelson. My name is Jon and I'm a researcher for the CBS television show CSI: Miami. It's my job ... A: I usually don't give out contact information at allexperts.com, but they can look me up very easily ... | |
| Van de Graaff generator top and a magnet | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: simple eg: negatively charged Van de Graaff generator top and a magnet. Put magnet near top. Would ... A: Well, right now what you're trying to talk about is moving electrons into the conductor and that ... | |
| Van de Graaff generator top and a magnet | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: simple eg: negatively charged Van de Graaff generator top and a magnet. Put magnet near top. Would ... A: No, even electrons flowing in a wire in bulk have a surprisingly low drift velocity. Electrons in a ... | |
| freezing kool-aid | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I need help with my science fair project is this a goo d topic,"Will the amount of sugar affect the ... A: Well, it's testable and it answers a question, it's just that we already know the answer. So at ... | |
| Circular motion | 11/26/2009 |
| Q: If you are swinging a stopper in horizontal uniform circular motion and stop the driving force ... A: If you simply stop applying the force necessary for an object to go in a circle, it will stop going ... | |
| How many times the power would a sprinter have to produce to run ten times as fast? | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I've been wondering about the relation of power to speed, and I'd like it if you could clarify some ... A: Terminal velocity is a measure of drag, yes. The problem now is that the situation starts to become ... | |
| quantum physics | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: Something about this theory bugs me. Essentially it is all too complex to be true. The various ... A: The photon is one of the most-understood and best-studied objects in the known universe on every ... | |
| chaos theory | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: aloha steve! i'd like to know: who coined the phrase 'sensitive dependence on initial conditions'? ... A: Well, I'm not really sure, but I'd say that Lorenz initially discovered that weather depended in ... | |
| quantum physics | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: Something about this theory bugs me. Essentially it is all too complex to be true. The various ... A: Quantum mechanics bugs a lot of people, but it works fantastically well and it's stood up to nearly ... | |
| How many times the power would a sprinter have to produce to run ten times as fast? | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I've been wondering about the relation of power to speed, and I'd like it if you could clarify some ... A: You are, of course, assuming that air resistance is the main resistance to a runner's motion. At ... | |
| electrostatics | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: what is it said that a moving automobile becomes charged ? ANSWER: Do you mean "why is it said" ... A: Air won't charge up a vehicle much, though it is another charging (and discharging) mechanism. Air ... | |
| Re: | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: First off, I am not in school, I am trying to build a machine utilizing hydraulics to push something ... A: The equations all work, actually, because the distance listed accounts for the radius of part B as ... | |
| electrostatics | 11/18/2009 |
| Q: what is it said that a moving automobile becomes charged ? A: Do you mean "why is it said" rather than "what is it said?" If so, then it's because an object like ... | |
| observations | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: I know under the rules of the quantum, that when we observe a particle, we change it, but how do we ... A: I'll point you to this: http://www.aip.org/history/heisenberg/p08a.htm Based on some pretty ... | |
| building catapults | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: I am not sure if you will be able to help me with my problem, if you cant it would be appreciated if ... A: I would suggest a combined approach. Use both the lead weight and the rubber band for energy, so ... | |
| water bottle physics | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: Is there any physics laws that can be applied to water bottle covers cracking with normal usage? We ... A: This really seems more like a manufacturing problem, like you got a bad batch of plastic in those ... | |
| Energy transformation | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I have been teaching about energy transformation and transfer to a primary level class (7-8 year ... A: For your first one I'd need a picture, I think. I'm not sure what your toy looks like. For the ... | |
| Water Suction | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: I hope I went to the right person for this question.. I have made a gold dredge and I am trying to ... A: Is the gravel under water or dry? This is kind of the opposite of an air lift used for salvage ... | |
| Electron's location in any atom | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: My question is further to your reply on electron location. The below is your reply to somebody on ... A: You cannot simultaneously measure the position and momentum of an electron beyond a certain accuracy ... | |
| magnetism - increasing magnetic flux | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm curious as to how and why the magnetic flux increases for a magnet when you place stainless ... A: First, stainless steel is generally non-magnetic. Raw iron and ordinary steel are magnetic, but ... | |
| Water Suction | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I hope I went to the right person for this question.. I have made a gold dredge and I am trying to ... A: How do you get the air bubbles out? I mean, when you're under water the air has time to escape, but ... | |
| Speed | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: How would I calculate the speed if given the % heavier than the true weight as a car goes through a ... A: The extra "apparent weight" of the car is due to centripetal acceleration of the car in the bottom ... | |
| Acceleration due to gravity | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: How do I find the height above earth where the acceleration due to gravity at a percentage of its ... A: You use the basic formula for gravitational acceleration, GM/r^2 where G is the gravitational ... | |
| Electron's location in any atom | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: My question is further to your reply on electron location. The below is your reply to somebody on ... A: No, these theorems are based on physical experiments with particles. An electron exists in an ... | |
| The Classic Egg Drop | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: This year, my Junior Physics teacher wants our class to compete at the Physics Fair in the Egg ... A: Well, you could use rubber. It's biodegradeable. You could make a sling of rubber bands and put ... | |
| Question | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I've read that to locate an electron in a shell or in an atom, we have to pass a light of ... A: OK, there's a lot of things wrong here. Some gamma rays can have extremely small wavelengths (far ... | |
| science fair expert talk | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: 1.Do you know much about bridge physics. 2.What would you say is the strongest bridge type: ... A: Bridges are just statics and strength of materials, but on a very large scale. Strength is as much ... | |
| physics book for highschool student | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I am looking for a book which is suitable for high school student that cover most of high school ... A: You might try Walker's book. Any book labeled Physics for Scientists and Engineers will be meant ... | |
| Rate of ascent of weather balloons | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: The rate of ascent of a weather balloon is considered to be approximately constant, (although I've ... A: The rate of ascent is "approximately" constant. It does eventually slow down and stop. The ... | |
| Calculations and Theory involved for Car Collisions | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I'm not too sure if you may be able to help me, but any input ins very much appreciated. I had just ... A: I've gotten these questions before, they rarely turn out with definitive answers. That said, ... | |
| Hello!! | 10/29/2009 |
| Q: my name is Jose and i go to a magnet school in the 6th grade. I am currently working on a project ... A: Now that we have a question and a test to work with, I can help. The density will be the first ... | |
| nuclear physics | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: sir i want to know that when a beta particle is emiited from a nucleus ,an antinutrino is also ... A: Actually, we accept as tenets of physics that energy and momentum are conserved. We observe these ... | |
| Hello!! | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: my name is Jose and i go to a magnet school in the 6th grade. I am currently working on a project ... A: A science fair project is a science project that answers a question. First, to be able to answer ... | |
| hello | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: 1-why most people build their summer house near the sea? 2-why Lv "latent heat vaporization" it's ... A: Frist one, the evaporating water robs the air of heat. The ocean moderates the heat. The heats are ... | |
| Inverted Pendulum on a moving platform | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I am currently working on the effect of vehicle acceleration on standing passengers. For simplicity, ... A: Well, you seem to have all the mass at the end and a pendulum of length L standing nearly vertical ... | |
| electromagnetic induction | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: A varying magnetic field is confined to an area smaller than that of a conducting loop surrounding ... A: Well, since flux is what matters and flux is field*area you would obviously use the *flux* over the ... | |
| interview questions for science project | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a project on how far a Wooden Glider Flies if you change characteristics of the wings.This ... A: Some of your questions have answers, some don't. 1) A wooden glider has no thrust. Hence glider. ... | |
| project | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: during our last conversation as i told u that i ve been doing a project so i need ed to ask u that ... A: Uranium-pigmented glass is already used in many things, however its from naturally occurring (i.e. ... | |
| Spinning concentric spheres | 10/17/2009 |
| Q: Imagine a machine that consists of three perfectly balanced concentric spheres. (ie one iside the ... A: Sure, there might be some tiny precession of the individual spheres during acceleration, but the ... | |
| Forces | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: This isn't a homework question, it is more of a question to generally understand physics and force ... A: Forces in general can be thought of as the exchange between two objects of a flux. Flux is kinda ... | |
| physics | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: explain when a cup fall from a certain height 'h' then it broke into pieces why?and which type of ... A: The forces on the cup exceeded the shattering strength of the material it was made of during impact. ... | |
| Particle physics | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: My Question is this:- Is it possible that the Higgs particle and the Graviton are one and the same ... A: No, by "particle" they still don't mean something like you envision (a grain of sand or a proton or ... | |
| Unitary Operator | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a question. Is it possible to apply a different unitary operator on the each component of a ... A: This sounds like a quantum mechanics question, but the way it's phrased I can't tell exactly what ... | |
| energy conservation | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: This may or may not be your type of question, but I don't know any other field to submit it to. ... A: This depends on a couple factors of the dryer's design, but the basic thermal physics of evaporation ... | |
| Ice | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: if i were to put a ice into a bowl of liquid than is constanly below 0 degree celcius and the ice is ... A: Technically there's a thermal probability even below freezing that the water molecules will diffuse ... | |
| please help | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: ,i was wondering if u could help me with this, i need the general equation of motion. a robot is ... A: Well, since I know nothing about its walking motion then no I can't. Or about the magnitude of this ... | |
| Depth and distance perception | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have read quite a bit about these and am trying to determine what factors would affect these and ... A: Motion of a viewer doesn't really affect depth perception of an object which is stationary relative ... | |
| kinetic sculpture | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to make a wind driven sculpture. This sculpture will have several points of rotation. ... A: The principle difference between his design and yours appears to be one of symmetry. His has more ... | |
| Prism | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: i know that when white light passes through a prism, it would diffuse into 7 colours, but when it ... A: It'll separate, just like light passing through a prism, the bend angle will just be the opposite ... | |
| magnetic strip | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a card at school-much like a credit card. i can use it at the school store. The magnetic ... A: Heat can de-magnetize materials. Unfortunately, what you have on your card isn't just ... | |
| light | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: Is the space really empty(no medium)? Then how a wave(light wave) can travel in that empty space? A: Empty space isn't really empty. There are quantum particle/antiparticle pairs popping in and out of ... | |
| Particle Accelerator | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I am attempting to build a traditional particle accelerator using a van de Graff and a Vacuum tube. ... A: OK, let's start with some basics. First, particle accelerators require licenses. They're not hard ... | |
| Self Quenching In Geiger-Muller Counter | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: Can you please explain the following (the capitalized text)? "The ions of the quenching gas reach ... A: A Geiger counter is an avalanche detector, relying on runaway multiplication of electrons. A ... | |
| The Earth | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: when we are at the bottom of the earth(South Pole), we are able to stand and not fall off the earth ... A: You're assuming that the person in the spaceship has a spaceship whose roof always points North. If ... | |
| Science | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: when we take a lift from a higher level to a lower level, am i right to say take when the lift is ... A: It would reduce their impact speed, but you can only jump up a couple of feet in the air. This was ... | |
| physics | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: why a swimmer diving into a pool of water doesn't get hurt? A: The forces on a swimmer diving into a pool of water, because the water moves out of the way, are not ... | |
| Measurement Questions | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: Im a 8th grade student and part of our homework is to ask a scientist questions. These are our 5 ... A: Well, I don't usually answer homework questions but I'll point you to resources where you can do ... | |
| Pumping with Compressed Air | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked this question of James Kovalcin. I have a follow up but apparently he is ... A: It should work. The only way it wouldn't work at all is if the air on the supply to the controller ... | |
| Physics inside a galvanic cell | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I am puzzled about the physical forces acting on charge carriers inside a simple cell. My ... A: In a battery like the Daniel cell or the Gravity Cell (a variant): ... | |
| Pumping with Compressed Air | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked this question of James Kovalcin. I have a follow up but apparently he is ... A: 200 meters of supply line? That will reduce pressure dramatically, depending on flow rate and ... | |
| Pumping with Compressed Air | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked this question of James Kovalcin. I have a follow up but apparently he is ... A: I can't fault his math or his physics, it really should pump that high and only the vertical rate of ... | |
| Quantum theory | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: Do you know any websites where I can computer simulations that presented important concepts of the ... A: This guy has a whole mess of neat ones: http://www.falstad.com/mathphysics.html This one's for the ... | |
| Physics inside a galvanic cell | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I am puzzled about the physical forces acting on charge carriers inside a simple cell. My ... A: Focus on the piece about the salt bridge. A battery needs something to neutralize the ion buildup ... | |
| Irrational values in a real universe. | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: Can the physical characteristics (velocity, temperature, mass, etc.) of tangible objects have an ... A: Pi isn't irrational, it's transcendental. Meaning it goes on forever without ever repeating its ... | |
| Science fair help | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: Hey there! My name is Jenny, and I was wondering if you had any science fair project ideas on ... A: OK, for astronomy projects there are a few out there like this: ... | |
| clinker | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: I am studying the frequency distribution of size of crystals in a cement clinker. As a clinker is ... A: This is definitely outside my regular field of expertise, but I did a quick search anyhow and found ... | |
| Science fair help | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: Hey there! My name is Jenny, and I was wondering if you had any science fair project ideas on ... A: The problem is that you've picked a very specific area of physics. General relativity is extremely ... | |
| Beer eruption | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: Question is related to a screenplay I'm writing. I couldn't find a good explanation on the ... A: This is actually a really good question, because I've seen this (my friends used to do this in ... | |
| Science fair help | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: Hey there! My name is Jenny, and I was wondering if you had any science fair project ideas on ... A: Technically you're stuck, since relativity projects don't currently have practical applications and ... | |
| Magnetism | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: Respected sir I am a student of class 12 How do birds navigate using the earths magnetic field ? A: This is a little outside my area. It's believed that magnetite deposits in their beaks allow them ... | |
| nuclear physics | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: what if depleted uranium is used in braces or any other isotope from nuclear waste could be used in ... A: Basic experiment involving nuclear waste? No. It takes special equipment and training to handle ... | |
| quantum | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I previously asked a question relating to a electron or any wave function, inside a box, covering ... A: The wavefunction does collapse upon interaction, it's actually still a distributed thing until then. ... | |
| Color effect in B & W program | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I've been wondering about this for the longest time, and was hoping that you'd be able to explain ... A: Only when you have grids? And is it particular to your TV? If so then I'd say you're getting a ... | |
| quantum | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: I'm reading a book by Paul Davies and need to clear something. I understand teh quantum has its own ... A: If I have a Geiger counter, it's fully capable of resolving the decay of a radioactive nucleus like ... | |
| nuclear physics | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: what if depleted uranium is used in braces or any other isotope from nuclear waste could be used in ... A: First, think of fuel recycling: http://www.nationalcenter.org/NuclearFastReactorsSA1205.pdf The ... | |
| Weird Atom based Sci-fi Query :) | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I’m betting this may be one of the weirder questions you’ll get today. There is, however, method to ... A: OK, so your guy wants to commit suicide and dissociate into individual atoms. Relatively easy, ... | |
| quantum | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm reading a book by Paul Davies and need to clear something. I understand teh quantum has its own ... A: It's not magic. Upon interaction, the wavefunction of a particle collapses to a definite state. It ... | |
| distance | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I want to increase the distance in my spring loaded gun. How do I do that I want a 2 or 3 ounce ... A: You'll need to be more specific, I have no idea what your design looks like or what the spring ... | |
| wind-up hybrid vehicle | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: How is it impossible to power a vehicle using the idea of torsional springs as in wind-up toys,if ... A: Weight and durability. Springs have very low energy densities compared to their sizes. If you make ... | |
| nuclear physics | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: what if depleted uranium is used in braces or any other isotope from nuclear waste could be used in ... A: Braces? Well, it is incredibly dense material, and I've heard of it used in bullets, aircraft ... | |
| energy in humans | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: I attended a recent lecture on the mind. One of the main things that was said is that they can ... A: I believe you mean "sort of" and not "sought of," as well as "exists" and not "exits." That said, ... | |
| nuclear physics | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: im doing a science project and its research based project and im working on recycling of nuclear ... A: Uranium is a heavy metal and therefore not good for you chemically. Depleted uranium is really not ... | |
| physics | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: Cats have nine lives Folks claim that “cats have nine lives” because when they are thrown at a ... A: Cats generally land on their feet because while angular momentum is conserved they can alter their ... | |
| Time and Energy | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I was thinking about time travel and one thing still puzzles me. Energy can't be created or ... A: You'd be relocating it in spacetime, until the point where you sent its original copy back in time. ... | |
| Car crash | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I was driving across a roundabout, a girl in a car was not looking and drove into me. Her offside ... A: On the face of it, you'd appear to be right about the sternum and the direction, but I'd need photos ... | |
| few questions | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: 1)which of the follwing travels faster in optical fiber, uv lighy, invisible IR ,visible light, or ... A: 1) That depends on the dispersion relation in the particular optical fiber, and there are two kinds. ... | |
| astrophysics science fair project idea | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I am in the 8th grade, but I am highly capable of a 12th grade project. I was wondering if you could ... A: The vacuum that we can create on Earth is nowhere near as good as the vacuum that gravitation ... | |
| Evanescent Wave Project | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I am a college freshman and am involved with a junior physics program in which we help middle ... A: This is pretty specific and a little outside my subfield, but I'll try to help you out. First, a ... | |
| windmills | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to make a windmill. Please look at my sketch. Can you think of an answer to my two ... A: Well there's no material I know of that acts as a one-way valve for air, and no static structure. ... | |
| color | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: why dont red, sunburned feet look as red above water than they do underwater? A: Well that depends on the water and the background. I always thought sunburned feet looked more red ... | |
| massless particles | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: its been brought to my attention that there may exist particles that contain no mass. If so, I have ... A: Photons are massless particles. In physics, the word "particle" is used to mean that it is absorbed ... | |
| Classical Physics | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have few doubts in using Newton's second law F = ma. Consider the following situation. ... A: You won't observe a force that has a proportionality constant equal to the mass, that's what's ... | |
| physics | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: How can I design an experiment to measure the center of gravity of doughnut, if I know its center is ... A: An actual doughnut or a torus of general material? I guess that doesn't matter, just use the ... | |
| microwave damage to water | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: <my health food friends tell me that you should not eat food from the microwave because it destroys ... A: No, that's crazy-talk. The microwave doesn't destroy all nutrients and it absolutely will not alter ... | |
| problem in physics | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: SIR,THANKS FOR ANSWER THAT THE ROPE'S VELOCITY IS THE COMPONENT OF BLOCK'S VELOCITY.BUT I HAVE ONE ... A: No, even if the angle theta that you draw is not 45 degrees you can draw a right triangle. It ... | |
| Classical Physics | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have few doubts in using Newton's second law F = ma. Consider the following situation. ... A: If there was a force proportional to the acceleration of the charge, then it could not have this ... | |
| theory | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: Now you know how gravity and mass effect each other. How they both manipulate the other. And how ... A: Only huge densities of light energy could do that, but yes. Here's a related paper. Einstein's ... | |
| electrostatics | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: a very long straight uniformly charged thread carries a charge lambda (k) per unit length. find the ... A: Something's missing from the answer, because the way you stated the question the answer is off by a ... | |
| gravity and friction | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: what are some of the effects of gravity and friction on speed? A: The answer is entirely situation dependent. Are you talking about kinetic (sliding) or static ... | |
| Physics | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: Consider a body (For example a metal Sphere). What will be the forces acting on the body if it is ... A: Sure, if it's designed right. The system will settle to a stable state after a while (you're ... | |
| Secondary wavelets | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I read about the Huygens priciple of secondary wavelets and how they act as sources of disturbance ... A: Light is an electromagnetic wave, which does not travel through a medium like water waves. Its ... | |
| Secondary wavelets | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I read about the Huygens priciple of secondary wavelets and how they act as sources of disturbance ... A: Why would they suddenly stop and go backwards? That would violate conservation of momentum. The ... | |
| gravitation | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: what is the main difference in the newtons gravitatinal view and that of eistein in which einstein ... A: Newtonian physics assumes that light travels at infinite speed, and that the force of gravity simply ... | |
| capacitor | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: i wanted to ask that why in a capacitor the charges are not neutralised when there is no dielectric ... A: You'll notice lightning discharges after building up. You need to reach a voltage of roughly (rule ... | |
| physics | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Steve :-) If a curve with a radius of 88 m is banked for a car travelling 75 km/h, What should ... A: Well, you asked me what it should be but you already know the answer. You're going to have to ... | |
| gravity | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: How the gravitational energy get conserved in earth(for example)? It is attracting each and ... A: You seem more to need the law of conservation of energy explained. The rest of this sounds like ... | |
| light | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: What is real and virtual image? And tell me about diffraction, interference and polarisation please. A: I'll explain part of this and then refer you to hyperphysics because you don't have a specific ... | |
| atom question | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: what happens inside an atom when it is excited by a collision A: The wavefunction (basically, the spatial distribution) of an electron in an excited atom spreads out ... | |
| electricity | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I was surprised to read in a textbook that although we understand electricity enough to describe its ... A: Electricity is the flow of charges. We play with charges all the time and know quite well what they ... | |
| current as a vector | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: Sir, Why can't current be treated as a vector? It has both magnitude and direction. ANSWER: ... A: Anyone who's really concerned with the answer to this is definitely overly concerned with semantics. ... | |
| uncertainty and light | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: We know that by the De broglie's theorem, the momentum of a light photon traveling at the speed of ... A: No, not without experimentation. You're assuming its direction and such, momentum is a vector. And ... | |
| General science vocabulary | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: A scientific statement (often mathematical in form) that summarizes experimental data is called a ... A: One of the great conundrums in physics, why is it that we call a law a law and a theory a theory? ... | |
| Force an a charge | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have got into another confusion regarding Lorentz forces. Let's consider the following. ... A: Wow, I had a whole long answer to this typed up yesterday and didn't hit the second send button... ... | |
| shapes of galaxies | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have got into confusion after thinking of the following effects. I think the forces which ... A: I'll get to your more complex question tomorrow when I have some more time. But this one is easy. ... | |
| Science experiment help? | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could help me with my science experiment. I need to provide research for my ... A: That would probably depend on which surface absorbed the least energy. So you're looking for ... | |
| photoelectric effect | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: how is the stopping potential a measure of max kinetic energy of electrons and how come the ... A: Well, this is somewhat situation dependent, you have to know both the photon energy and the work ... | |
| shapes of galaxies | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I have got into confusion after thinking of the following effects. I think the forces which ... A: Your first situation, observer A would also see time moving slower for those particles, ... | |
| shapes of galaxies | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: Sir, Are there proven theories which explain the various shapes of galaxies? To my knowledge I ... A: Astrophysicists may tell you they have a theory that does it, but galaxy formation is still a ... | |
| ENERGIES | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: when an electron add in an atom , energy is released......this energy is released because when the ... A: First, the sign of the electron charge (q2) is negative. So when it's attracted to a positive ... | |
| Mirage | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: Hey all! I'm kind of worried. Today I went to the univ. and it was a hot summer day. As I was ... A: I don't have a photograph to work with or anything, but I would say it was still an effect of ... | |
| Gravity | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: Is there gravity at the exact center of the earth? In other words, would equal mass in all ... A: Yes and no. The forces will all cancel out, so there will be no gravitational forces. Time will ... | |
| Complicated Mu Issues | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I've been working on a detailed project that's about the 'Physics of a Merry-Go-Round,' and I'm ... A: Your question doesn't make it clear what the goal of your calculation is. Are you trying to figure ... | |
| wind energy | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference between a Baker Wind Turbine and a propeller driven windmill? A: Well, since the name of the questioner appearing on this question and the invention are the same and ... | |
| eclipse | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: There will be an eclipse on the 22nd and one of the concerns is with the disruption to communication ... A: Nothing at all. However, people gather in open spaces away from cell phone towers to watch ... | |
| physics | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: Steve If a person is standing above a car, and this car starts to move, after that he jumps, what ... A: OK, I'm wondering if you asked this question quite the way you meant it. Is he standing on the car ... | |
| Quatum theory | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: Calculate the energy range, in eV,of photons in the visible region of the electromagnetic ... A: Each of those wavelengths corresponds to an energy, since you have a range of wavelengths you have a ... | |
| lasers | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: we are supposed to do an experimental project on laser and total internal reflection of lasers can ... A: I think they intended for you to come up with something like "how fiber-optic communications works." ... | |
| How to prevent the Ringing effect and the decision of the secondary coil parameters ? | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: In this new treatise we will discuss some important questions about RLC circuits and resonance ... A: Birol, I still don't understand the overall goal of these coils. What exactly are you trying to ... | |
| inclined plane friction help | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: I am doing an EEI. My experiment was to roll golf balls down an inclined plane in order to test ... A: "f" is the force of static friction. Multiplied by its radius, that gives you the torque, which ... | |
| Physics - Kinetic Energy conversion | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: I don't often wonder about such things but a couple of weeks ago I did and this popped out.... ... A: Obviously it's a continuous process and not instantateous. You just have to look on a small enough ... | |
| problem in physics | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: SIR,THANKS FOR ANSWER THAT THE ROPE'S VELOCITY IS THE COMPONENT OF BLOCK'S VELOCITY.BUT I HAVE ONE ... A: No, it's not a parallelogram (look at the drawing, the sides are in no way parallel). It's two ... | |
| physics | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: we are agroup of teachers in training course and we would like your help to answer some questions ... A: 1) Impossible to answer, who is to say what is the most important research? It could be anything ... | |
| Gasoline | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: Will you please help me with some suggestions on how to build my invention, the NoGas Engine? I ... A: The coefficient of expansion of gasoline is approximately 0.0006/degree F. You can multiply be 9/5 ... | |
| 2 masses! | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: I'm a guy from India currently preparing for the entrance exam of the IIT(Indian Institute of ... A: OK, the problem is slightly weird. Your solution is great for a steady state, but if they start ... | |
| problem in physics | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: SIR,THANKS FOR ANSWER THAT THE ROPE'S VELOCITY IS THE COMPONENT OF BLOCK'S VELOCITY.BUT I HAVE ONE ... A: No, it's just like the previous problem. Rotate it 90 degrees clockwise, block out the lower ... | |
| Cern | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: We all know Cern can change way of the physic.Altough it is very very important experiment we can ... A: CERN is currently repairing the Large Hadron Collider, but has another large collider still in ... | |
| physics | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: REVEREND SIR, I HAVE A QUESTION.WHEN A BLOCK IS CONNECTED TO A ROPE AND THE ROPE IS ... A: I'll go back and modify my answer (so no one else gets confused), upon looking at it I was thinking ... | |
| see by all electromagnetic waves | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: if we could see by all range of electromagnetic waves,what we see,and how we see the world and all ... A: Well, that's physically impossible...nothing is sensitive to the infinite range of electromagnetic ... | |
| optics. | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: how a trick mirror is made? why are shaving mirrors concave while rear view mirrors convex? A: A trick mirror is made the same way any other mirror is made. Glass is cast in a shape, polished, ... | |
| Heat from electromagnetic waves 2 | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: Days ago, I asked you about the heat produced by electromagnetic waves. I was thinking that some ... A: The thermometer either absorbs infrared better than visible light (meaning that visible light is ... | |
| length of a curb lever | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: would you pls explain me ; if i use a curb shape lever rather than a hard straight one .considering ... A: For this situation it will increase slightly, as the distance between the fulcrum and the end of the ... | |
| Fusel Oils | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: What is the boiling point of fusels oils at atmospheric Pressure? A: You don't need me, wikipedia has a well-researched section on this: ... | |
| hollow sphere | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: can an object float inside a hollow sphere,which is placed in a gravitational field? A: Do you mean, will the hollow sphere shield the object inside it from gravitation if the sphere is ... | |
| length of a curb lever | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: would you pls explain me ; if i use a curb shape lever rather than a hard straight one .considering ... A: Point of grammar: it's spelled "curved" and not "curbed." 1) I'll assume you have the fulcrum in ... | |
| Ray Optics- Caustic curve | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: i beg that you kindly explain to me this phenomenon, i have failed to understand it. Our teacher is ... A: This term isn't commonly used in physics classes anymore, I believe it's a bit archaic. I'd heard ... | |
| Frictionless surface | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: Is it just a mathematical approximation that on a frictionless surface since no obstruction ... A: It's not zero, it just tends towards zero. That's not the same. You need nearly zero force on a ... | |
| velocity vector entering a magnetic field | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand a question. An electron with velocity vector v e- enters a magnetic ... A: Easy, use the right hand rule and remember that the sign of the charge is negative. You take your ... | |
| velocity vector entering a magnetic field | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand a question. An electron with velocity vector v e- enters a magnetic ... A: Your rough sketch in text did not make it through. Since you know the answer, I won't consider this ... | |
| Tesla | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: Iread somewhere that Tesla was able to transmit electrical power without wires.He was able to light ... A: Basically, induction is a very general term. Also he could pass it through his own body at very ... | |
| Optical Illusion | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I'm a cyclist, and have noticed that from a distance all hills look like they're going to eat you ... A: I can think of two explanations, which are both human. Kinda like how the sky isn't actually blue. ... | |
| Ice engine | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: Will you please help me with some suggestions on how to build my invention, the ICE ENGINE? Here is ... A: This is a fascinating concept, aside from two tiny but enormous flaws. The first is obvious, speed. ... | |
| The Honey Dilema??? | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: I was taking some honey from a jar of set Honey and the strangest question entered my mind! If you ... A: Then honey must be a non-Newtonian fluid like Oobleck. Try mixing a 50/50 mixture of corn starch ... | |
| Capacitance quandry | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: I am experimenting with high voltage capacitors and was wondering if you could explain what I am ... A: The small spark is from the difference in voltage, but there's no conundrum here. The charges on ... | |
| Force | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently read in a DMV book that the force is 4 times greater (not 2 times) for a vehicle ... A: They mean the force needed to stop you in the same distance. Force*distance = energy. Kinetic ... | |
| Quantum Physics | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm 13 years old, and i was wondering if you could explain quantum physics to me in the most ... A: Attempting to find a simple explanation for quantum physics is relatively futile. The simple and ... | |
| Electric current | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: When you touch an electric wire while standing on the ground, you get shocked! How an electric ... A: Yes, due to its large area the ground is an excellent conductor. The fatter the wire, the better ... | |
| Battery and Leyden jar | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: What's the difference between battery and Leyden jar? A: A battery stores energy in chemical form and does not contain excess buildup of charges. It creates ... | |
| Synthetic Telepathy | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: My family and I have been under electronic attack since at least 2007. I know the individual who is ... A: I do know a good bit about this. I've worked on some of the most sensitive types electronic devices ... | |
| color and wavelength | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: on your webpage i have found an answer of Curtis to one question on physics, it is says, the energy ... A: This could mean two things, so I'm going to address it first as if you're talking about light. ... | |
| physics | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I have to make a working model or perform an experiment related to "Physics in kitchen" .Could you ... A: Fortunately, you don't need me. My kitchen physics experiments are usually unnecessarily complex. ... | |
| fatal car accident | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: my husband was in a fatal car accident. Law enforcement explained the accident as follows: the car ... A: I'm sorry for your loss. Based on the few details presented here and the complexity of a car crash, ... | |
| Heat from electromagnetic waves | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: I would like to know the next: Does every wavelength of radiation increase temperature of materials ... A: The answers to these question are by no means simple and you haven't provided enough information for ... | |
| Synthetic Telepathy | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: My family and I have been under electronic attack since at least 2007. I know the individual who is ... A: OK, your question is somewhat incomplete and will require a follow-up before I can answer it. The ... | |
| nucleus | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: In beta decay, does the atom get oppositely charged when an electron or positron is emitted? And do ... A: They do, conservation of charge demands it. The jury is still out on your second question, I have a ... | |
| Eddy Currents | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: I know that for a corrent to flow you need a driving source like an emf.In the case of eddy currents ... A: EMF stands for electro-motive force. That's induced by changing magnetic fields. So when you have ... | |
| reflection | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: I read somewhere that light is an EM wave and in relation to this wave theory can you help me ... A: Let me approximate this... Waves reflect from surfaces. Electric fields in an EM wave hitting a ... | |
| NUCLEAR PHYSICS | 6/25/2009 |
| Q: Am a 200 level physics student of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. I want to know the ... A: I'm not sure what a 200 level student is, your system is different. Nuclear physics studies the ... | |
| Electricity | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: Can you explain how this works or is it some kind of hoax? candles.wmv ANSWER: You'll have to ... A: OK, I got it. I've seen plenty of videos on youtube, and this one has a few tells: 1) Timing. ... | |
| Electricity | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: Can you explain how this works or is it some kind of hoax? candles.wmv ANSWER: You'll have to ... A: There's only a link for attaching pictures on the question form. Therefore, you're either stuck ... | |
| physics of light reception | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: assume a light is glowing at a long distance.that source wont give light to our vicinity because of ... A: Well, if a light is shining from far enough away we won't see it. There are stars which are too ... | |
| physics | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: what will happen if earth stops to revolve around sun? what will happen if earth stops spinning? A: So, you're assuming two things which are physically impossible, but that the rest of physics works? ... | |
| Fields | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: As usual..yr answers are excellent!! Thank You. In an Electric Field,,what is is when we say a Field ... A: It means that the change in energy due to the field (in the case of an electric field, due to the ... | |
| investigatory project | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: can you please give me some easy investigatory projects related to physics? A: Yes, but I need to know a few things if you would follow this up. Your age and knowledge of ... | |
| fire | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: When you light up a candle, the flame will glow in a triangle like shape. Why can't it take any ... A: That's relatively complex fluid dynamics, if I were to calculate the shape, but for an intuitive ... | |
| Physics Application | 6/20/2009 |
| Q: I will be taking part in a Science Challenge in July.Earlier,the challenge were conducted in several ... A: Well, you pretty much listed some already, and I'm not psychic. Perhaps it would help to look at ... | |
| heat energy | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: Nelson, I am wondering if there is any equation to calculate how much energy (heat?) an object is ... A: This is actually quite complex. It depends on the temperature of the flame, the thermal ... | |
| Rocket | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I am looking to design a own model rocket, i should know some information please help mme How ... A: Calculation of the height is pretty simple if you know your engine type, there are calculators out ... | |
| Quantam Physics | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: What is quantam physics...how can we make a lay man understand the concept in a simple manner. A: Haaa ha ha ha! If I knew how to make a lay person understand quantum mechanics I'd have published a ... | |
| The Stand | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm re-reading Stephen King's "The Stand". Early in the novel several major cities lose power, ... A: No, the reactors would be shut down and there would be NO power coming from them, starting as soon ... | |
| The Stand | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm re-reading Stephen King's "The Stand". Early in the novel several major cities lose power, ... A: Unmanned? That's now how they run. If careful operators were unavailable even for a minute the ... | |
| Atomic Behaviour | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: Does one atom of isolated hydrogen have a temperature? If one atom was n space with no gravity ... A: Sure it does, relative to whatever is measuring its temperature. It will have a velocity relative ... | |
| A/D converter/ion | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I built a data logger and an 8 bit digitizer then realized that some were using 12 - 24 bit ... A: Yes, Ron, the ADC would be uselessly overcomplicated if one were limited to that screen and plotting ... | |
| electric power requirement for generation of sparks | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: could you please tell me how much (minimum electric)power would be required to produce electric ... A: A whole mole? That's 22.4 liters of an ideal gas at STP (with only small deviations for other gas ... | |
| working model on physics | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: please give me ideas for making working model on any topic of physics like light, electricity, ... A: No need to reinvent the wheel, just check out demonstrations (in effect, working models) at places ... | |
| Power line vibration | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I often walk under a point where two power lines cross. The local line along our street crosses ... A: There's gotta be some coupling between them at 120 Hz. If you drive a mechanical system at its ... | |
| Question concering falling down and odds to survive. | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: Can a person survive entering water at 300KM/h in vertical position with toes pointing down? How ... A: 300 km/h? No, at that speed there's no diving position that would allow one to survive. So ... | |
| Mass | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: Does surface area have an affect on mass? Does changing the surface area of something change it's ... A: No, mass is the quantity of matter in an object. If I squish a sphere of clay flat I change its ... | |
| draining water | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: If you have 2 containers half full with water and a tube to the ground. The first is 1 foot off the ... A: Are you talking about siphoning the water or just draining it out the bottom? Does the tube go the ... | |
| electromagnetic shielding | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: actually i was wondering if there were other ways to stop electromagnetic waves beside using ... A: Large amounts of less-conductive material? That's still a Faraday cage, I guess. I guess you could ... | |
| curriculum questiom | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: I am from Kuwait and I want to know about the curriculum of physics in other countries because I ... A: Well, the only obvious thing you're missing is fluid mechanics (buoyancy, Bernoulli's equation). ... | |
| throw | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: When rain (with constant velocity), if you want walk from one place to another place how can you go ... A: Well, I'm not going to prove it mathematically because that might constitute the solution to a ... | |
| Escape velocity | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: Dr. Nelson, I just asked this question of another expert, but his reply was 2 screens of math ... A: Escape velocity depends on how far out you achieve that velocity. You have to set the kinetic ... | |
| Practical limitations of submarine periscope-mounted surface search radar | 5/25/2009 |
| Q: Nelson, Thanks very much for your willingness to answer questions, and I apologize if this ... A: A Stirling engine is more efficient, but not air-independent. Anyhow, your question about the ... | |
| curriculum questiom | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I am from Kuwait and I want to know about the curriculum of physics in other countries because I ... A: That depends on the level of physics they study. Generally, they spend one semester on classical ... | |
| Collisions, Momentum and Energy | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: I don't fully understand how momentum is always conserved in a collision, yet kinetic energy can be ... A: It's not "lost," it's just converted to another form of energy. Conservation of momentum is one of ... | |
| rocket | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm working on building a rocket with an A8-3 engine. Before liftoff i have to answer some ... A: The formula is correct, but assumes no friction. The real value will be considerably lower of both ... | |
| Laser Defraction | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: I'd like to be able to defract laser light from my laser point in a number of ways. For example ... A: They contain spinning mirrors that will fan the beam. The the human eye it'll look like multiple ... | |
| rope suspension bridge building | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: i have been wondering how rope suspension bridges were built in ancient times {Incan for ex:}. more ... A: Well, generally someone had to climb down and up the other side. Bridges weren't built to help the ... | |
| SPEED & GRAVITY | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: mars has a gravity 38% that of earth...if earths gravity was the same how fast will a man be able to ... A: Depends on the person, the animal, the bullet, or the car of course. Friction isn't usually the ... | |
| physics | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: From what i understand if you are travelling in a vehicle at 100 km an hour and dropped an object ... A: Nope, in fact she's exactly wrong. A dropped rock would have the same velocity at first, then it ... | |
| PV hydrogen fuel | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: Hopefully this isn't too basic, but it seems so obvious to me. If you set up a Photo Voltaic cell, ... A: It's not a matter of simplicity, it's a matter of cost and wattage. Solar, to those who grew up ... | |
| electromagnetic waves | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: Could you please explain the following sentence why it is correct? The field strengths are great in ... A: Without advanced math and in-depth physics this will be difficult, but picture light like a water ... | |
| arc length | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: i am attempting to determine the arc length of a baseball without using calculus. i would be very ... A: Well, how did you figure out the x velocity? You really have to integrate the total velocity. So ... | |
| Impact | 5/15/2009 |
| Q: I work in product development within the glass industry in the UK. We are developing products to ... A: I'm confused by your question, what exactly do you need an expert for, help calculating energy or ... | |
| Rivers and ponds | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: How are the volume of water, total distance covered and depth of large rivers and deep ponds ... A: Volume is calculated. Area covered can be measured from satellite photographs, check google Earth ... | |
| Electric question | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I am researching a story that I am working on, and am having difficulty locating decent information. ... A: This is more of a biology question, but I know Glen Elert answers questions like this with his ... | |
| motors | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: which is the most powerful pound for pound engine or motor can you get the same power or more from ... A: See here: http://www.uqm.com/pdfs/PowerPhase150%20(2.4.09).pdf This is an example of a 200 HP ... | |
| heat | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: If there is water in glass of 20K temperature in room the room is also equal to the water ... A: Heat is transferred in and out of the water at the same rate. The room and the water are in thermal ... | |
| How can I work at the saturation point B ? | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: I am sending you some informations about you answer. For the application of a toroid you are ... A: My mistake, in looking into mu-metal this appears to be why they're not used in power transformers ... | |
| ROTATIONAL MOTION | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: Q: I find that whenever a body is executing some sort of rotational motion, the body is at its ... A: The simple answer, without dragging you through the mathematics and cross products, is that rotating ... | |
| Pressure decreases when adding more weights? | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: Steve, (see attached picture) Q1. If you put a weight of 1 pound (and an area of 1 sq. inch) on a ... A: For question one, the answer is yes that the gauge will read 1 PSI. The reading will not decrease ... | |
| MASS | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: Q: Right from the schooldays i have been taught the concept of mass as such without differentiating ... A: Inertial mass is an object's resistance to acceleration. Gravitational mass is an object's ... | |
| EM SPECTRUM | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: Q3.I think nature has given an undue importance to a particular region in the EM spectrum.This is ... A: I thought I'd followed up on this. "Gamma rays" and "radio waves" are the same thing: photons. We ... | |
| ELECTROMAGNETISM & GRAVITATION | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: Q1:We use electric or magnetic lines of force to deal with most of the problems in electricity and ... A: This is largely historical, and the use of "lines of force" is somewhat outdated. Also, magnetic ... | |
| COMPLEX NUMBERS | 5/5/2009 |
| Q: Q:In maths we speak of imaginary nos.What is the real physical meaning of these nos.What is the ... A: They're a mathematical tool do describe things whose physical laws behave the same way ... | |
| HEAT RADIATIONS | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: Q:Why the infrared rays alone should carry heat and why not other radiations(say light or X-rays) ... A: Visible light does heat us up, actually. IR doesn't necessarily irritate people, just heat their ... | |
| DEBROGLIE WAVELENGTH | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: Q:The DeBroglie wavelength of a particle is given by lambda=h/mv. Two properties of a particle ... A: Well, the words "fuses up" is an incredible sweeping under the rug of a lot of mathematics and ... | |
| Rotation of Rigid bodies | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: Greetings sir, I am a first year university student.I would like to grasp some basic concepts ... A: Presumably you *always* try to use the correct formula. Yes, 1/2MR^2 is the correct form for a ... | |
| HEAT RADIATIONS | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Q:Why the infrared rays alone should carry heat and why not other radiations(say light or X-rays) ... A: It doesn't, that's just the range of the peak frequencies emitted in the energy distribution by ... | |
| Quantum entanglement | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Q:What is quantum entanglement? How to make two particles quantum mechanically entangled? Is this ... A: Quantum entanglement deals with the states at which two particles are prepared in when they're ... | |
| Pressure on sensor | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Steve, You are stubborn! I understand you don't want to do students' homework, given to them from ... A: I'm not stubborn, and I answered this question already if you read my entire answer. It depends on ... | |
| UNIFIED THEORY-NOT A HOMEWORK | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Q:Sir,why should we look for a unified force theory without knowing exactly whether the nature ... A: I think I accidentally clicked on homework rejection on your last question, sorry about that. If ... | |
| HERF and man-made auroras | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: Steve, I am currently writing a bit of science fiction that I need help getting as accurate as ... A: It would not, though a large enough nuclear blast in the upper atmosphere might interact with power ... | |
| HERF and man-made auroras | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Steve, I am currently writing a bit of science fiction that I need help getting as accurate as ... A: Sure, here's an example of a man-made aurora: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish_Prime You can ... | |
| physics | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions regarding physics. The first one might seem silly to a physics ... A: E=mc^2 gives you the equivalent conversion amount, but matter and energy are different. As energy ... | |
| basketball | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: My homeowners association requires portable basketball goals be kept close to the house when not in ... A: How did you measure the angle? 25 degrees is rather steep for a driveway. Anyhow, the answer is ... | |
| heat and sound | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Please tell me how to detect heat by infrared rays and radius. I know that we can use thermal ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by thermal inductance. Or why you need a radius, the simple detection of ... | |
| Travelling at speed of light | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: What is the meaning or the statement ' nothing can travel faster than the speed of light' ? If a ... A: The observers on Earth the spaceship behaving exactly as the laws of physics says it should. So do ... | |
| Travelling at speed of light | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: What is the meaning or the statement ' nothing can travel faster than the speed of light' ? If a ... A: Its acceleration would change relative to observers on Earth, it would continue to observe the same ... | |
| DIMENSIONS | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I've 2 questions: 1. How is the weight and length of whales, sharks and other large sea ... A: 1) They're roughly neutrally bouyant, so their density is the same as sea water. Therefore, using ... | |
| twin paradox | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: how is the twin paradox solved in which one of them travel in spaceship? b'coz in it both will ... A: By accelerating, he changes the inertial reference frame in which he exists. That causes his clock ... | |
| basic pressure understanding - not home work | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: Steve, I know you don't answer homework. But I don't even go to school. I'm 40 this August. The ... A: It's a numbered list of questions about a specific diagram, and I still have no idea where these ... | |
| physics | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions regarding physics. The first one might seem silly to a physics ... A: Angular momentum is like linear momentum, it's rotational inertia multiplied by angular velocity. ... | |
| Generators | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a question. i am constructing a generator in which the magnets attached to a metal rod are ... A: It'll be AC, the field will be flipping back and forth. Therefore the rate of change of the ... | |
| voltage | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: Sir, Inspite of being an undergraduate student in electronic engineering, i am not clear in the ... A: Electrical current flows because there's a net electric potential difference between the two ... | |
| plank time | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: plank time does this mean time is not continuous as there is gap in it , that is we actually ... A: It's spelled Planck, as in the last name of German physicist Max Planck. ... | |
| evaporation | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: how does water evaporate when kept outside below 100°c, i know it starts evaporating at 100°c only ... A: Even fractional distillation doesn't completely separate a mixture, it only alters the balance of ... | |
| work or force to compress air | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I was thinking of making a fire piston (small fire starting device that compressed air in a ... A: Fire tubes are fun, but break easily so be careful in the actual use. No heat is exchanged with the ... | |
| My science fair project. | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Do you know anything about model rockets? How do you use them? How do you make them and launch them? ... A: There's enough information in my profile for you to go to the school in my details and look me up ... | |
| My science fair project. | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Do you know anything about model rockets? How do you use them? How do you make them and launch them? ... A: As a science fair director and physics professor, I can tell you that it would be a good science ... | |
| understanding the physics of a balloon rocket and also a paper rocket | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Nelson, my daughter is a Sophmore in High School and has to present these two demonstrations to her ... A: I'm not sure which type of paper rocket you mean, most of them seem to act more like guns than ... | |
| Observing jet contrails - earth rotation | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Should a jet's contrail (flying from the south to the north) remain in the same part of the sky ... A: Ahh, good question and a tricky visualization. Not a curl, the plane is in the air. Relative to ... | |
| My science fair project. | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Do you know anything about model rockets? How do you use them? How do you make them and launch them? ... A: Are you talking about the type of rocket with snap-out wings that deploy at the end of its flight, ... | |
| gravity | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: i understand motion of object/planet orbiting curved space created due to the presence of mass but ... A: More to the point, how can an object which isn't moving at all be attracted to the Earth? The ... | |
| Question about General Relativity | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I'm an amateur at physics, but am interested in the experiments that set gravitation as the bending ... A: To your questions: 1) Newtonian gravitation doesn't really predict the bending of light, because ... | |
| time and objects speeding from earth | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Five years ago my high school science teacher showed the class an older video from I think the ... A: Ummm...you may have seen who you consider a "hippie" scientist present something in a film five ... | |
| Observing jet contrails - earth rotation | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Should a jet's contrail (flying from the south to the north) remain in the same part of the sky ... A: No, as wide as it looks from the ground, the part of the sky you can actually observe is shockingly ... | |
| GRAVITATION | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Q.sir,i came to know that a body will execute a simple harmonic motion when it goes into a tunnel ... A: Symmetry. It turns out that if you're inside a spherical shell of mass the gravitation is pulling ... | |
| My science fair project. | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: Do you know anything about model rockets? How do you use them? How do you make them and launch them? A: I know lots about model rockets, what do you want to know? Typically you follow a kit and launch ... | |
| expantion coefficient | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: i want to know what is the basic agent affects the expantion coefficient of gallium or mercury in ... A: This is a straight-up thermodynamics problem. There will be Gibbs free energy terms related to the ... | |
| expantion coefficient | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: i want to know what is the basic agent affects the expantion coefficient of gallium or mercury in ... A: I'm confused, largely because a grammatical glitch in this sentence left me wondering exactly what ... | |
| evaporation | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: how does water evaporate when kept outside below 100°c, i know it starts evaporating at 100°c only ... A: Molecules evaporate from water at every temperature. Molecules will even come off of ice (it's ... | |
| Falling Car | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: A buddy and I were watching Mythbusters when a car was dropped 400 feet. The engine (front)part of ... A: You're both right and wrong, that's how these arguments almost always go. Air resistance provides ... | |
| evaporation | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: how does water evaporate when kept outside below 100°c, i know it starts evaporating at 100°c only A: No, 100 degrees Celsius is just where the vapor pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure, allowing the ... | |
| Sound | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: Is there a simple and possible way to make a device that enables a human to hear sounds emitted by ... A: You'd have to make the elephants breathe the helium or the bats breathe xenon/argon to make the ... | |
| physics | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: why we use convex lens of small focal length for a magnifying glass? A: I won't drag you through the optics of it, but the magnification of a simple magnifier is given by ... | |
| coulomb force | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: can a charged body exert coulomb force on a neutral body? A: Yes, generally a charged body will polarize a neutral body. The opposite charges will be pulled ... | |
| gaussian distribution | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: i am studying the statistical distribution of the size of crystals formed in a cement clinker. i ... A: I'd say it's a binning issue, but it's the wrong distribution for it. That brings us back to ... | |
| Question | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: Help me with this question please. In capillary pipe why water uprise until it arrive higher than ... A: Surface tension. See this picture: ... | |
| Shockwaves | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: Do you know what the density increase in a shock wave through a mix of liquid lithium and lead is? ... A: It's going to depend on many factors that you'll need to specify in a follow-up for me if I can ... | |
| Sound | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: i am in graduate.Does our singing really sound better in a shower? If so,What are the physical ... A: I can't answer "better" or "worse" because that may depend on personal taste. However, resonant ... | |
| Sound | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: i am in graduate.I want to ask that Sound wave can be used to measure the speed at which blood flows ... A: Sound reflects off of the red blood cells in the arteries and veins. It acquires a Doppler shift ... | |
| vapor pressure | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: When a liquid is placed in an evacuated container,at constant pressure some of the liquid molecules ... A: No, they don't completely occupy the space. In fact, they occupy very little of the space, really, ... | |
| Gas turbine working | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a small doubt..what is the feasibility of using a gas turbine engine in atmospheres that ... A: Depends on the design. Generally you want high masses in the flow to get momentum transfer. ... | |
| Electrostatics | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: Sir, My question is (i)why the electric field inside a charged conductor is zero? (ii) Why do the ... A: Inside a conductor, charges are free to move. If any field exists briefly in a conductor, the ... | |
| Gravity and the theory of everything | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: (this may be a loaded question) Do you think gravityis a pulling effect/phenomenon or a pushing ... A: The genius of Einstein's General Relativity is that it turned the scientific community's thinking on ... | |
| x-rays2 | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: can you give me some examples of x-ray radiation please? A: X-rays are usually generated by stopping high-energy electrons, like the high-energy electrons in a ... | |
| x-rays | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: can you give me any details on the frequency of x-rays? A: No need, you can calculate it for yourself. Just divide the speed of light by the wavelength. ... | |
| absoluteness | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: einstein in his relativity has said that everything is relative , because there is no ... A: The universe is the very extent of space itself. It has no center. It's more complex to think ... | |
| Gas turbine working | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a small doubt..what is the feasibility of using a gas turbine engine in atmospheres that ... A: Ahh, so you're adding the oxidizer in the turbine in the same place you add the fuel. This should ... | |
| car crash, vehicle in motion hitting stationary vehicle | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: Scenario of car crash: I pulled up to a stop sign intersection facing east at the same time as ... A: Let me go straight to your questions. No, the moving car will not generally inflict more damage. ... | |
| simple harmonic motion | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: hallo, I'm asp & seek help regarding spring mass system let us assume initially there is spring ... A: The sum of forces is equal to mass*acceleration. I don't use the term "inertia force," so we're ... | |
| Gas turbine working | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a small doubt..what is the feasibility of using a gas turbine engine in atmospheres that ... A: I'm pretty sure methane and nitrogen don't combust. You need fuel and an oxidizer, that's where ... | |
| physics of still water (in white water rapids) | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I need a simple way to explain still waters that appear in streams that also include white water. ... A: The water isn't really still, it's just moving very slowly. It's based on geometry. Rapids occur ... | |
| physics | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: Are electrons and negative charge the same things or not.please explain your answer A: No, electrons are particles. They have a property called charge, just like they have a definite ... | |
| coil voltage & rate change | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I am slightly confused over a coils flux and rate change. If I impress a flux of 100A/uS into a ... A: I don't see anywhere that he explains DVDI still. I'll need more full information on what you do ... | |
| physics | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I am feeling really puzzled about the difference between resistance and resistivity.please explain ... A: Resistance is the resistance to flow of electricity through an object. That object is made of a ... | |
| coil voltage & rate change | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I am slightly confused over a coils flux and rate change. If I impress a flux of 100A/uS into a ... A: We have some bad terminology here you'll need to clear up in a follow-up before we can continue. ... | |
| "physics for dummies:" resonance in matter | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I am currently researching the properties of stone, rocks, crystals and other matter that act as ... A: Perhaps you could clarify what you mean by "response." In general, no, sound frequencies do not ... | |
| n s pole | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: which is the pole of a magnetic compass that get deflect near to the wire carrying dc current and ... A: Depends on the direction of the DC current. The compass will want to line up perpendicular to a ... | |
| Motor | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a question concerning how an electric motor works. I took apart a working garage door opener ... A: It's probably not the right type with permanent magnets, so it probably won't produce a lot of ... | |
| Motor | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a question concerning how an electric motor works. I took apart a working garage door opener ... A: You REALLY need to study up on AC vs DC and circuits in general to even come close to doing this and ... | |
| gravitation | 4/1/2009 |
| Q: If in a room filled with air(uniformly), there are 2 spherical cavities some distance apart, what ... A: If you're holding back the air from the empty cavities with physical shells that have mass, those ... | |
| gravitation | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: If in a room filled with air(uniformly), there are 2 spherical cavities some distance apart, what ... A: Depends on the mass of the cavities, you need something to hold the air back. Let's assume they're ... | |
| hydro-turbines | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: Steve,i am working on putting a hydro-turbine in a closed loop system..the non potable water ... A: I don't have an option to change the status of an answered question from public to private, that ... | |
| hydro-turbines | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: Steve,i am working on putting a hydro-turbine in a closed loop system..the non potable water ... A: I'm a little unsure about the overall purpose of your system, perhaps you could follow-up with an ... | |
| Quantum phenomenon | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I need to resolve a friendly argument: IS THIS A THEORETICAL POSTULATE OR IS IT AN ... A: Changing charge? Charges don't just change. What you describe is mildly similar to the quantum ... | |
| Volume of water change with temperature | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: How do i design a laboratory experiment to investigate how the volume of a given amount of water ... A: If you don't like dong experiments, why did you ask me to help design an experiment you could do ... | |
| ufo | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a rather hard to explain question, but I will try my best. Years ago i saw a very ... A: It would help if I had a picture, but the colors you mention all appear in the nitrogen emission ... | |
| physics | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could explain this better for me, A 4kg mas and a 10kg mass are acted on by ... A: No, that's not right. If they're acted on by the same force, then the 10 kg mass will experience an ... | |
| Sound | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: Why sugar syrup containing bottle produces fizzy sound while opening cap? A: There's either extra air pressure inside or too little (temperature change could cause this) and as ... | |
| Design experiment | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: How do i design a laboratory experiment to investigate how the current which passes between two ... A: This guy has done a lot of research on the practical issues: ... | |
| a question about how to clean glass plate | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: i am going to do some research on the contact angle between glass plate and water. firstly, i think ... A: I'll tell you what I do know, but this is getting outside of my area of expertise, you probably ... | |
| Water defying gravity? | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: White-water rafting is a wet sport because the swift water flowing over the rapids, enters the still ... A: Energy density. All the terms in Bernoulli's equation are in units of pressure, which is equivalent ... | |
| Light | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: If you had two objects in orbit, say like the moon and the earth. Then for some impossible reason ... A: No, because seeing them would require light to reflect from the surface on the side facing the ... | |
| newton's first law | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: Can you help me understand newton's law of interia at general and specially in on its role of the ... A: That law is very simple, it just states that an object which is moving will continue to do so until ... | |
| light | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: what is the weight of a light ray? A: Light has no mass. It contains energy equivalent to mass (E=mc^2), but it has no mass itself. ... | |
| microwave oven | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: why metallic vessels are not suitable in microwave oven? A: Microwaves are designed to contain microwave photons as standing waves reflected between their ... | |
| Electric sharge | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I have two question,hope you will satified me.I have done graduate in physics. Q1)Why do ... A: 1) They involve high voltages generated by very small charges. That means that water molecules are ... | |
| a question about how to clean glass plate | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: i am going to do some research on the contact angle between glass plate and water. firstly, i think ... A: Solvents work well for basic cleaning (windex, etc). The only way to get rid of extra molecules ... | |
| classical physics | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: I read somewhere in Wikipedia that Classical physics is Superseded by relativistic and quantum ... A: There's currently no way to know, actually. We know that at some level they can't both be right, ... | |
| the space between atoms | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: On the atomic level, there is some free space between the electrons and nucleus of atoms (and ... A: Actually, there isn't. That's the classical notion of the atom, but quantum mechanics has shown us ... | |
| classical physics | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I read somewhere in Wikipedia that Classical physics is Superseded by relativistic and quantum ... A: Classical physics is, in fact, an approximation of relativistic physics and quantum mechanics. That ... | |
| pressure? | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: Steve, thanks for answering my first question. Now leading on from that....this link asks the next ... A: First you added pressure from some unknown source to the bottom bottle. But that bottle still has ... | |
| force & elasticity | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: Does elasticity depend on mass? I used two objects of similar volume (metal ball and ping pong ... A: Elasticity is a material property, not dependent on mass. It's a material property. What did you ... | |
| pressure? | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: Question for you, please. If I increase the air pressure in bottle A will it force the water from ... A: Yep. You may find you have to increase that pressure a lot. First you have to increase it enough ... | |
| displacement in S.H.M after the periodic time | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: I was trying to find a law that i can calculate periodic time with displacement and i tried this: ... A: You can't calculate periodic time based on displacement. It's the same time for simple harmonic ... | |
| resistance | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: The cross section of a portion of wire increases uniformly so it has the shape of a truncated cone. ... A: To "integrate" means to add together. You add resistors in series, so integrate along its length. ... | |
| friction | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: My question is: I have a block 1800 lbs on a surface with friction coefficient of .8 . I have an ... A: Since you approach this with an attempted solution, I won't reject this as a homework question out ... | |
| Energy production | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: If a hollow tube were to be lowered to a sufficient depth in the ocean,would the greater pressure at ... A: Absolutely not, you'd have to force the pipes down below the surface of the water, fighting the ... | |
| Aerodynamics | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a presentation on aerodynamics in my physics class, and I was just wondering if you could ... A: Bernoulli's equation. In flight, the shape of the wing forces the air to move faster over the top ... | |
| negative ions | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: Do negative ions produced in some air purifiers create ozone that is unsafe? A: Apparently so. I'll refer you to the below link from the experts from the State of California. ... | |
| expansion of water on freezing | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a small quarry on my property, filled with water. It is a confined basin, about one acre in ... A: I'm slightly confused by the phrasing of the question, so perhaps you can clarify. Separation ... | |
| Water pressure | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: I am sending you this question because you are willing to deal with "everyday observations of ... A: I'm not actually talking about things on a microscopic level, the gaskets in valves give quite a bit ... | |
| Wave propagation | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: Would you be so kind to explain me what wave propagation is? Thanks in advance, Bas A: Wave propagation is just a general science term. It means the traveling of a wave, or the method of ... | |
| reflection | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: A street light,viewed by reflection across a body of water in which there are ripples,appears very ... A: Well, that depends on the direction and size of the ripples. If the ripples are headed towards or ... | |
| Gravity | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: Is gravity a particle or a wave ?. If it's a particle can it be detected,and if it's a wave do we ... A: Gravity is a distortion in spacetime. It's generated by the presence of matter and energy. ... | |
| Water pressure | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I am sending you this question because you are willing to deal with "everyday observations of ... A: I'm having to figure this out by thinking in detail about the system, but I believe I have an ... | |
| help on DDP project | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I'm sure you probably get many many people asking you about the same project so I'm sorry if it ... A: Packing peanuts are allowed? You could simply glue them to the outside. Alternatively, taking a ... | |
| force of impact on a multi car collision | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: This is not a homework discussion. I am having an agrument with a friend of mine and I just wanted ... A: The answer is complex and depends on what you want to really know: the force between the cars or ... | |
| engineer fair project!!!!! HELP ME!!!!! | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a project for school(required),and have no idea how to build a rubber band powered car!!!! ... A: In this case, there are several factors. 1) Make it as light as possible, but still stable. ... | |
| momentum | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: sir which will be more effective in knocking down a bear down. i- a rubber bullet ii- a lead bullet ... A: A rubber bullet, based on conservation of momentum. The bullet bounces, therefore has a greater ... | |
| electrostatic force | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: Can you please help me with question 13 and Numerical respons 7 on this site: ... A: 13 is just a vector problem, basically the Phythagorean theorem. You square and add the two ... | |
| Water Freezing Above 32 F. | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: Steve, I have a co-worker who has started a few acres of organic blue berries. He asked me if I ... A: No. You can temporarily superheat formed ice crystals a little in the lab by raising their pressure ... | |
| radioactivity | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in using Uranium glass that was produced pre 1940's in my artwork, making light ... A: It should be fine. The material will contain very very tiny amounts of radon, which is chemically ... | |
| Heat | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference between specific heat and heat capacity? A: They're related. Heat capacity is often used to mean specific heat, but heat capacity refers to a ... | |
| Fluid temperatures | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: Hot or warm air is lighter than cooler air, and thus rises. I always believed that water behaved ... A: It would only cool rapidly to the same temperature if stirred. Convection is an exceedingly slow ... | |
| Fluid temperatures | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: Hot or warm air is lighter than cooler air, and thus rises. I always believed that water behaved ... A: Depends on geometry and time. Several geometric temperature factors, the first one is the straw. ... | |
| surface tension | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: Please can you tell why does surface tension of liquids fall with temperature? A: You can picture it this way: at lower temperatures molecules slow down, allowing the attractive ... | |
| heat | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: why are mountain tops cold? A: Temperature drops as pressure drops in the atmosphere. This is known as the environmental lapse ... | |
| Physics | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: What is negative energy? When can the total energy of a system be 0? If total energy is 0, can it be ... A: There's no such thing as "negative energy." You can mathematically define a negative potential ... | |
| Particle Accelerators | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: I'm an 18 year-old student studying my A-Levels in Britain. I love physics. I was wondering: is it ... A: Having been involved in the construction and maintenance of low-energy accelerators before, I can ... | |
| circular motion | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: what is tangent A: A tangent is a straight line perpendicular to the radius of a circle and touching the circle in ... | |
| question | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: what is the difference between first order and second order phase transmortion? how should we ... A: A first order phase transformation, like the boiling of water, involves a latent heat. It either ... | |
| physics | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: what will happen to a car that is travelling at 50 kilometers per hour if a large force is applied ... A: That depends on the magnitude and direction of the force. If the force is applied to the rear of ... | |
| Physics | 2/26/2009 |
| Q: In semiconductors, for intrinsic carrier concentration, how the probability function f(E)is ... A: It's been a while since I've had solid state physics, myself, and the scope of your question goes to ... | |
| Is it a wheel? | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: Nelson, In class we are learning about wheels. We have a question. Is a top a wheel? 14 of us ... A: In my opinion, no. A wheel is a device designed to support weight while rolling without slipping, ... | |
| kinetic and potential energy | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible for a human to have both zero potential and kinetic energy. If potential energy is ... A: First, the absolute value of potential energy is arbitrary, so it's technically possible to just ... | |
| Wind chill effect | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: I need an answer to settle a friendly argument, and I think it's a physics question. If the wind is ... A: Of course for your second example that would eliminate the wind and therefore the wind chill. For ... | |
| complex variables | 2/23/2009 |
| Q: i don't understand what a complex variable indicate?.Does it refers to a single point or more.what ... A: Complex variables are mathematical constructs with specific properties, much like matrices or ... | |
| pressure | 2/23/2009 |
| Q: i'm a B-pharm-1 student.my doubt is how inter molecular forces of attractions can accounts for ... A: No, think about the equation. Look at the other side of the equation. That is constant, like 1 ... | |
| pressure | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: i'm a B-pharm-1 student.my doubt is how inter molecular forces of attractions can accounts for ... A: That's not an increase in pressure, it's a decrease. The pressure added to a constant, in that ... | |
| pressure | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: i'm a B-pharm-1 student.my doubt is how inter molecular forces of attractions can accounts for ... A: They don't cause pressure at all. Pressure is caused by molecular collisions with the container ... | |
| hi | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: When we float, we can’t do things we normally do on Earth’s surface that scientists think of a way ... A: The acceleration of Earth's gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. The centripetal acceleration due to rotation is ... | |
| Kinetic Energy | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: I have some doubts as to the application of kinetic energy in some circumstances, the main one being ... A: You use a slightly complicated situation as an example, but your math is correct. If I was riding ... | |
| elementary physics | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: When you roll an aluminum can using a balloon and static electricity How fast will it roll? How far ... A: Static electricity generally exerts weak forces, because significant static electricity buildup is ... | |
| Lifting to weight ratio | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: How much weight will one square foot of a vacuum lift? ANSWER: You technically mean how much weight ... A: Oh, that's very different and you need to pose the question in cubic feet, not square feet. The ... | |
| Lifting to weight ratio | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: How much weight will one square foot of a vacuum lift? A: You technically mean how much weight will one atmosphere of pressure lift when applied to the bottom ... | |
| acoustics | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: A man-sized object breaks the sound barrier at 10,000 feet. Would the boom be loud enough to notice ... A: It's most likely between 50,000 and 100,000 ft where you drop from about 10% atmospheric pressure to ... | |
| Science Fair Project - Ice | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: My son wants to do a science fair project with regard to ice. Any suggestions as to a good project ... A: Many! I'm the director of the regional science fair (where the local fair winners go before the ... | |
| physics | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: what is a light gate? A: Well, there are two things you could be referring to. One would be a photogate, which is a ... | |
| acoustics | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: A man-sized object breaks the sound barrier at 10,000 feet. Would the boom be loud enough to notice ... A: A sonic boom is a set of types of cone-shaped shock-wave that builds up just as an object reaches ... | |
| electricty being produced | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: i need you to help me to understand about electricity being produced. the only way i know is when ... A: This isn't quite correct. A change in magnetic field creates an electric field (Faraday's law). ... | |
| force | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: I hang a block by a string from a strong support & another sting from bottom of the block. Now, if I ... A: If you give it a fast jerk then no time is given for the mass of the block to accelerate and ... | |
| finding research info | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: I am doing a science experiment and I am having a hard time finding research info on the topic. Can ... A: This is a good question, but hard to answer because the answer depends on so many things. Mostly ... | |
| history of maths/physics | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: I recall reading an aside issue in abook about electromagnetism that the derivation of E=mc^2 had ... A: You have to understand when you read these stories, people are obsessed with Einstein. His name is ... | |
| Rotation mystery.??? | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: .. Below is a link that shows a blond Russian lady Hammer thrower (ther are about 4 other ... A: This problem is not a great mystery if you're only considering angular momentum, and certainly ... | |
| stainless steel weight | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about the weight of stainless steel. I want to know,that, what will be the weight ... A: Sure, you need to know the density of the steel. Stainless has a density of 8000 kg/m^3, while ... | |
| physics | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: How does friction relate to something falling 5.5 meters with a parachute? ANSWER: Why 5.5 m? Why ... A: You're interested in drag forces for an egg drop, why didn't you say so? Just deal with drag ... | |
| physics | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: How does friction relate to something falling 5.5 meters with a parachute? ANSWER: Why 5.5 m? Why ... A: No, though drag forces are in some ways similar to friction. They resist motion, but drag forces ... | |
| physics | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: How does friction relate to something falling 5.5 meters with a parachute? A: Why 5.5 m? Why not 6 or 60? It's all the same when you're talking about a parachute once you've ... | |
| Gravity | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a weird question for ya. I know that magnetic fields and electric fields exhibit all of the ... A: At some point in studying physics, everyone wonders about this. No one has yet managed to unify ... | |
| Rotation mystery.??? | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: .. Below is a link that shows a blond Russian lady Hammer thrower (ther are about 4 other ... A: I can think of two things. Either her hands were moving in a direction perpendicular to the main ... | |
| Energy Mechanics | 2/9/2009 |
| Q: If the acceleration of an object is not zero, can the velocity of the object be zero? and Also,... ... A: First question, yes. For example, if you throw an object up in the air it's always accelerating ... | |
| light | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: If light is energy (photons) then why, if one wraps an LED in aluminum foil to reflect light back ... A: Heat, LEDs use very very little power. If you want a better example of energy being converted into ... | |
| light | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: If light is energy (photons) then why, if one wraps an LED in aluminum foil to reflect light back ... A: They wouldn't reflect off the LED well at all, and the aluminum foil isn't 100% reflective. There's ... | |
| capacitance and change in charge, voltage | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: I am having trouble understanding capacitance, since each physics source I read gives a different ... A: Voltage doesn't change the capacitance. Capacitance results from the geometry of the conductors. ... | |
| brrnoulii | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: In the steady flow, what is the factor that decreased the pressure and increased the velocity when ... A: The question is posed in a confusing fashion, but let me explain what Bernoulli's equation really ... | |
| question | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: what is space time co ordinate? A: Much like standard three-dimensional coordinates, a space time coordinate is a set of three spatial ... | |
| Desalinating the Ocean | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a senior at my school and am taking an independent physics class in which I explore areas of ... A: I have an idea or two for this, actually, but it's a bit outside my field as I'm a nuclear physicist ... | |
| Desalinating the Ocean | 2/5/2009 |
| Q: I am a senior at my school and am taking an independent physics class in which I explore areas of ... A: Reverse osmosis (RO) is the main form. It requires putting pressure across very large areas of ... | |
| physics | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: can u tell me if thier is a maximum speed that somthing can fall at, an if thier is wot speed is it? ... A: The speed of light comes to mind, of course. Actually the speed you were quoted is about the speed ... | |
| Newton's 2nd Law | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: Recently I was tobogganing with my little brother. After racing to the bottom of the hill (which I ... A: In the classroom physics world, you're right. Absolutely it should make no difference between you ... | |
| electric and magnetic field | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: isn't a magnetic field created by a magnet(or a dipole) similar to a field created by a +ve and a ... A: They're related via Maxwell's equations, which provide a mathematical description of the laws of ... | |
| ice breaking | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible to shatter ice (on a driveway/sidewalk or roof of house) using microwave or ... A: The short answer is yes, but the immediate thing that occurs to me is that either would be ... | |
| Magnetic Field | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: I always thought magnetic lines of force eminate from a north pole and entered a south pole. a wire ... A: Magnetic field lines are closed loops, always. They run back from south to north poles inside the ... | |
| buzzing sound in the house | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: We have a constant buzzing sound which resonates throughout the house even when power cut off. ... A: These are tricky, I get these a lot. The trouble with resonating sounds is that they're difficult ... | |
| Friction and force | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to figure out why it takes so much force to separate two phone books that have been ... A: There's a certain frictional force per page when they're all clamped together, which depends on the ... | |
| electric and magnetic field | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: isn't a magnetic field created by a magnet(or a dipole) similar to a field created by a +ve and a ... A: Well, it's far more complex than that. Here's a few things for you: Excess of electric charges of ... | |
| cosmology | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: not sure that the following is your area but il try! I have a very keen,amateur interest in ... A: Let me try to run through this and then re-direct you to a much more informative source for the ... | |
| cosmology | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: not sure that the following is your area but il try! I have a very keen,amateur interest in ... A: Ack! You need a full course in General Relativity, it's a very complex subject and you've waved ... | |
| DC Motors | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: What if any damage would occur to a 12V DC Motor if the polarity is reversed? This would be a small ... A: Hobbyists reverse the polarity on DC motors all the time to make them run in reverse, as I ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: If you were planning to energize an atom to a higher energy state what would the best method to do ... A: After this many follow-ups, you really need to just go read up on the subject by doing some research ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: Is it known what causes radioisotopes disintegrate spontaneously. What i mean by the above question ... A: My advisor in grad school wrote a definitive paper on this while I was at Duke. I could only find ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Is it known what causes radioisotopes disintegrate spontaneously. What i mean by the above question ... A: That's its ground state, isotopes with long-lived metastable states are rare. 137Cs doesn't have ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Is it known what causes radioisotopes disintegrate spontaneously. What i mean by the above question ... A: If that was your question, you could've asked right away. I do teach how to calculate decay rates. ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Do the protons and neutrons in a nucleus vibrate. ANSWER: It's part of a model of the nucleus (we ... A: No, the strength of the force doesn't vary between nucleons. But it is short range so it only acts ... | |
| physics tatto help....:) | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: i was hoping you could help me with a tatto design i already have the fourier transform on one arm i ... A: I'll have to think about this, so I may follow up with another answer. The first things that come ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Do the protons and neutrons in a nucleus vibrate. ANSWER: It's part of a model of the nucleus (we ... A: The strength of the strong nuclear force doesn't depend on which isotope it's in. It's 137 times ... | |
| Sub-atomic physics | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: Do the protons and neutrons in a nucleus vibrate. A: It's part of a model of the nucleus (we have no exact formulae for the strong nuclear force, they're ... | |
| another question... | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: it was silly, I guess there was something I misread, so I'm sorry about wasting your time, but I ... A: Well, four dimensions are all we observe. And as far as time "accelerating," you're referencing ... | |
| another question... | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: it was silly, I guess there was something I misread, so I'm sorry about wasting your time, but I ... A: Not silly, just a bit inverted. Anyhow, we measure the physical second in terms of oscillations of ... | |
| I'm not sure, that's what I wanted to know | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: If something was standing entirely still, with a velocity of zero, would it be two dimensional? Is ... A: Ummm...you've got it slightly backwards both from a relativity standpoint and a quantum mechanics ... | |
| Physics | 1/27/2009 |
| Q: My son is doing a science project on how far a water balloon can be thrown before it breaks. My ... A: The physics of breaking the balloon involves the breaking strain of a highly elastic material. The ... | |
| ceramic paint additive for heat reflection | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: I purchaced a ceramic paint additive which is supposed to reflect heat back into the heated space of ... A: I did some research, and found that your laser thermometer may indeed be being affected by the paint ... | |
| ceramic paint additive for heat reflection | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: I purchaced a ceramic paint additive which is supposed to reflect heat back into the heated space of ... A: Paint is thin, it's not going to do much at all. Your laser thermometer measures the temperature of ... | |
| Regarding atoms | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: Has a proton, electron or an atom had ever been seen individually? We say that proton and neutron ... A: Yes, we have, on all counts. We image atoms with many types of advanced microscopes (atomic force, ... | |
| production of electricity | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: Is there any process to produce electricity only by permanent magnet? I mean to say the production ... A: Nope, nothing I know of except to produce uncontrolled eddy currents. Those would be channelled ... | |
| physics | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: My six year old son who is very into math and science is playing in the tub with a plastic drinking ... A: Yes, cohesion. Water is a polar molecule, the water molecules tend to line up next to other water ... | |
| Sonic Boom | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: Could you please give me an idea of a science experiment that I could use for my sonic boom topic? ... A: To make a winning science fair project, your project should answer some kind of question. The only ... | |
| Surface Tension | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: We know that mercury does not wet glass. Is there any material which is wetted by mercury? A: You would expect it to wet materials with similar chemical makeup, like another metal. Here's an ... | |
| potential | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: why there is no acceleration when we transfer a charge from point a to point b in an electrostatic ... A: You set balanced forces as a condition in the initial problem, the result of which is an ... | |
| Neutron hole | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: whilst reaserching CERN, I came across this site.Please take a look at it : ... A: I've read many of these websites, all of which are pure scare-mongering. Not only that, but the ... | |
| Floating motorcycles across rivers | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: I am a Physics end user, but don't understand the process of figuring things out. I work and travel ... A: Is that the inner diameter, the outer diameter (which I will assume for this calculation), or the ... | |
| Floating motorcycles across rivers | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: I am a Physics end user, but don't understand the process of figuring things out. I work and travel ... A: Archimedes' principle, you need to displace a weight of water equal to the weight of your gear. So ... | |
| Gamma Rays | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: Hey, Goodnite. I was wondering if there was a specific range of frequencies from which Gamma Rays ... A: All x rays and gamma rays cause damage to cells. They're higher in energy than UV light, which also ... | |
| Solar energy | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: Yes it is a 40 watt going to a 120v house current.Although i could try and find a smaller one if it ... A: Just google search "40 watt solar panel" and you'll find plenty of them. They all put out about 17 ... | |
| earth's rotation | 1/12/2009 |
| Q: Sir- How much, if any, effect does the re-distribution of mass on the earths surface effect the ... A: No, the amount of mass that human activity shifts is absolutely tiny in comparison to the mass of ... | |
| Freeze Drying | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: why is freeze-dried food mostly undamaged when defrosted? A: Well, it is quite damaged, but not as badly as if it was just fozen. They don't leave the water in ... | |
| Gamma Rays | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: Hey, Goodnite. I was wondering if there was a specific range of frequencies from which Gamma Rays ... A: Not really, though they pass through you more easily at higher energies they have more energy to ... | |
| Force and Density | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: Steve, Hello, I am a father who is helping his son on a science project, and I need some guidance ... A: The density doesn't affect it so much, the molecular binding forces do. That's far more complex, ... | |
| is there a hand held device to measure the speed of light? | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: Could you tell me if there is a hand held device that can measure the speed of light? I’m ... A: Since the speed of light in a substance depends directly on the index of refraction, you can just ... | |
| A 50 MILE DEEP HOLE | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: Yes is it possible if there was A 50 mile deep crater in the ground, There was A person all the way ... A: No, 50 miles deep the temperature would be so hot they'd die first. It's not the helicopter flying ... | |
| scifi question for children's book | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I write mystery fiction books for middle-school aged children, and I hope this is an appropriate ... A: Well, magnetic disturbances are easy. A standard iron meteorite would cause that. Or the heat from ... | |
| Physics Project | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: We are currently working on an egg drop project with limited supplies. We can use: 1 sheet computer ... A: Ahh, it's egg-drop time. If the sandwich bag is zip-lock, so you can fill it with air, I'd try to ... | |
| Bremsstrahlung Radiation | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: My understanding is the Bremsstrahlung Radiation occurs when a charged particle velocity changes ... A: No, that wouldn't work. Bremsstrahlung radiation is emitted with a very low cross-section at such ... | |
| egg drop project | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I have to do my egg drop project in my physic class and I totally have no clue on how to do it. What ... A: You want something that will provide even force and is pretty long, but will stay upright when it ... | |
| Observational Theory on the Atlantis from Stargate: Atlantis | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: Good evening, A question in a fan forum has come concerning the city of Atlantis as depicted in the ... A: Your list of questions all have the same answer, Archimedes' principle. The buoyant force of an ... | |
| "Gravity" in a Hollow Sphere | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I know that because of Newton's shell theorem, the gravitational force inside a hollow sphere is ... A: Not the way you're thinking, the geometry of the sphere prevents it. It's basic geometry, anything ... | |
| "Gravity" in a Hollow Sphere | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I know that because of Newton's shell theorem, the gravitational force inside a hollow sphere is ... A: Of course it would, just spin it and you'll get just the force you mentioned to cause centripedal ... | |
| solar energy | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: How do you make a homemade solar panel to absorb the sun's energy? A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYeynLy6pj8 This shows how you can assemble them, but you aren't ... | |
| Help!!! | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I've been working on my science fair and i need to ask an expert in my field for my research. I can ... A: If that's your question, test it! That IS your science fair project. I'm not a biologist or an ... | |
| potential energy | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: why we chosen the infinity as a Reference instead of the center of the earth in calculating the ... A: The choice is arbitrary, and meant for mathematical convenience. You can use the center of the Earth ... | |
| maglev tech | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: i was wondering if you knew anything about maglev tech. because me and my group want to make a ... A: First, a few questions for clarification: What does the "ir" in "maglev car ir train" mean? You ... | |
| Solar Energy | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: How can I electrically wire a solar panel to a light bulb to make it shine/work? A: Well, there are many ways this can be done. If you're trying to wire a small standard solar panel ... | |
| Radiant Heat Shield | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: We have a ventless fireplace and in the nook above, we have placed our stereo equipment. The ... A: I don't have any information about the Thermo-Tec insulating mat because (I looked it up) they don't ... | |
| Apparent weight of objects underwater and movement? | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I am a keen angler and would like to ask for your help with understanding buoyancy, movement ... A: There's not a lot of difference in the actual total density of a fishing line. There are ... | |
| The freezing of Ice | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I may have made a mistake flooding mu backyard rink. I put down a plastic sheet and filled the rink ... A: No, ice is a pretty good insulator. It usually takes a lake a good four days or so to freeze. You ... | |
| Apparent weight of objects underwater and movement? | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a keen angler and would like to ask for your help with understanding buoyancy, movement ... A: If you want less resistance at the first bite, then having slack in the line would seem to be the ... | |
| physics | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: ! can you help me choose the easiest physic investigatory project, without using expensive ... A: First, as a science fair director, I'd say to follow the links on our science fair website. My ... | |
| Physics | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: Does temperature effect the speed of a falling object? ANSWER: Temperature of the object? No. ... A: You'd need a long drop from someplace really high up. And make sure that humidity didn't change. ... | |
| Physics | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: Does temperature effect the speed of a falling object? A: Temperature of the object? No. Temperature of the air? Yes, it'll affect the viscosity of the ... | |
| Special Relativity | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I have some questions to ask. 1. Is it true that it takes an instant for light to travel any ... A: For the first one, by "an instant" I'll take it to mean zero time. That is what it takes, zero time ... | |
| Several Questions | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: I hope you can answer the following: 1.Is work always a result of energy conversion? And what ... A: 1) No, work is not always the result of energy conversion. Example, your light bulb, where ... | |
| upthrust | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: A man is in his boat and is floating on a still lake. he has some stones with him in the boat. If he ... A: The stones are more dense than water, so they will sink (I'm assuming he's not throwing pumice into ... | |
| Help calculating torque | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a two-wheeled balancing robot, but am stuck and need help with calculating the torque ... A: So you've calculated the torque from gravity at the angle you want, now your motor has to be able to ... | |
| Help calculating torque | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a two-wheeled balancing robot, but am stuck and need help with calculating the torque ... A: This project isn't going to be solved with simple equations, and you might want to find someone with ... | |
| Help calculating torque | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm working on a two-wheeled balancing robot, but am stuck and need help with calculating the torque ... A: Speed at which it moves does not relate directly to torque, acceleration does. The torque applied ... | |
| Physics 11 Help | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: Why can gravitational potential energy be described as an arbitrary value? A: Only changes in potential energy matter. Where you start and where you end are the determining ... | |
| special glasses | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: how can i see behind the things? for example i want to see if someone carrying a weapon behind his ... A: I think you mean through and not behind. For behind you just need a mirror to see around things. ... | |
| Newton third law | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a simple question but it is confusing for me. According to Newton's third law, For every ... A: There is an equal and opposite response. You are pushed back on by the stone that you throw. You ... | |
| Ships on Water | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know how ships can sail in water. I read that the Ships are constructued in such a ... A: Archimedes, the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, discovered the principle that the buoyant ... | |
| rotational mechanics | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: Sir, I asked you the following question. When a screw is rotated on a flat surface, it slows down. ... A: Ahhh, now I understand! Rotating a screw is usually done to insert it into wood, so I was ... | |
| surface tension | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: Two hollow glass spheres contain a little water & mercury respectively.What will happen when the 2 ... A: The liquids will want to form spheres inside the spheres. The mercury will do a better job of this, ... | |
| Spring | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem and I can not solve it. We have a simple spring.We compress it and fix the current ... A: The answer you provide is correct indeed. The non-compressed spring will not spring open and stir ... | |
| tire rubber | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: The question has come up here about what happens to all the rubber wearing off all the cars on the ... A: All of it, in a sense, but it depends somewhat on the type of road. This is a little outside my ... | |
| Physics | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: Hey... I'm having a problem on my Physics homework Oh and by the way, i really need this to be ... A: It's a bad question, there's no way that the motorcycle can clear the second block even at infinite ... | |
| What is a "heterostructure"? | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: In http://www.allexperts.com/user.cgi?m=6&catID=1358&qID=4723397 you said that a "complex ... A: Heterostructures are not my area of expertise, but have many unusual optical and electronic ... | |
| projectiles | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: I have been asked to find the angle that gives maximum projectile arc length , in horizontal ... A: Angle? Seems incompatible with the phrase "horizontal projectiles." I assume you meant projectiles ... | |
| Sparks | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: How do atoms behave in different wall sockets and what makes different colored sparks? A: Well, contaminant atoms will alter which type of atoms in a spark are emitting light. For example, ... | |
| Physics | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: Respected sir, I am Mukul of grade 11 The following question was asked to me by my teacher: Explain ... A: I don't answer homework questions. However, you should investigate here: ... | |
| Thermal Infrared Fluorescent Lamps? | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: Most fluorescent lamps emit light in visible range. Is it possible to build a fluorescent lamp that ... A: For 1) a UV lamp emits very very little power. It only needs a fraction of the power of an ... | |
| A rolling ball | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: What physical formulas and laws are applied to a spherical ball rolling on a flat surface. does ... A: As far as rolling friction goes, no. Static friction is what actually applies. The response force ... | |
| Thermal Infrared Fluorescent Lamps? | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: Most fluorescent lamps emit light in visible range. Is it possible to build a fluorescent lamp that ... A: For 1) It'll have to get "hot" to emit infrared, that's basic physics. Even if you pump it with a ... | |
| Heat and temperature | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: suppose an object is kept in bright sunlight, it will become warm depending upon time of exposure ... A: Energy has entered. First law of thermodynamics, in fact. What makes it feel warm? A flow of ... | |
| Optics: Spectrometer | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: Sir, Why we use to focus the spectrometer for paraleel beams and what is the method of doing this? A: We need to focus them to parallel beams in order to separate the beams based on their different ... | |
| Capacity and voltage ratio | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: If you have a metallic sphere (which has a fixed capacitance of course) and inside that sphere you ... A: No, within the inner capacitors you will retain the same *net* charge of zero. If you nullify the ... | |
| Capacity and voltage ratio | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: If you have a metallic sphere (which has a fixed capacitance of course) and inside that sphere you ... A: A sphere has a fixed capacitance relative to matter at infinity. If you put spheres inside it you ... | |
| kepler's laws | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: If you know the mass of a object that is emitting a gravitational field and the radius between it ... A: If it's in a circular orbit and you know the radius PRECISELY, then yes. You have a known mass M ... | |
| Helium | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: Steve how far can Helium be compressed to? This is just a hypothetical example of numbers, but if it ... A: That balloon would be heavier, not lighter. Helium can be compressed to incredibly high pressure, ... | |
| - egg drop-- conceptual questions | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: We have been asked to build a vehicle that would safely carry an egg from a height of fifty feet. ... A: It would be completely inelastic (maximum energy absorption in the crushing vehicle). Impulse is ... | |
| billiards, kinetic energy | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: i an new and i need help with two questions. 1) In billiards(pool), is it possible for the cue ball, ... A: The first one is easy, of course it's possible. That's why the ball stops, it transfers all its ... | |
| PHYSICS | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: We know 2+2 is 4, but can physics present a working model as to how a cell upon cenception becomes ... A: I won't ask who "they" are, you should just be aware that such a statement is a little vague. The ... | |
| PHYSICS | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: Why does the ocean appear blue? A: This question has been answered well by others: ... | |
| PHYSICS | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: We know 2+2 is 4, but can physics present a working model as to how a cell upon cenception becomes ... A: Matter is not created from less matter. The cells ingest organic matter (amino acids, proteins, ... | |
| Special Theory of Relativity | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: It is said that Einstein in his teenage years, asked the question "what would I see in a mirror if I ... A: This question usually assume you're looking at a clock in the mirror. You may as well just look ... | |
| object around the earth | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know whether just as earth revolves around the Sun naturally, can we have an object ... A: It's called the Moon. As tempted as I was to leave that as my answer to your question, I feel like ... | |
| INQUIRY | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: I m an engineer , unfortuntly after taking my bachelor degree I found that I unsatisfied with ... A: You wrote that you enjoyed puzzling out physics and mathematical problems. In modern industry this ... | |
| einstein | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: my question is regarding the famous equation E=mc squared. I understand this to mean that each tiny ... A: They all have "mass," therefore they have the kind of energy you're talking about. But mass does ... | |
| Wave Interference | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: I am doing a physics experiment,connecting two speakers to emit same sound frequency to produce node ... A: Easy, in theory. Make them out of phase by 180 degrees. So possibly difficult to delay the signal ... | |
| Egg drop- energy conservation | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: how would you explain the concept of conservation of energy using equations for an egg drop? Thanks A: Well, you're dropping eggs. So first you have the drop from height h. mgh = 1/2 mv^2, where m is ... | |
| Energy | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: Why force can't be an energy? Although I know that the force has to multiply the distance so as to ... A: What do you mean, why can't it be an energy? That is, in a sense, like asking why sand can't be a ... | |
| electricity | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: How much energy could be gained from a 7" diameter circular shape brace (Cu) coil of 300 turnes. The ... A: The details aren't quite right, so you should re-pose the question or follow the below link. For ... | |
| galaxy size | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: As I understand, the planets revolve around the Sun because of the gravitational pull of the Sun. ... A: The range of the gravitational force is infinite, though it gets dramatically weaker with distance ... | |
| Radium watch dial risks? | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: While I am not one of those people who worries about every little environmental contaminant, I do ... A: Well, having taught radiation safety, I may be able to apply some perspective. It's surprising how ... | |
| bear-bull momentum | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: Me and my friends are debating something regarding a bear and a bull. The average 500 kilogram can ... A: You'll note that the units are the same for mass*velocity and force*time. There's a reason, ... | |
| quantum | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me out. Why can't you measure both the location and velocity of a ... A: If you don't interact with a particle, you can't detect it because you didn't have an interaction to ... | |
| INQUIRY | 11/22/2008 |
| Q: I m an engineer , unfortuntly after taking my bachelor degree I found that I unsatisfied with ... A: There are jobs in this field, though often applied to theoretical situations involving the real ... | |
| speed of electron | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: sir what is the speed of electron in a conductor and what will be it's speed if it is connected to ... A: The speed of an electron in a conductor depends on its quantum state, and therefore I'd need more ... | |
| bear-bull momentum | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: Me and my friends are debating something regarding a bear and a bull. The average 500 kilogram can ... A: I know I've answered this before, but can't find the original question. I'll give you my thoughts, ... | |
| Nuclei Single-particles Harmonic Oscillator Potential | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I am looking into the calculations of a harmonic oscillator potential for nuclei single-particles. ... A: First, you're relying on a brief wiki instead of a textbook. Your local library probably has the ... | |
| Help! | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: So, in my physics class we just dropped a plastic egg filled with metal washers from the ceiling. It ... A: Never seen a lab quite like that, so it would help if you followed up with some more details, but ... | |
| boat hull | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Is there a way to determine if the balsa core sandwiched between 2 layers of fiberglass in a small ... A: That would work, probably. Air in the upper parts of the hull would significantly muffle the sound ... | |
| quantum | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me out. Why can't you measure both the location and velocity of a ... A: The act of measuring something requires it to interact with another quantum of matter or energy at a ... | |
| electromagnetism | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Estimate the magnetic field that might be obtained close to a thick piece of copper wire which is ... A: You'll have to look up the maximum amperage or the starting amperage of the battery for the car ... | |
| boat hull | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Is there a way to determine if the balsa core sandwiched between 2 layers of fiberglass in a small ... A: Yes, estimate the volume of the balsa (area estimate times thickness) and do the same for the ... | |
| Query about the electromagnetic forces. | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: Sir, I want to know how the interaction between the two poles of a magnet i.e. like and unlike poles ... A: Wow, you really asked a difficult question to answer. Unfortunately, the actual answer to this ... | |
| our vision | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: When I stand in the roof of a top building, I see a tree or a tower as the end point (i.e., I see ... A: I'll take a stab at your question, though it's a little unclear. By "farmost thing" I think you ... | |
| Thermodynamics | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: (1)Is the force of the electromagnetic attraction of the molecules of a gas at high pressure ... A: 1) Thermal interchange of energy happens during collisions between molecules. They are the source ... | |
| Magnetic reaction time | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: What is the speed at which magnetic interactions occur? I realize in some sense this may not be an ... A: The magnetic field will become higher due to length contraction nearer to the speed of light. Same ... | |
| Magnetic reaction time | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: What is the speed at which magnetic interactions occur? I realize in some sense this may not be an ... A: As light is composed of electromagnetic fields, magnetic information is indeed transmitted at the ... | |
| newton's third law of motion | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: i am always confused about this law((action====reaction)) Is there any situation in which when the ... A: Water provides us with an equal reaction force, but that force is not sufficient to move our large ... | |
| Momentum | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: Greetings sir, I am a high school senior and have troubled you in the past.So sorry to bother you ... A: No problem on the repeat question. The statement is absolutely correct. Density of metal has ... | |
| Question | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: I have a friend who is a chemical engineer, though, he was unable to help me but so far. ...I have ... A: The slowdown in the flow of the fluid from injecting the CO2 (whatever your backflow pressure) would ... | |
| Thermodynamics | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: (1)Is the force of the electromagnetic attraction of the molecules of a gas at high pressure ... A: This is a lot of questions all at once. Yes, it is a function of their position. Not applicable ... | |
| Thermal Infrared Fluorescent Lamps? | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: Most fluorescent lamps emit light in visible range. Is it possible to build a fluorescent lamp that ... A: It is possible, but it would be expensive and really no more efficient than simply heating a surface ... | |
| RF cooling?! | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: Just how can microwaves be used to cool something? Usually they heat things up. ... A: The microwaves have momentum, which can be used to cancel out the momentum of motion in tiny ... | |
| newtons laws(pulleys) | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: this is a question in my text book,but its kinda like a doubt.the text book says tat if we assume ... A: As the 15 kg mass moves down it needs to extend the string on both sides. For every unit distance ... | |
| Work done by a magnet | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: I am curious to know if work is done by a magnet in attracting a magnetic material. Since there is a ... A: Technically the work isn't done by the magnet itself. Technically the work is done by the response ... | |
| Understanding. | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: I subscribed to the Cern Courier and came across this page: The Higgs and LHC. Whilst reading it I ... A: Wait, it's not still the woman worried about the LHC causing global destruction, is it? This quote ... | |
| Reductionism Fate | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: First off, you seemed the most qualified of everyone here I've looked through, so even if you can't ... A: Nuclear fission (where there are many outcomes to the same reaction, as nuclei split unevenly and ... | |
| energy levels | 11/14/2008 |
| Q: I am working on a project involving co2 gas under high pressure.It is my understanding that (1)there ... A: Phonons are caused by collisions between atoms, the interchange of energy. They are the quantum ... | |
| Helicopter Physics | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: I guess I should have been more clear on my last question. I am trying to figure out how fast a RC ... A: I'm trying to steer you clear of the Navier-Stokes equation, so try this on for size: ... | |
| Speed of light, time, nuclear fission. | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: i have a question concerning the speed of light and special relativity. Let's assume an individual ... A: You said the speed of light, so I'll answer for that condition. Nothing happens, because time would ... | |
| condensation | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: This may be stupid to you, But I just want to know exactly why and if I can stop it. I built this ... A: I have no idea what this box is for, but I'm going to say to remove a tiny piece of the seal at a ... | |
| condensation | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: This may be stupid to you, But I just want to know exactly why and if I can stop it. I built this ... A: Air tight fit is both a benefit and a problem. On one hand, no moisture can get in, on the other ... | |
| force | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: Where do forces come from? And can a body, in and of itself, possess a force as it possesses other ... A: Forces are the interactions between objects, not a quantity an object may possess. Where they come ... | |
| physics | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: How are gravitational fields and electric fields similar? How are they different? A: They both have the same form, where the force depends on a constant of nature, a product of a ... | |
| Cold Energy | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: When matter is cold that basically means the particles are slowed down inside of its atoms? Is there ... A: Heat is a form of energy. Temperature is directly related to the energy content of material. ... | |
| Reductionism Fate | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: First off, you seemed the most qualified of everyone here I've looked through, so even if you can't ... A: To the best of our scientific knowledge, the philosophy of Reductionism is absolutely false. The ... | |
| Circles, | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: I have had some sleepless nights recently thinking about circles, i (think i) know that a body ... A: I will assume you mean with constant velocity to make this easier. This is almost more of a ... | |
| Work done by a magnet | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: I am curious to know if work is done by a magnet in attracting a magnetic material. Since there is a ... A: Work is done on a magnetic material. The magnetic domains in the material re-align with the ... | |
| Force and contact time | 11/12/2008 |
| Q: Nelson, I am a 3rd Degree black belt in Taekwondo and regularly break both wood and concrete. I ... A: Breaking stuff with your hands and feet is a little out of my experience range, but I'll take this ... | |
| energy levels | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: I am working on a project involving co2 gas under high pressure.It is my understanding that (1)there ... A: Temperature is technically the result of the number of available quantum states of the molecules. ... | |
| Drag | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: Steve, if you are driving a car down the road at 65 MPH, how much wind force is pushed onto the road ... A: Wind speed being pushed down on the road...that quantity doesn't make sense unfortunately. You can ... | |
| Pseudo Geiger Mueller detector | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: Ran into what I thought was a really neat demo which showed the basic concept of radiation detection ... A: First, thanks for showing me this site, it's fantastic. I'm always looking for neat do-it-yourself ... | |
| Why? | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: can you please explain why water sprays off a rapidly turning bicycle wheel? Thanks! A: Inertia. The water, moving with the wheel, has momentum and inertia. The forces that cause the ... | |
| Center of Mass | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: A uniform circular plate of radius 2R has a circular hole of radius R cut out of it. The center C' ... A: Well, for one thing the units don't even match up. You're trying to subtract kg*m from kg^2 ... | |
| 0 Mass | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Nelson: Would you please explain the menaing of a particle with 0 mass? If something has 0 ... A: A photon is a quantum, or particle, in that you can only absorb or emit one as a whole unit. You ... | |
| energy levels | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: I am working on a project involving co2 gas under high pressure.It is my understanding that ... A: The kinetic energy of gas molecules depends only on their temperature. Pressure depends on both ... | |
| Magnet | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I just wanted to know if there is a super magnet (no bigger than your fist) that can move a car when ... A: They make magnets with a few hundred pounds of lifting strength, but remember Newton's Laws...it's ... | |
| Double slit experiment | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: In the double slit experiment, why does an interference pattern show up behind the slits when ... A: There's a great youtube video for this which explains it all, but requires some further explanation: ... | |
| Magnet | 11/6/2008 |
| Q: I just wanted to know if there is a super magnet (no bigger than your fist) that can move a car when ... A: Depends on the car, the strength of the magnet (I know some that could have a pull of hundreds of ... | |
| reg waves in sea | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: What causes waves in the sea?. Why some seas have no or very less waves? Regards. Moosa A: This is very complex indeed. Motion of water is converted into waves, this motion can come from ... | |
| Current at all points? | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: My question concerns the fact that in a simple series circuit, the current is the same at all points ... A: Of course there's a time lag, nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. The electric field ... | |
| Current at all points? | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: My question concerns the fact that in a simple series circuit, the current is the same at all points ... A: Yes, there's a very very slight difference in charge distributions around a circuit that keeps ... | |
| Physical characteristics of liquids splashing | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: I am not putting you on. I seriously am curious about this. Not that I am a hypocondriac about ... A: The amount of splashback will be far less important than the content. The liquid with downward ... | |
| geosynchronous orbit?? | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: A satelite in a geosynchronous orbit has a period of revolution of: a) 5400 s b) 3600 s c) 43200 s ... A: I don't answer homework questions directly, so I can't just point you at a formula. Geosynchronous ... | |
| bernouli's theroem | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: When an object is moving, it has two kinds of energies.. Kinetic energy(by virtue of its movement) ... A: These are a lot of questions. First, this is not a new type of energy, pressure is energy density ... | |
| Acceleration | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: In the car, what can produce acceleration? Thanks in advance! A: Applied forces produce acceleration. When the engine applies torque to the wheels, the wheels apply ... | |
| x-ray machine | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: I'm not sure if i'm in the correct area, but i thought i'd give it a shot anyways. So here it goes: ... A: Tantalum, with the drawback that it's hard to machine. Tantalum has all the properties you mention ... | |
| Mass | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: So what causes something to have its mass? A: The current theory (unproven) is that this is caused by something called the Higgs boson. This has ... | |
| Gravity | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: What is gravity? Why don't we know what gravity is? ANSWER: We do know what gravity is, although ... A: No, in my first sentence I told you what gravitation is. It *is* the distortion of spacetime. Then ... | |
| Room Temperature | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: If you have a cold room (say 10 degC) and you want to heat the room to say 20 degC so you get a ... A: Yep, this one's easy for me to answer because you were smart enough to answer it for yourself with ... | |
| Gravity | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: What is gravity? Why don't we know what gravity is? ANSWER: We do know what gravity is, although ... A: Gravitation is the stretching or curving of spacetime. If you put your pencil on the Earth, you put ... | |
| Now its Newton | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I hope I don't sound like a botheration to you but I'm preparing for my final exams at senior high ... A: Your first of your two equations is correct, the sum of forces = mass*acceleration. Technically ... | |
| Physics | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I just need a better understanding on how right-angled prisms work dealing with reflection. Thank ... A: Right-angle prisms generally rely on total internal reflection. ... | |
| Blocking the Sun for Climate Control | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: Steve, this may sound stupid to you but if one were to place on top of a blimp a "sun shade/sun ... A: Complex question, but the sun has an angle due to its size of 0.5 degrees, so if you fly it high ... | |
| Gravity | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: What is gravity? Why don't we know what gravity is? A: We do know what gravity is, although we've never directly observed a gravitational wave. General ... | |
| electronics | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: Sir! why do different colours appear instead of real ones on a TV screen when a magnet is brought ... A: Magnets deflect moving charged particles. TV phosphors are illuminated by a beam of electrons, ... | |
| Audio/Video recordings | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I wonder how information are stored in audio tapes and video tape/CDs?. If magnets store these ... A: There are areas of ferromagnetic material on these tapes. Atoms in ferromagnetic material have ... | |
| magnetic permability | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I am stuck with a concept in physics. I am using the magnetic permabililty of air in an equation but ... A: Currents traveling in the same direction will attract one another, so I assume you meant attractive ... | |
| quanta of the electromagnetic force | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: Can you explain what is meant by the universe's Total mass deficit ? What is anti matter ? Can a ... A: Mass deficit usually refers to galactic mass deficit. We don't observe enough matter in galaxies to ... | |
| Twilight detector | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: i would like to construct a simple twilight detector lamp for my electrical engineering class. I ... A: These devices basically consist of a photodiode or solar cell and a voltage detector. ... | |
| antifreeze | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: Steve... If the antfreeze in my car reads -20 degrees C when tested, what will happen if the ... A: We used to keep dry ice (-78C) in antifreeze all the time and it would just be a little thick. But ... | |
| sequential inflation of a garden hose | 10/21/2008 |
| Q: I have taken physics in undergrad. How can i vary the length and width of a rubber or plastic tube ... A: Not really, you want a pressure that you set as the maximum before the valves open. It's kinda like ... | |
| drift velocity ¤t electricity | 10/18/2008 |
| Q: why is the direction of current & drift velocity same if particle is positive ,& direction of ... A: Current is defined as going from positive potential to negative potential. The drift velocity is ... | |
| friction | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: My question is that (1)by experience we know that wide tyres offer better traction to a vehicle, ... A: That appears to be one of the three major functions of tread, to cut through dirt and other ... | |
| General Relativity | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: I read that according to General Relativity Theory, gravitation is not a force but something else. ... A: A force is that which causes a body with mass to accelerate. Therefore gravitation is a force. ... | |
| Cause of gravitational force | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: What is the cause of gravitational force between two bodies? What makes two bodies to attract each ... A: ***As a warning, you're asking questions to which there are no quick and simple answers. There's no ... | |
| Clouds | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: Small clouds in the sky seems to move in the sky and unite. What makes the clouds to move and unite ... A: They usually don't join, they usually just drift along, but occasionally they do. Appearances can ... | |
| Theories | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: What exactly qualifies a theory (such as general relativity, or any other physical theory) and how ... A: Interesting question. Anyone can have a theory. An *accepted* theory is one that's presented ... | |
| gravitational force | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: This may be a stupid question but here it is. Would it be possible to build something so massive ... A: It doesn't have to be large at all, we measure this all the time. It's a classic experiment called ... | |
| friction | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: My question is that (1)by experience we know that wide tyres offer better traction to a vehicle, ... A: They're not incompatible, the force of friction being area-independent is somewhat dependent on the ... | |
| physics | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Can water be compressed to a solid? As in: A theoretical planet composed entirely of water, about ... A: See here for the many anomalous properties of water: http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/anmlies.html ... | |
| Hazards of 400 nm lasers? | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: What hazards -- other than thermal burns -- does a 400-nanometer-wavelength continuous [i.e. ... A: Mostly the hazards you saw on the wiki page you attached to the question. The human eye can see ... | |
| Spinning Tops | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: How can I explain the physics principles involved in spinning tops to 5th grade students? It is a ... A: There's a good demonstration you can do if you can find a chair or stool that rotates and a bicycle ... | |
| About generation of current from rotional motion | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: Nelson. I am a molecular biology major with interest in, but little understanding of, various ... A: The tube must have been connected to a generating mechanism more than just a diode. A diode doesn't ... | |
| Electric Field and Application | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: What is the importance/relevance to know the electric field distribution of a electrical apparatus? ... A: Electric field intensity is important to know for a couple of reasons I can think of off the top of ... | |
| Conservation of Energy | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: According to the law of conservation of energy, the energy is always preserved. Suppose if eletrical ... A: If the energy is absorbed in the atmosphere it is turned (by the molecules in the atmosphere) into ... | |
| Cycling backwards | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Sir ill be highly obliged if you could answer this question my sister put to me the other day... Q. ... A: On some stunt bikes it is actually possible to pedal backwards, but on most bikes you can't. Listen ... | |
| calorimetry | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: 1) if we take a solid which contracts on being melted(like, for example ice which contracts due to ... A: Water exhibits anomalous behavior. Since I'm a nuclear physicist, I consulted with friends in ... | |
| Going for Grey | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: Am I correct in thinking that if traveling at close to the speed on light, the frequency that light ... A: Yes, that's the doppler shift. An object which was grey would have all its light shifted towards ... | |
| Calculate properties of matter | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: I want to calculate the mass properties or density of the matter of interest //Mohan ANSWER: No, ... A: We can't simply calculate mass, mass is a measured quantity. It's observed in the laboratory, not ... | |
| Calculate properties of matter | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: I want to calculate the mass properties or density of the matter of interest //Mohan A: No, using only the speed of light it is not possible to calculate such properties. You need many ... | |
| Going for Grey | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: Is there an opposite colour to grey? In the same way that red and green are opposite. A: Sort answer: no. Slightly longer discussion. Red and Green are not physically "opposite." This ... | |
| Law of gravitation | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: I read that according to Law of Gravitation all bodies in the universe attract each other. Does it ... A: Of course the Earth is far larger than the mountains that sit on it. So the mountains may attract ... | |
| LHC | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: So do you think i'm worrying over nothing. The whole thing has mad me very ill and I just wanted ... A: I'm not remotely qualified to give you medical advice. Personally I would chalk this up to an ... | |
| coulomb charge and electrolysis | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: my question is i have a 2C charge, how to i make it a positive anode and negative cathode with this ... A: You make a positive anode and negative cathode by putting 2 C of charge on the positive anode and -2 ... | |
| Friction | 9/24/2008 |
| Q: When a block rests on a truck that is moving with uniform velocity, the block also moves with the ... A: The force of friction is zero in this case, as there is no acceleration. So you don't need to go ... | |
| speed of light | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: If you were moving half the speed of light and you shined a light infront of yourself, would that ... A: No, light always travels the same speed. It's one of the more difficult notions of relativity, I ... | |
| speed of light | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: If you were moving half the speed of light and you shined a light infront of yourself, would that ... A: Moving at half the speed of light relative to what? Presumably, you mean an observer watching the ... | |
| gravitation | 9/21/2008 |
| Q: why is the gravitational potential enrergy of a body on mass m the surface of earth in the ... A: It's not U=-GMm/r^2, it's U=-GMm/r. You were thinking of the equation for force and not energy. ... | |
| electrical | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: can 11kv of electricity would be converted into light to pass through fiber optics ANSWER: Short ... A: Nothing can pass light through the fiber with 100% efficiency, especially over that extreme ... | |
| LHC | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: I have read on the CERN website that stable black holes if produced could settle into the core of ... A: Oh, yes. You keep saying that you've gotten information from the CERN website. You should go here: ... | |
| LHC | 9/20/2008 |
| Q: Which can be absorbed by the earth. If this were to happen then how long would it take to destroy ... A: I'm trying to not be offended that you ignored my explanation of how this is impossible and ... | |
| fiber optic cable | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: If fiber optic cable is made out of very thin strands of glass, how can it be flexible? It seems ... A: Nope, kinda like a copper plate is quite hard but thin copper wire is quite flexible. It's a matter ... | |
| Vectors/Termianl velocity experiment | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: For a project at school I was going to measure the terminal velocity of objects in air by using a ... A: The problem here is that you have to measure the speed of the air at the height of the object. If ... | |
| LHC | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: Which can be absorbed by the earth. If this were to happen then how long would it take to destroy ... A: Protons with even higher energy than the LHC can produce would be far more likely to produce black ... | |
| proving an arguement with a friend | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: So my friend and I were arguing over how sniping can all calculated with calculus, including factors ... A: Anyone who turns a character in a video game knows that video games are digital and only have finite ... | |
| electrical | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: can 11kv of electricity would be converted into light to pass through fiber optics A: Short answer: yes. Longer answer: Not with 100% efficiency, no, you need something like a laser ... | |
| Water Boiling | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: She says that something is released in the bubbles formed when you boil water. If this is so can ... A: Well obviously something fills the bubbles or they'd collapse. That's air for the little bubbles ... | |
| Physics | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: what is used to calculate the speed of sound A: Either the dispersion relation for the fluid that the sound travels in, or a direct measurement are ... | |
| momentum | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: Which should be the best on knocking the bear down- a lead bullet or a rubber bullet with the same ... A: This question is a little vague. What bear? Is it moving, standing, etc? Does the fact that a ... | |
| radioactive decay | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: my question arises from the fact that it seems not to exist information at atom-level that makes one ... A: Interesting question, I've wondered about something that sounds along these lines when I've talked ... | |
| quantum computers | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: Is a quantum chemical computer possible? Could you explain further? ANSWER: Yes. No. Well, a ... A: Ahhh, we're mixing chemical computers with quantum computers. Quantum computers generally are ... | |
| radioactive decay | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: my question arises from the fact that it seems not to exist information at atom-level that makes one ... A: I'm not sure what a decay ratio is, but I'll assume you mean either a half-life or a fraction of ... | |
| quantum computers | 9/16/2008 |
| Q: Is a quantum chemical computer possible? Could you explain further? A: Yes. No. Well, a quantum computer is possible. What you mean by a quantum chemical computer is ... | |
| Time | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: Steve, I think it's generally accepted that time changes due to velocity and gravity. Beyond ... A: The speed of light being constant is well-measured, not assumed. The theory of relativity depends ... | |
| Time | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: Steve, I think it's generally accepted that time changes due to velocity and gravity. Beyond ... A: We have many experimental proofs, from particles whose half-life is altered (high energy cosmic ... | |
| need help with ohm's law | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: i am having a problem in making authentic questions about ohm's law please give me some authentic ... A: You can ask about the resistance of a wire of length L, area A, and resistivity rho. You can sketch ... | |
| LHC | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I have been very worried about this experiment and have become very ill. I have read the conflicting ... A: If there was any danger, we'd all have been destroyed naturally billions of years ago. It really is ... | |
| making mass from energy | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: In nuclear physics we often hear about energy coming from mass e.g.Nuclear bombs and nuclear power. ... A: That's impossible, becuase you'd have to make the components of anti-hydrogen, which then annihilate ... | |
| making mass from energy | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: In nuclear physics we often hear about energy coming from mass e.g.Nuclear bombs and nuclear power. ... A: Of course, high-energy photons are naturally converted to matter-antimatter pairs all around you, ... | |
| Small EMP | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I've been told that one of the few causes of an EMP is a large explosion. Is there anyway to create ... A: There's nothing minor you can set up next to a building. It has to have too much energy to cause ... | |
| Small EMP | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I've been told that one of the few causes of an EMP is a large explosion. Is there anyway to create ... A: Yes, but no explosion. A single pulse from a Tesla coil will do the trick. However, the energy ... | |
| CLouds | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I asked this question of a meteorologist, but he kept saying that the answer lay in surface ... A: He probably interpreted your question as meaning how a single droplet wouldn't blow up. Not the ... | |
| Protons | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: Steve Where do scientists get the protons from to use in experiments? Simon A: That's shockingly easy in terms of many things scientists do, though I understand how "proton beams" ... | |
| Earth's inner liquid dynamo | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: this is a follow up in a way. I thought the Dynamo was producing the Earth's magnetic field. Is it ... A: You might want to consider asking a geophysicist about the relationship between the dynamo and ... | |
| Science | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: how centripetal force is involved in the operation of a washing machine? How the spin dryer of the ... A: In order to keep the clothes spinning in a circle, the barrel of the dryer presses against them to ... | |
| earth's mantle | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: Perhaps this isn't exactly your field but I can't get an answer anywhere? I understand that the ... A: You don't have to add energy for that, the momentum of the Earth's inner liquid dynamo is enormous ... | |
| electricity | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: sir what is terminal velocity and drift velocity and is there any way to construct two wires of same ... A: Terminal velocity is generally used to refer to the velocity a falling body achieves where its air ... | |
| Charging an inductor | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I am experimenting with voltage gains based on LC ratios and low coupling between a primary and ... A: The rate of change of the current may be slower, but the total magnetic flux (field times area) may ... | |
| LHC | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: im pretty sure you know what the LHC or CERN im worried because in 2 days they will start it up and ... A: Yes, it's telling you that your mind correctly identified black holes and strange matter eating the ... | |
| earth's mantle | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: Perhaps this isn't exactly your field but I can't get an answer anywhere? I understand that the ... A: The magnitude of the Earth's size is perhaps what makes the analogy not quite work. A pan of milk ... | |
| Charging an inductor | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: I am experimenting with voltage gains based on LC ratios and low coupling between a primary and ... A: The voltage depends greatly on the rate of change of the peak magnetic field in the secondary coil. ... | |
| earth's mantle | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: Perhaps this isn't exactly your field but I can't get an answer anywhere? I understand that the ... A: Nuclear decay is the primary thing *adding* heat to the mantle, but mostly it's just really hot and ... | |
| about drinking bird | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: Have you heard about drinking bird?? Do you think the drinking bird performs work? ANSWER: I've ... A: No, the bird does indeed work (as in it functions as designed). Gravity is the force that acts on ... | |
| Twins paradox | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: As I understand it (or I suppose I should say "if"), it is deemed a paradox not because the twins ... A: Here's a way to think about it that most explanations don't usually cover. Every inertial reference ... | |
| microwaved water | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: I have noticed that when heating water to the boiling point in a microwave in a ceramic cup, the hot ... A: The water is superheated, meaning above its boiling point. The problem is that there are no places ... | |
| i need ur help | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: i have been admitted to a institution to read physics and solar energy and i dont know anything ... A: If would help if I knew something about the institution and if you can be more specific about what ... | |
| another bet | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: in theory: I was once told that if you have a rifle in a vice at a specific height and also had a ... A: In a classical approximation this statement is true. This is in a vacuum, and neglecting the ... | |
| egg drop container | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I need a good egg drop container for school all my ideas fail!!!!!!!!!!Must not use these items- ~ ... A: My first thought is to use a bag of Jell-O. Simple, effective. Gel up the egg inside the gelatin. ... | |
| electricity and power | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 55 watt power source and need to power a machine. Is there a way to increase the power ... A: There are many remote controls (look at your basic RC car with a manually-operated remote control) ... | |
| electricity and power | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 55 watt power source and need to power a machine. Is there a way to increase the power ... A: Not with a standard computer. Most standard computer cases require at least 230 Watts of power at ... | |
| "Gravitational Constant" | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: Sorry to bother you with what is probably a dumb question. But, if gravitational attraction between ... A: The gravitational force is *approximately* constant in our human experience, because the distances ... | |
| air compression | 9/1/2008 |
| Q: I have a steel tank 70 cubic feet in volume. I have an air compressor, output 900 CFM @ 350 psi. ... A: Seems simple enough. The product of the absolute pressure (gauge pressure minus atmospheric ... | |
| Dust on my TV screen | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: As of late, dust has been forming on my TV screen in an odd manner. It forms in the exact center, ... A: The same thing happens to my TV! There must be more static electricity building up in that region. ... | |
| lorentz transformation? | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: what is lorentz transformation? and what do the symbols mean? and i have found 2 different equations ... A: Well, technically the second one refers to a time interval and not an absolute time. But it's ... | |
| electricity and magnetism | 8/30/2008 |
| Q: . 1) sir convential current says it flows from positive to negative charge sir what is the positive ... A: Positive charges in matter are protons. Atoms are neutral, because they contain equal numbers of ... | |
| Response to a past question | 8/27/2008 |
| Q: i tried to send a follow up, but it wouldnt work. my past question was about relativistic mass. and ... A: You can measure it. Say you know its charge and you accelerate it across a voltage (to give it a ... | |
| gravitation | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: few questions 1) why the earth's orbit is like an ellipse why it's not a circle? 2) if the pull of ... A: It would increase in radius, which would sap some of the potential energy and slow it back down at ... | |
| gravitation | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: few questions 1) why the earth's orbit is like an ellipse why it's not a circle? 2) if the pull of ... A: I'll try to answer them in order: 1) This is one of Kepler's observational laws. The orbit would ... | |
| Atmospheric explosive phenomenon | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: I hope you are able to answer this question. I have been looking online for an answer now for a ... A: Atmospheric phenomena are weird and hard to explain a lot of the time. It was during a lightning ... | |
| Einstein's equation | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: Is theory of conversion of mass into energy correct? I mean how can anything can travel faster than ... A: Mass and energy are converted from one form to another all the time in natural processes like pair ... | |
| nuclear | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I think peak oil is here and it looks like nuclear fission is our nearest straw. I've heard uranium ... A: Yes it could, but there are three ways to solve this. First, there are probably undiscovered ... | |
| rain | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I have for years wondered why a rainfall shower is of greater intensity just before the end of the ... A: Actually, I'm not sure about this since it's a little outside my expertise, so you should ask a ... | |
| Electric motor current draw | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about 12v DC motor current draw. I have read in several books on electric motor ... A: No, the current flowing through the motor will determine the amount of work it does. Because power ... | |
| physics | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: My friend and I would like to ask you few questions about physics. please help us. Thanks 1. Is it ... A: 1) Yes, but it's inefficient. Plenty of farmers have fermented their own corn into ethanol for ... | |
| quz | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: How we can study the move of the car which is moving on the straight and horizental road ? A: Time it as it passes lines or markers on the road. Use photogates. Radar and laser Doppler shift. ... | |
| relativistic mass of light | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: from what i kno, energy something has, the more mass it has since they are inter related, right? and ... A: Watts per second is the wrong unit. Include units in your equations and you won't make mistakes ... | |
| gravitation | 8/20/2008 |
| Q: sir i want to ask that if earth starts revolving faster around sun so will it's orbit increase or ... A: Most would say it would increase, but that's slightly inaccurate. If the Earth's orbit increases in ... | |
| motions | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: ANSWER: Neglecting air resistance, yes. Including, of course not. Including it, it will lose ... A: Equations aren't really necessary, just terms. Kinetic energy is given by 1/2 mv^2, potential ... | |
| motions | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: hi sir i want to ask that if i fire a bullet vertically upward will it hit the ground with same ... A: Neglecting air resistance, yes. Including, of course not. Including it, it will lose energy ... | |
| physics | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: what are the possible things that would happen if air was an electric conductor? A: We wouldn't use much electrical power, for one, since we wouldn't be able to create voltage between ... | |
| Random physics questions. | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: How the hell does anti-matter fit in? How does it form? How does it react with matter (I have vague ... A: It's not lost from existence, it goes toward the singularity in the center. At that point the laws ... | |
| physics | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: A common misconception about heat energy is that 'heat rises'. Many examples are given; it's ... A: Yes, a misunderstanding. Less dense substances rise, more dense substances fall. Substances at ... | |
| Random physics questions. | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: How the hell does anti-matter fit in? How does it form? How does it react with matter (I have vague ... A: You're asking things that are a mix of two types of questions: 1) I can't answer without giving ... | |
| Random physics questions. | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: How the hell does anti-matter fit in? How does it form? How does it react with matter (I have vague ... A: The first one is kinda vague, so I'm going to assume you meant to ask what anti-matter is. First I ... | |
| conversion of chemical to radiative heat | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: What determines the rate at which chemical heat (convection) becomes electromagnetic heat ... A: Emission of radiation from a hot body is governed by the Stefan-Boltzmann Law: ... | |
| water flow | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: So i want to know if water flow into a container can be great enough to prevent the air in that ... A: Flow is caused by differences in pressure. Therefore, if water pressure is lower than the air ... | |
| Light speeds and relative single point objects. | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: What happens if you spin a single object, in a place relative to the things around it, at the speed ... A: I assume you mean an object's edge. It can't be done. You can get close, but particles can't be ... | |
| Rockets | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I am a university level student and this is the question on which I have to research but don't know ... A: Research? I can definitely start you out, though obviously the explanation has to be yours (your ... | |
| Light and Sound | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I often come up with weird "if.. would" scenarios pertaining to physics, and I wanted to know if you ... A: Lit is a matter of perspective. To perceive "lit" your eye would have to absorb light. Eventually ... | |
| behavior of gravity | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: I'd like to try and get a better intuitive sense of gravity by learning the answer to thisSuppose I ... A: Assuming that the orbit didn't take it too close to either the Earth or Moon to throw off the ... | |
| Do human share the same colour system? | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: I want ask why do human seem seem to be able to agree on following phenomenon? -Is it true that ... A: Human eyes share many physical characteristics and respond in very similar ways to colors. There ... | |
| wind force | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about the force of wind. Is there an equation that factors in air pressure in ... A: The 0.00256 is simply a constant related to the density of air. It relates to the energy dissipated ... | |
| space flight | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: #1 is the Van Allen belt real? and what, if real, what is its role in space flight? We as humans ... A: Yes it is real. Charged particles get trapped in magnetic fields, and cosmic rays in the Earth's ... | |
| toothpick egg drop project | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: Where can I get information (at an eighth grade level) for designing an egg drop container out of ... A: There aren't really many hard and fast physics rules for making an egg-drop container, more ... | |
| wind force | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a question about the force of wind. Is there an equation that factors in air pressure in ... A: The short answer is yes, there are equations that will give you that. The long answer is that it ... | |
| newtons 3rd law | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: Why when you would hit a soft object will newtons 3rd law not apply and an equal and opposite force ... A: It is applying the same force. The third law is not violated. The reason it accelerates forward ... | |
| air as an insulator | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: why is air such a good insulator? A: Short answer: density. Air has about a thousand times less molecules/volume to conduct heat. ... | |
| Broken window | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: How can I tell if a window was broken on the inside or the outside. Most of the glass is on the ... A: I think the logical conclusion is that you're correct. A blunt or sharp object breaking the window ... | |
| water wicks | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: I have been trying to find a wick that will be able to wick water upwards as far as possible. Q1) ... A: What I was able to find was more about speeds for ground water sampling and not absolute attainable ... | |
| Broken window | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: How can I tell if a window was broken on the inside or the outside. Most of the glass is on the ... A: Please send more information in a follow-up question (there should be a link to ask one on this ... | |
| water wicks | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I have been trying to find a wick that will be able to wick water upwards as far as possible. Q1) ... A: The short answer to Q1 is yes, of course gravity eventually causes stars to collapse and will limit ... | |
| electricity, solar cells | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: if solar cells can convert photons to electricity, why not tune the 'solar' cells to convert gamma ... A: Such devices have existed for decades to convert beta and alpha radiation into light (via a ... | |
| electric heater efficiency | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: How can there be any significant difference in performance among 1500 watt electric heaters? A: The basic physics may seem to say no and it's pretty closely correct. But there may be differences ... | |
| Pressure | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: If I took a bath towell, placed it in a body of water so the towell is entirely saturated with the ... A: To follow up on this, since I just got my first hostile response question for refusing to answer ... | |
| Physical States | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: When water is frozen it takes up more space than liquid water, and when it is hot it evaporates and ... A: No water only takes up more space because it forms hydrogen bridges and makes a crystal structure ... | |
| X-Ray | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: I'm just trying to settle a questions my friends were discussing about x-rays. With electrical ... A: No, lead can different different types of metal but it's not the only one. And it doesn't make a ... | |
| Refraction | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: Sir, I am a 10th class student, my question is, I want to know how does the Refractive Index affect ... A: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geoopt/refr.html#c1 You can see that if you raise the ... | |
| colour spectrum | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: Violet and Indigo are at the top of the colour spectrum. But where do Pink, Purple and Mauve fit in ... A: Pink light isn't a single color, it's a mix of red and white light. White light is a mix of all the ... | |
| Atom | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: What causes the electrons to orbit around the nucleus? A: Electrons have a negative charge. Protons in the nucleus have a positive charge, attracting them to ... | |
| gas mixing | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: Assume that you have two sealed chambers. each contains different gas (example - Oxygen in one and ... A: The specifics of "time scale" for this question are a little vague, and so are the dimensions of the ... | |
| proper readings from a multimeter/tester | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: Nelson, I am developing a novel fuel cell/battery (iron-air) and my only stumbling block is how to ... A: It appears (hard to say without seeing the design) that your design involves problems with the cell ... | |
| physics | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Is there a working defintion of what cold is? Heat is a wave, what is 'cold' and how is heat removed ... A: You can preview a whole book on cryogenic engineering on google books here: ... | |
| chanign heat back into mechanical energy | 7/5/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering what kind of systems and methods can be used to turn heat back into mechanical ... A: The car's engine is an example of something using heat (from burning fuel) to create mechanical ... | |
| ...Nucleus... | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: ..i am B.tech student..i have some doubts regarding nuclear physics.. 1)whether antiproton is ... A: That's a lot of questions. Let me go by the numbers. 1) The antiproton is stable as far as we ... | |
| buzz in room of house | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Nelson - Over the last week there has developed a high-pitched buzzing noise in an upstairs ... A: Well, one last thing. The device probably has a chopping power supply or some kind of internal ... | |
| buzz in room of house | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Nelson - Over the last week there has developed a high-pitched buzzing noise in an upstairs ... A: I'd try something first, like plugging in an iron (draws a good bit of current) or other silent ... | |
| NEW OPTICAL PHENOMENON | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: sir can you tell me what optical phenomenon is acting here - ... A: My first guess is that you've got polarized lenses and a polarized camera or some kind (or a camera ... | |
| kinetic coefficient | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: .. could you please explain to me in simple terms how I would find the average kinetic coefficient ... A: The physics here is all out of whack. I don't know why you're dividing force by distance (that's ... | |
| should we spend time in the sun figures ? | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: how can i get data that i can process to calculate percent graphs? plot a graph and interpret trends ... A: A quick google search of "sunscreen cancer trends" revealed that there's a government website with ... | |
| electric motors and magnets | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: In a simple electric motor with field magnets and a split-commutator, can you tell me what ... A: Check out page 59 and 60 of this powerpoint for a graphical representation of a split commutator. ... | |
| Magnetism | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: I understand that heat causes demagnetisation. Why then do my drill bits become magnetised when ... A: The demagnetization of metal at high temperature happens above the curie temperature. However, upon ... | |
| thermodynamics | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm so confused. I have worked out the answer to the following problem and I was told that my ... A: As far as your solution being one way to work it out, that's OK. But I've discovered an error in ... | |
| thermodynamics | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm so confused. I have worked out the answer to the following problem and I was told that my ... A: You've got some really wrong units here, force is not in Joules (for example). Just consider ... | |
| motors & magnets | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: Does this answer the problem of high-voltage power lines making a buzzing sound, using the motor ... A: That is approximately why they hum at 60 Hz, but buzzing is different. Actual buzzing sounds from ... | |
| relativity | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: 1)According to relativity,noting can travel faster than light.So if we have a bullet that is ... A: Interesting questions. Relativity isn't my research area, but I do get a lot of questions about it ... | |
| electrons | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: Here is myDescribe what happens to electrons when one material is charged negatively by rubbing it ... A: The part about the conductor at the end is a little superfluous, but OK. The real difference in the ... | |
| factors affecting friction | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I need to conduct an experiment. I am not looking for you to do my work for me. I will be doing ... A: First, the theory of friction is described quite well in hyperphysics for some background reading: ... | |
| GCSE question should we spend time in the sun? | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: thank you A: This is a little outside my expertise, as I'm a nuclear physicist and not a medical doctor. One of ... | |
| nuclear physics | 6/15/2008 |
| Q: What are the approximate velocities of alpha, beta, gamma and x- rays? A: Gamma rays are a form of light, so they travel at the speed of light. Alphas and betas have mass, ... | |
| physics | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: what are the different branches of a physics A: This is a matter of some debate, and your question is slightly unclear. There are four major areas ... | |
| Magnet ONLY pushes in ONE direction | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb8wwkdtz0M Can you explain this ? A: My take on it is (hard to see from a youtube video) that from the cone shape he's created a magnet ... | |