# All Questions

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### Are there any concrete data on the period of large amplitudes? To what extent are correction formulas useful?

Is there a site/pdf where I can find results of real and accurate experiments concerning the period of pendulums from 0 to 90°? (actual periods and not formulas). I once found one, but in spite of ...
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### $\vec{E}$-and $\vec{B}$-fields in RCL circuit from Maxwell equations

Consider a basic RCL-Circuit consisting of an ideal resistor, an ideal capacitor and an ideal inductor in series. How do the $\vec{E}$- and $\vec{B}$-fields look like in dependence of the time? I ...
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### Does schwarzschild metric have cosmological horizon?

Since the space is not expanding in the schwarzschild metric does that mean that there is no cosmological horizon? Also, what if the shwartzchild metric was not asymptotically flat and we replace the ...
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### Why do we not require higher derivatives to match at boundary when solving the Schrödinger equation in a given potential?

When solving the time independent Schrödinger equation for a given potential in 1D, the main part of the solving involves matching boundary conditions. Usually, we require the value and the first ...
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### redistribution of charge between plates

How is charge redistributed when a charged conducting plate is placed between two identical wire-connected uncharged plates? For eg,
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### How do inert helium cores in sub giant stars create a pressure force?

I'm reading about the sub giant branch (SGB) and the evolution to the red giant branch (RGB). On the SGB stars have burned all hydrogen into helium, as a result, they have an inert helium core. The ...
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### Why are racing catamarans' hulls not teardrop shaped?

Looking at the America's Cup 72 class catamarans, I was wondering about their hull shape, which has a sharp wave piercing bow. My question is: since an airfoil shape experiences less drag than a sharp ...
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### Do individual rays of light lose energy via the inverse square law?

We've all heard of the inverse square law, but apparently that refers to the flux or intensity or number of photons hitting an imaginary surface area. This is not exactly what I want to ask about. ...
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### Coriolis force in free fall: Directions?

Inspired by this Phys.SE question, Coriolis force in free fall, I have to ask: Why does the Coriolis force act in the east-direction? I would say, if I jump from a high distance and look at the ...
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### Polarization Sums in QCD

In the case of a Spin 1 massive particle it's possible to demonstrate that $$\sum_{\lambda=0,\pm1}\epsilon_{\lambda}^{* \ \mu}\epsilon_{\lambda}^{\nu}=-g_{\mu\nu}+\frac{q^\mu q^\nu}{q^2}$$ for a ...
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### Does string theory pose a photon mass problem?

A few weeks ago, I started reading books on string theory. One thing that really seemed confusing or contradictory was that string theory explains that the energy of a superstring gives mass to the ...
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### how much heat will be produced when air is compressed to liquid air [on hold]

I understand about 700 litres of ambient air becomes 1 litre of liquid air. I want to know how much heat will be dissipated when this happens. I appreciate any help.
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### Are the authors saying that the observer effect plays no role in Bohr's thought experiment of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle?

Here is an excerpt from Eisberg & Resnick's Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles. Here is introducing Bohr's though experiment to establish a physical origin for the ...
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### How to prove that sum converges to integral using density of states?

Essentially, I would like to prove $$\sum_k f(k) \to \int f(k) \rho dE \tag{1}$$ where $$\rho = \frac{dk}{dE} \tag{2}$$ is the density of states and $k \to \infty$. The model is that there is a ...
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### Would neutronium emit heat?

Since accelerating a charge creates EM radiation, and there are no charges in neutrons to be accelerated, would that mean neutronium emits no radiation? Consequently, to preserve the second law of ...
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### Why would an alpha-beryllium neutron source generating a radioisotope not produce controllable net power?

I have a question. I was looking through the table of nuclides and noticed that the energy needed to produce certain radioisotopes was less than the energy given off by the radioactive decay of that ...
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### Is it theoretically possible to prevent or deter a star from becoming a black hole?

Suppose NASA decides too many black holes are being produced in a year, so it decides to do something about that. Given our current scientific knowledge, is there theoretically any way NASA could ...
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### Allowed Virtual Displacements

I am having trouble understanding the kinds of virtual displacements which are permitted for a given constrained system. I have a specific example in mind: A block of wood resting on a table parallel ...
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### Why can we see through rain?

I am gazing through my office window into a heavy rain. I am thinking that raindrops are like small lenses that bend the light. Thus I am surprised, that I can clearly see other buildings through the ...
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### Best twin paradox trajectory for constant acceleration rocket?

Let's say I have a rocket that can provide constant (proper) acceleration (let's say of 1 gee) for an infinte amount of time. Let's say I want to use this rocket as a means of "suspended animation," ...
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### Why isn't momentum conserved in this pulley problem?

I have some conceptual doubt about method of solving this problem. 24. A block of mass $m$ and a pan of equal mass are connected by a string going over a smooth light pulley as shown in figure ...
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### Explanation of force amplification inside a solenoid

For a system being actuated by a motor, the force can be amplified by gearing. The energy is being used for force instead of distance, so it produces more torque but moves slower. For a system being ...
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### Why do high altitudes have larger diurnal temperature variation than lower altitudes?

It seems like the lack of atmosphere should not be playing a role in the diurnal temperature variation because that's what makes it colder. Mountains are not that dry, usually.
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### Regarding synchronization of clocks in special relativity

I am trying to read of synchronization of two clocks in same inertial frame in special relativity. Suppose we have two synchronized clocks in an inertial frame placed at positions $x_1$ and $x_2$ in ...
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### Why does moving the source-slit closer to the double-slit plane decrease the sharpness of the interference-pattern?

Thomas Young used a single-slit plane before the two-slits plane in order to make the light source coherent. My book (NCERT Physics II) presents the above query & writes: Let $s$ be the size ...
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### Determining photon flux at a particular distance from a source, given frequency and transmitter wattage

I want to check my process and formulae for determining the observed number of photons per square meter per second, when the signal frequency is $f$, transmitter power is $P$ and the distance from the ...
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### radius of curvature and focal length

Is the radius of curvature of a convex or concave lens longer than the focal length of the lens? Does the center or curvature affect the focal point in a lens?
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### compton's formula for change in wavelength

I am having some difficulty with this question: A student wants to measure the shift in wavelength predicted by Compton's formula. She finds that she cannot measure a shift of less than 5% and that ...
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### Where is the flaw in this machine that decreases the entropy of a closed system?

I was thinking about a completely unrelated problem (Quantum Field Theory Peskin & Schroeder kind of unrelated!) when the diagram below sprang into my mind for no apparent reason. After some ...
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### Equation derivation for skipping rocks

oWhy can rocks skip over water? For instance, if you conduct an experiment where you drop both rocks from the same height, but give one considerable acceleration in the x direction, one will fall in ...
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### Galvanic Cells and Electric Potential

In a battery or a galvanic cell, the electric potential of the battery is due to a difference of charges between the two cells like in a capacitor? So it is the electric field due to this separation ...
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