# All Questions

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### What is the laplace transform of a single mass?

I'm trying to get a transfer function of F=ma in the Laplace domain. This should be simple, but yet I'm confused. The transfer function is displacement over force. ...
114 views

### Can horizontally and vertically polarized light combine to become circularly/elliptically polarized light?

Well, we know that circularly/elliptically polarized light is made up from orthogonal components. So is it possible then to create circularly/elliptically polarized light by combining horizontally and ...
12k views

### Could Legolas actually see that far?

The video “How Far Can Legolas See?” by MinutePhysics recently went viral. The video states that although Legolas would in principle be able to count $105$ horsemen $24\text{ km}$ away, he shouldn't ...
77 views

### Is any one compact dimension for one particle the same as for another particle?

In the 3+1 dimensions of everyday life and GR particles can share the same extended dimensions. Probably all particles share the same 3+1 dimensions. In string theory compact dimensions seem to be ...
84 views

### Finding the minimum radius of the pivoted disc

Here is a question based on Simple Harmonic Motion that I tackled just now. However I think I am having an approach to tackle this but I am not sure about it. Ouestion: A uniform disc of radius ...
86 views

### Evaluating low-temperature dependence of the BCS gap function

How does one go about evaluating the behavior of the BCS gap $\Delta = \Delta(T)$ for $T \to 0^+$ under the weak coupling approximation $\Delta/\hbar\omega_D \ll 1$? In Fetter & Walecka, ...
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### How to prove this auxiliary lemma to Hawking's singularity theorem?

This theorem is number 44 of chapter 14 in Barret O'Neil's book "Semi-Riemannian Geometry (with applications to relativity)". The proof given, in particular the use of another theorem to justify the ...
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### Invariance of Temperature in Classical Physics

How can we explain that Temperature is a classically frame-independent quantity to high school kids?
277 views

### Is gravitational potential energy proportional or inversely proportional to distance?

We know that if an object has been lifted a distance $h$ from the ground then it has a potential energy change: $$\Delta U = mgh$$ so $h$ is proportional to $\Delta U$. However, we have also the ...
868 views

### Time dilation derivation of special relativity

In almost all of the derivations using the postulates of special relativity (SR), we use experiments involving light signals. For example, we make a clock using a light signal or measure lengths using ...
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### Natural electricity in the atmosphere - lightning

If air is such a poor electrical conductor, how can lightning be produced that appears to travel through it?
133 views

### What is the relationship between Coriolis forces and Angular momentum?

Recently I did an assignment about helicopters, and during the oral exam we talked about Coriolis forces. I know where it comes from, and I've seen the derivation: Example In the case of helicopters, ...
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### Moving a bar magnet towards a freely hanging coil

"A bar magnet is moved towards a freely hanging coil. Determine if the coil stays stationary or not. If it moves, determine if it moves away or towards the magnet." My hypothesis: From Lenz's law an ...
95 views

### For what rare events was the LHC built?

I understand that for low cross-section events a very high luminosity is necessary in order to obtain enough data to produce meaningful statistics. That is why the LHC was built. But which are these ...
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### Is it possible to generate electric energy from the radiation of radioactive materials

I wonder if it is possible to generate electric energy from the radiation of radioactive materials like nuclear waste? If it is then wouldn't that also mean that it could be used as an energy source ...
38 views

### preparing qutrit mixed state

I have a problem: Ok so I want to create a superposition qutrit state, like this: $$|\Psi\rangle=\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}(|0\rangle+|1\rangle+|-1\rangle)$$ is it possible to go there, starting with an ...
745 views

### Is single photon perfectly monochromatic?

Now, we do have equipment to generate single photon at a time, and LASERs are nearly monochromatic. While typing the question, am realizing that successive photons in case of single photon ...
178 views

### Asymmetry of induced e.m.f due to a bar magnet falling through a coil

It is well known that as a bar magnet falls freely through a coil, an electromotive force is induced in the coil by Lenz's Law. However, it appears that the peak e.m.f induced (ignoring the ...
706 views

### Hot water freezing faster than cold water

This question has puzzled me for a long time. There is already a question like this on Physics.SE. John's answer to the question seems quite satisfying. But when I googled the cause I found this and ...
191 views

### Capillary action meniscus height in a tube fitted inside another tube?

I was thinking about how would capillary action change in a tube (classic example) and in a tube fitted inside another tube (considering water as the liquid involved). Height of liquid column: ...
64 views

### Time Varying Magnetic Field

What is said time varying magnetic field? I have heard a lot about it and the Internet is not willing to give me any answers. I assume time varying is a qualification, I was reading around here and ...
94 views

### Is proper time an intrinsic value of Minkowski space?

What is proper time? Is it a part of Minkowski space (that is a mere spacetime interval)? Or is it an intrinsic characteristic of massive particles (a sort of "aging")? Example: In the following ...
94 views

### Uniformity in a solenoid

I know the magnetic field strength increases as the number of turns in the solenoid increases. However, I've learnt the field inside the solenoid is usually nearly uniform. So, does the number of ...
100 views

### The Einstein-Hilbert Action On-Shell

If one consider the Maxwell action as $$S=-\int \mathrm{d^{4}}x\! \ \frac{1}{4}F_{ab}F^{ab} \,$$ one find the usual Maxwell equation $$\partial_{a}F^{ab}=0$$ Then one can simply arrive the following ...
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### Alignment of Fermi Levels between Metal and Insulator

If I stick a metal and insulator together, will the Fermi level of the metal align with the insulator? When people draw a band diagram for a metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructure, I never see ...
46 views

### Explosive energy in a container [closed]

What happens when the explosive energy of a grenade or a bomb is contained in a container, if you will, and no energy can be released through the container in the form of heat or sound etc...? Just ...
324 views

### Global vs. local gauge group in mathematical sense - physics examples?

Upon reading about the principal bundle picture of (quantum) field theory I encountered two different definitions of the gauge group: Local gauge group $G$. Corresponds to the fibers of the ...
135 views

### Particle/Pole correspondence in QFT Green's functions

The standard lore in relativistic QFT is that poles appearing on the real-axis in momentum-space Green's functions correspond to particles, with the position of the pole yielding the invariant mass of ...
92 views

### Cut angle for BBO type I SPDC

I am using an old BBO crystal, which is not designed for spontaneous parametric down conversion, to see whether I can generate converted photons of 800nm from 400nm. I used a photon avalanche detector ...
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### Is there some quantum potential producing exponential eigenvalues?

Usual central potentials produce quantum spectra with energy levels going as $n$, $n^2$, $n^3$ and so on, being $n$ the quantum number of the orbit. In the other extreme we have "dirac-delta" ...
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### Will a drop of liquid flow from from the wide opening to the narrow opening of a thin funnel by the effect of air pressure?

We have a funnel that is thin enough to keep a drop of liquid inside it as shown in this figure. Assuming that the funnel is placed on a horizontal table, will the drop flow from the left side to ...
830 views

### The physics behind Google Glass' “prism”

In writing a bachelor's thesis about applicable use cases for Google Glass in retail I also strive to explain the physics behind Glass' optics. So far I've come to the following conclusions: Glass ...
56 views

### what does exactly accelerometer measure on a vertical rotating disk?

I am trying to understand an aspect of rotational dynamics. I am having some trouble arriving at a solution. Consider a disk of uniform mass distribution, and radius R centered at the origin of an xy ...
16 views

### Spatial Resolution in Magnetocardiography

In the science paper called Development of an optical cardio-magnetometer by George Bison, it is mentioned that spatial resolution of 10-20mm is required for mapping MCG signal(page 52). What does the ...
81 views

### Application of special relativity on sound waves

What is the difference between an electromagnetic wave and other waves that amounts to the EM wave following the Special Relativity. I have been reading about the Special Relativity for some time, and ...
81 views

### Solar still and how it works

I use a solar still that holds 182 cubic feet of water. Here is how it works: There is an insulator on both sides of the metal bowl. On the outside it covers the whole thing. on the inside it covers ...
181 views

### Pressure and density using a general Lagrangian

Given a lagrangian of a form: $$\mathcal{L}=f(\phi,\partial_{\mu}\phi\partial^{\mu}\phi)$$ where $f$ is a function, I need to derive pressure and density in a FLRW universe ...
172 views

### Is it possible to construct a quantum “computer” using laser light similar to the double-slit experiment?

Is it possible to construct an arrangement of optical devices (lasers, mirrors, slits, splitters) such that the construction could carry out a single quantum "computation"? I understand that such a ...
114 views

### Basic buoyancy question

If I have a cup of water filled with air at the bottom of a pool, then when the cup is "upside down" the air doesn't leave because the water pressure is pushing it up against the top of the container. ...
128 views

### Logic of the 'imaginary wave function collapse' argument in Double Slit experiment

My question is in regards to the stance that the 'wave function collapse' is not an actual physical occurrence. That is, you are not, by observation, changing the particles position from a wave to a ...
112 views

### Decuplet baryon resonances

Are all baryons from decuplet resonances?? Because all resonances decay by strong interaction; but omega minus baryon can't decay via strong, because any other bound state with strangeness -3 exists. ...
474 views

### Does Heisenberg equation of motion imply the Schrodinger equation for evolution operator?

Let us choose to postulate (e.g. considering the analogy of the Hamiltonian being a generator of time evolution in classical mechanics) $$i\hbar \frac{d\hat{U}}{dt}=\hat{H}\hat{U}\tag{1}$$ where ...
179 views

### Why are the backs of airplanes curved?

I get the front part, but why is the back curved too? I do not see a problem with the back being flat.
173 views

### Renormalizability of standard model

I'm wonder what precisely is meant by the renormalizability of the standard model. I can imagine two possibilities: The renormalizability of all of the interaction described by the Lagrangian before ...
85 views

### How can such a wave exist at the surface of the sun?

Recently, I came across the following picture from NASA's SOHO observatory: It seems evident that this is a transverse wave (mind the ring which is bright and dark). But how can this be the case ...
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### Figuring out the time period of an Atwood system

SO I was working on Atwoods, when I came up with the following problem, It is more complicated but i should understand this simpler scenario first. As shown in the diagram above, (Atwood machine), ...
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### Different equivalent representations for same physics

I want to expand my understanding of physics and just watched a Feynman lecture where he said "every theoretical physicist who is any good knows six or seven different theoretical representations for ...
123 views

### Generator of the Special Conformal Transformation

In this thread Integrating the generator of the infinitesimal special conformal transformation, the generator of the 'flow' of the transformation is written as $$G_b = 2(b \cdot x)x - x^2 b,$$ where ...
At the back of my mind I know they should be equal, but mathematically, how are the two $\Delta \phi$ angles equal? The only explanation present in the text is that, "both velocities are ...