# All Questions

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### Does the surface of austenitic steels have an especially “dynamic” phase somewhere between 100 and 200 Celsius?

There is lots of kitchen lore about pans. One popular concept are the "pores" of a steel pan surface, which are the reason why food sticks to the pan when it's not heated properly. I don't know much ...
80 views

### Does spacetime have a “mass” value? or What is “Spacetime” made out of?

When measuring the MASS within the Universe, does "space" or "spacetime" have a value? I only ask, because when speaking of expansion, space is expanding. Could it be possible, to reverse the ...
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### Space formed by dot products of three vectors [migrated]

Suppose I have 3 3D unit vectors $\mathbf{v}_1$, $\mathbf{v}_2$, and $\mathbf{V}$. I define the three corresponding scalars $u_1=\mathbf{v}_1 \cdot \mathbf{V}$, $u_2=\mathbf{v}_2 \cdot \mathbf{V}$, ...
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### What is the average mass of galaxies according to Hubble Deep and Ultra Deep field observations?

It is very widely known among people interested in astronomy that there are 100-400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and there are ~ 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe, which is ...
125 views

### Time slowed by gravity

If time moves more slowly on Earth (due to our proximity to a gravitational body) than for someone orbiting Earth in a spaceship, yet the opposite occurs in the frequently cited "twin paradox" of the ...
71 views

### Massless boson in 2D and its (retarded) propagator

I have the retarded propagator for a free scalar field in 1+1 dimensions. Inside the light cone, this looks like $J_0(m \sqrt(t^2-x^2))$, J being a Bessel function. When I take the massless limit, ...
2k views

### Why are differential equations for fields in physics of order two?

What is the reason for the observation that across the board fields in physics are generally governed by second order (partial) differential equations? If someone on the street would flat out ask ...
157 views
+50

### How did the operators come about?

This relates a little bit to my previous question (Experimentally, what categorizes a measurement as corresponding to a certain observable?), but it's different in a way and more historical. One of ...
30 views

### Convert angular position to wavelength [on hold]

Can you convert angular position to wavelength in spectroscopy? I need know if it's possible. I don't have too much experience in this subject.
56 views

### Can interacting Hamiltonians always be written in second quantized form?

Is it always possible to write interacting Hamiltonian in a second quantized matrix form like we do it for non-interacting form $$H=\sum _{\alpha\beta}C_\alpha^\dagger h_{\alpha\beta} C_\beta$$ ...
284 views

### The gravitational constant $G$ theoretically?

We know all that the gravitational constant is $$G=6.67428±0.00067\times 10^{-11}m^{3} kg^{-1} s^{-1}.$$ But can we calculate it theoretically?
33 views

### Diffraction grating from first principles

I have realised that a lot of books and online resources fail to give a detailed treatment of the derivation of the diffraction grating interference pattern. Normally only the result is stated. I was ...
232 views

### Solving Special Function Equations Using Lie Symmetries

The lie group + representation theory approach to special functions & how they solve the ode's arising in physics is absolutely amazing. I've given an example of it's power below on Bessel's ...
4k views

### How would night sky look like if the speed of light was infinite?

Would it be brighter? Different color? Gravitational lensing? Would black holes exist?
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### How can we interpret polarization and frequency when we are dealing with one single photon?

If polarization is interpreted as a pattern/direction of the electric-field in an electromagnetic wave and the frequency as the frequency of oscillation, how can we interpret polarization and ...
23 views

### Confusion about conduction of electricity in a solution

I'm trying to unserstannd conduction of electricity in a solution. Is it correct that anions give their extra electrons to the anode, which transfers the electrons to the cathode, where the cations ...
38 views

### Time travel, could it destroy the Universe? [on hold]

One Universe, One mass. In order for "Mass" to be created, (not matter, not energy, but MASS) a creation point where new mass is Incorporated must exist. No "creation" point has ever been observed. ...
531 views

### How is wind created?

I know that 'blowing air is called wind', but what I don't know is, how is wind created? And I don't want the answer from Google Search. I want to know more about wind at the atomic or molecular ...
36 views

### Coupled oscillators and Normal Modes

Consider we have a system consisting of 2 arbitrary masses and 3 arbitrary springs connecting them horizontally and between fixed walls, and we want to obtain the motion of each mass after we input ...
16 views

### If we rub glass particles with paper , will there be any charge induction in glass particles?

If we rub glass particles with paper , will there be any charge induction in glass particles ? I know if you rub with silk they do get charged, but i want to know specifically for glass and paper.
333 views

### Flux Quanta in the Arahanov-Bohm effect

I have been reading about the quantum hall effect during which i had to read about the AB effect used in the Laughlin gauge argument. In many sources, it is directly assumed that the flux quantum in ...
108 views

### nuclear physics- Energetics and Mechanics of Nuclear Reaction Homework

A sample of $^{24}_{12}\mathrm{Mg}$ is bombarded by a monoenergetic proton. If the resulting nucleus in a $^{24}_{12}\mathrm{Mg}(p,\gamma)$ reaction; $^{24}_{12}\mathrm{Mg}(p,\gamma)$ has its ...
341 views

### What's the difference between “numerical methods” & “mathematical analysis” as said by Feynman in his lectures?

While reading his lectures, I came to these lines: On the basis of Newton's second law of motion,which gives the relation between the acceleration of any body & the force acting on it,any ...
74 views

### Questioning Einstein's view on gravity [duplicate]

Oke, so my mind is blown by Einsteins view on gravity, at least as far as I understand the basics and principles he based his views on. One of the first things that struck me was that most of his ...
65 views

### How can magic be explained with Physics? [on hold]

Assuming that, hypothetically, and for this example only, "magic" means things like magical powers. In movies, games, etc. we witness magic; however, it's never explained how it works with regards ...
60 views

### Superimposed state vs. zero amplitude state

Two equal amplitude wave pulses approaching each other through some medium such as a string may form a region of zero amplitude when they overlap completely. At this point, the location of overlap is ...
4k views

### Is this really a golden ratio spiral?

In this blog post, I found this picture: Tehre are other similar photos: and Does the water really form golden ratio spiral in such cases? Or is the photo just a provocative example, without ...
99 views

### Angular momentum needn't always change in multiples of $\hbar$?

I read the following claim in Slichter's popular book, Principles of Magnetic Resonance (after Fig. 4.3, it's p100 in this version.). Despite the title, the author claims it in a quite general manner ...
34 views

### Change of vectors [on hold]

We have two vectors $F1$ and $F2$ as shown in figure. The change of vectors is shown as $F2-F1$. Why it is it rather than taking negative of vector $F2$ i.e. $-F2$ and then adding it by head-to-tail ...
202 views
+100

### Is quantum gravity, ignoring geometry, the theory of a fictitious force?

This question is motivated by this question and this one, but I will try to write it in such a way that it is not duplicate. In short, I don't understand the motivation for a "quantum theory of ...
19 views

### Angular Momentum conservation in star system

This question is related to what happens to a planetary body(like earth) when the star it is orbiting collapses under its own gravity. Suppose a star is rotating about its axis with some angular ...
110 views

### About the nonlocality of QM and faster-than-light/backward-in-time machines

The fact the quantum mechanics is nonlocal is known already for a long time, since the Bell works (1966 and later) and the Aspect's group experiments confirming the Bell-type CHSH inequality (1980 ...
65 views

### Is heat a property of Something?

There are some unique properties of things in our world. For example, charge is a property of mass. Is heat a unique property of something? Can a vacuum/void have a finite amount of heat in it? What ...
30 views

### How do we find the accuracy of atomic clocks?

We say that atomic clocks are the most accurate clocks ever made, they may lose or gain $x$ seconds in $y$ years. How do we find this uncertainty because we do not have an ideal clock to compare with ...
568 views

### Difference resultant aerodynamics force on an airfoil and a flat plate

From basic airfoil theory the following free body diagram can be determined for a two dimensional asymmetric airfoil: Here the direction of the resultant force is governed by the geometry of the ...
15 views

### String theory uncertainty limit? [duplicate]

Is there an uncertainty limit, constant (if there is a practically viable numerical constant) or not, to string theory? If so, could you explain what it means, the assumptions it has to hold to be ...
25 views

### Dipole approximation in solids

I have seen the use of dipole approximation (where the extent of the wave function is assumed to be much smaller than the wavelengths of the transitions or that of the electromagnetic field applied) ...
14 views

### On what parameters is breaking stress dependent?

I have recently studied Elasticity in materials. There was a question about breaking stress that if the area along which a linear force is applied is doubled, then what happens to the breaking stress. ...
25 views

### Can Van Allen Radiation belts act as a capacitor?

There are two Van Allen Belts at rougly 5000Km and 17000Km from the surface of the Earth each of them containing majority of one of the charges electrons and protons). Can these belts act as ...
21 views

### Vapour from a vessel's opening? [on hold]

I just noticed something interesting while I was in the chemistry lab. I heated some liquid( about 60 mL. Which consists of 20 mL of Oxalic acid solution and 20 mL of $H_2SO_4$) in a conical flask to ...
47 views

### Does irregular reflection form images?

In one of my test papers at school, we had a true-false question which said "Irregular reflection can form an image." I marked it true, however I was not given any marks for the question. I asked my ...
183 views

### Infinite dimensional vector spaces vs. the dual space

I just happened across this over on Math Overflow. It references the following theorem from linear algebra: A vector space has the same dimension as its dual if and only if it is finite ...
98 views

### Electromagnetism Boundary condition

The dielectric slab surrounded by air as shown in diagram has permittivity $\epsilon$ different from air and permeability almost same as air. Electric field everywhere within the slab is given to be ...
2k views

### What are galactic speeds measured against?

The Earth moves through space at 67,000 MPH. The Milky Way travels through a local group at 2,237,000 MPH. Wouldn't you need a fixed point to be able to measure velocity against? After all, compared ...
75 views

### How is Magnetic force on a current carrying conductor $Blb$

I was reading an answer about torque acting on a rectangular current carrying loop kept in a uniform magnitude field B. Force acting on each sides is $F_1$, $F_2$, $F_3$, $F_4$. It's written here : ...
25 views

### Topological S-matrix as an operator in the graphical calculus

My question comes from the following classic paper by Kitaev: Anyons in an exactly solved model and beyond (arXiv link) In Appendix E (pg 86), Kitaev introduces a diagram operator $S_z$ which acts ...
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### What is the temperature of the clear night sky from the surface of Earth?

Before you all jump in with 2.73 K or thereabouts, this is more of an experimental question. It will obviously depend on humidity and radiation being scattered back towards the surface of the Earth. ...
42 views

### Another condition of calculating work

Let's imagine that there is a box placed at the corner of a table, and I push it so that my applied force makes an angle of 30° from the table's surface. The box would move and, due to the effect ...