# All Questions

3answers
1k views

### What should a physics undergrad aspiring to be a string theorist learn before grad school?

The question I guess is pretty clear. I am a physics undergrad wishing to pursue research in quantum gravity(string theory?). What are the subjects I should learn other than the usual compulsory ...
1answer
217 views

### Fields of Steady Currents Using Electrostatics

Suppose you have a uniform ring charge rotating at constant angular velocity so that you also have a uniform ring of steady current, and thus you can use the Biot-Savart Law to compute the magnetic ...
1answer
281 views

### Improved energy-momentum tensor

While still dealing with this issue, I've stumbled upon this answer to a question asking about the conserved quantity corresponding to a scaling transformation. It mentions that in accordance with ...
3answers
906 views

### Why does inverting a song have no influence?

I inverted the waveform of a given song and was wondering what will happen. The result is that it sounds the exact same way as before. I used Audacity and doublechecked if the wave-form really is ...
1answer
220 views

### classical dynamics on group manifold SU(2)

I am trying to understand how to formulate classical dynamics on group manifold SU(2). This will be an exercise for me to the more advanced subject of path integral on group manifold. Does someone ...
2answers
718 views

### Force applied perpendicular to direction of motion, static or kinetic friction?

Let's assume we have a 1 kg cube on a flat uniform surface. The coefficients of friction between them are $\mu_k = 0.25$ and $\mu_s = 0.50$. This cube is moving at 1 m/s in the y direction, with ...
1answer
1k views

### Direction of friction on particle placed on a rotating turntable

If a particle is placed on a rotating turntable then the particle has a tendency to slip tangentially with respect to the underneath surface... So the friction should act tangentially to the ...
10answers
6k views

### Is time continuous or discrete?

While working on physics simulation software, I noticed that I had implemented discrete time (the only type possible on computers). By that I mean that I had an update mechanism that advanced the ...
1answer
698 views

### representation of SU(2)

The question is regarding SU(2) group and SU(2) algebra. The SU(2) group can be generated by exponentiating the generators of SU(2) algebra $X_a$ as $exp(i t_a X_a )$ with $t_a$ being three ...
2answers
170 views

### How is an ideal mirrored box of photons distinguishable from massive particles?

Suppose you have an ideal mirrored box that contains enough photons as to have a relativistic mass equivalent to the [rest mass + kinetic energy] of an electron. In other words, the two systems have ...
1answer
435 views

### How does Doppler effect differ between EM -waves in Electrodynamics and Sound -waves?

I have an electrodynamics -course that contains doupler -effect but unfortunately with little explanations. Is it the same thing as the classical doppler effect for example with sound, more here, or ...
3answers
176 views

### why nontrivially space-like connected event horizons do not respect unitarity?

I want to understand the assertion that the gluing between distant event horizons is forbidden by unitarity. What is exactly the argument that unitarity will necessarily forbid topological nontrivial ...
1answer
1k views

### Is there a difference between a postulate and a principle in physics?

Is there a difference between a postulate and a principle in physics? Both seem unproved statements taken as true. If thats correct, why the different names?
2answers
530 views

### How can we define BF theory on a general 4-manifold?

(I have rewritten the question some, with new understanding) 4d BF theory is classically presented as the TFT arising from the Lagrangian $B\wedge F$, where $B$ is an abelian 2-connection (locally ...
1answer
456 views

### Inductance of loop to a square wire? What is the induced current and the induced $\bar E$?

I am practising for the elementary-physics -course Tfy-0.1064, this puzzle is a simplified version of the problem 3A here (sorry not in English). My basic idea here is to understand a scenario with ...
2answers
163 views

### A large rock falls on your toe. Which concept is most important in determining how much it hurts?

A) The mass of the rock B) The weight of the rock C) Both the mass and the weight are important. D) Either the mass or the weight, as they are related by a single multiplicative constant, g. ...
2answers
420 views

### Mass vs. weight on a spring-loaded bathroom scale

You stand on a spring-loaded bathroom scale in a bathroom. The scale "reads" your mass. What is the scale actually measuring? Similarly, you stand on a spring-loaded bathroom scale in an elevator ...
3answers
441 views

### If I go to the church of the greater Hilbert space, can I have Unitary Collapse?

Actually, unitary pseudo-collapse? Von Neuman said quantum mechanics proceeds by two processes: unitary evolution and nonunitary reduction, also now called projection, collapse and splitting. ...
1answer
168 views

### How does the curiosity rover get it's power? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Mars Curiosity Power System I found a web page that said it uses Plutonium. I am sure it's not based on fusion or fission. What is the basic idea on which the power ...
2answers
4k views

### Do we live in a world with 4 or more dimension?

A NOVA show have told the audience that we are live in 3 dimensional world, the world we lived in is compose by 3 element: the energy, matter, space. By the time Einstein have invented the ...
1answer
101 views

### Where does the heat flow in the Earth's crust switch from primarily solar to geothermal?

Ok, maybe more of a geology question than physics, but maybe somebody has been involved in modeling these heat flows? Essentially I'm asking if we know what sort of depth the heat source becomes ...
1answer
637 views

2answers
230 views

### What is the Schechter luminosity function's domain of support?

I'm trying to fit a Schechter luminosity function to some data points, but it's not clear from this definition what the domain of support of the PDF should be. I'm familiar with the standard Pareto ...
3answers
336 views

### why there is no accuracy of the measured value of $G$?

With the advancement of Modern Technology still there is no accuracy of the measured value of $G$ Gravitational Constant, why!?
2answers
971 views

### What the difference between “orbital” and “orbit”?

What's the difference between "ortibal" and "orbit"? Which one should be used in physics? In quantum mechanics, is "atomic orbital" or "atomic orbit" used? And what about in classical mechanics? A ...
3answers
195 views

### In Copenhagen, can this idea preserve locality for Bell inequalities?

Generate an entangled pair of qubits. Send to Alice and Bob far away from each other. Both measure along basis in one of two possible orientations. The result is sent to Charlie at some later time, ...
1answer
147 views

### Optical laser pumping and reflectors

Let's say we are building Nd:YAG laser. It is optically pumped by some linear xenon flash lamps, it absorbs light around 750nm and 800nm, and emitted light is at 1064nm. The question is why doesn't ...

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