# All Questions

659 views

### Zeta-function regularization in QFT for heat kernels

When one is doing zeta-function regularization of the heat-kernel for QFT then one is doing these following steps, the integral over the imaginary time taking the trace of the heat-kernel or the ...
330 views

### Hydrostatics: Log floating in water near a dam

So I am studying for a final and can't seem to solve this. There is a log floating in water and I need to find its weight. The question I have is what parts of the volume of the log count when summing ...
267 views

### Numerical algorithms to generate a random wavefunction from a thermal ensemble

I am seeking an algorithm to generate a random wavefunction = $\sum {c_i |\varphi _i\rangle }$ from a thermal ensemble, whose density matrix $\rho \sim e^{-\beta H}$, without the need to diagonalize ...
107 views

### Lumped circuit model of Earth and Sun as a thermal system

I want to design a thermal model of the Sun heating up the Earth. The circuit below is my own design (I don't know if there is a better way to model it. If there is, please tell me.). I want to ...
104 views

### Higgs Field - Is its discovery truly “around the corner”?

Rather surprised I haven't seen many questions or discussion regarding the rumored confirmation of the Higgs field. As I understand it, the energies where they saw things were actually quite a bit ...
3k views

### Real world examples for projectile thrown upwards or downwards

I am preparing a physics course for high school about projectile motions. If a projectile moves with initial velocity $v_0$ in the gravitational field of the earth, the equation  s(t) = 1/2 g t^2 ...
1k views

### On the Coulomb branch of N=2 supersymmetric gauge theory

The chiral ring of the Coulomb branch of a 4D $\mathcal N=2$ supersymmetric gauge theory is given by the Casimirs of the vector multiplet scalars, and they don't have non-trivial relations; the ...
172 views

### Derivatives of delta function and equation of continuity for a single charge…

For a single charge $e$ with position vector $\textbf R$, the charge density $\rho$ and and current density $\textbf{j}$ are fiven by: \rho(\textbf{r},t)= ...
180 views

### Is reflection just a particular case of scattering?

I was talking to a colleague about optical scattering from a metallic nanoparticle, and we had a very simple doubt. If you have a particle that's small compared to the illuminated area, you can use ...
8k views

### Why do bass tones travel through walls?

I was in the shower while my roommate was listening to music and got to thinking about the fact that I could only hear the bass and lower drums through the walls. Why is this? The two possibilities I ...
3k views

### What symmetry causes the Runge-Lenz vector to be conserved?

Noether's theorem relates symmetries to conserved quantities. For a central potential $V \propto \frac{1}{r}$, the Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector is conserved. What is the symmetry associated with the ...
378 views

### Finding coefficient of proportionality

Recently in my AP Physics class I did a lab in which I measured k for a spring by setting up an oscillating system with it, and timing the period, repeating for different masses. Since ...
52 views

### catalysts as traces in a monoidal category

I was fooling around with string diagrams in a monoidal category and I was thinking about them in terms of chemical reactions. I wondered about bending a wire around and attaching it to the input of ...
385 views

### Some questions about the logics of the principles of independence of motion and composition of motion

In high-school level textbooks* one encounters often the principles of independence of motion and that of composition (or superpositions) of motions. In this context this is used as "independence of ...
178 views

### Why can't a stable star have radius 1 < r < 9/8 its Schwarzschild radius?

From http://www.spacetimetravel.org/ssm/ssm.html : A mass of 1.78 [in geometric units] corresponds to a ratio of radius to Schwarzschild radius of 9/8. Theory predicts that a smaller ratio is not ...
407 views

### Time-ordering vs normal-ordering and the two-point function/propagator

I don't understand how to calculate this generalized two-point function or propagator, used in some advanced topics in quantum field theory, a normal ordered product (denoted between $::$) is ...
6k views

### How can I prevent being zapped by static electricity every time I touch a doorknob or handle in the office?

I don't know what it is about this office, but it seems everything I touch (doorknob, bathroom faucet, edge of kitchen sink in the break room), I get zapped by static electricity. It's getting old. ...
448 views

### Virasoro constraints in quantization of the Polyakov action

The generators of the Virasoro algebra (actually two copies thereof) appear as constraints in the classical theory of the Polyakov action (after gauge fixing). However, when quantizing only "half" of ...
193 views

### Convergence of quantum effective action to finite loop order

Consider the quantum effective action of a fixed QFT. If we compute it perturbatively to finite loop order $\ell$, we get a sum over an infinite number of Feynman diagrams. For example, the 1-loop ...
409 views

### What is escape velocity? In reality, how can something no longer be under the gravitational influence of something else?

Isn't G a continuous function and although you leave the immediate vicinity of the earth with an escape velocity won't it always exert a force, however small it may be. Won't that force eventually ...
139 views

### What are some examples of how the discovery of dark energy can impact other, seemingly unrelated, branches of physics?

We know that dark energy is leading to the accelerating expansion of the universe and therefore determines the ultimate fate of our universe, but what other implications might it have on physics and ...
1k views

### How do electromagnetic waves carry quantised energy?

If an electron oscillates about a mean position, it will create a time varying electric filed which in turn will create a time varying magnetic field and so on to create an electromagnetic wave. How ...
2k views

### Magnetic fields and friction

If I was to pass a metal object through a magnetic field would there be any friction?
26 views

### Measurement of Tangential Momentum Accomodation? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Measurement of Tangential Momentum Accomodation? I am using atomic force microscopy (AFM) for characterizing pores of the size of nanometers for application in gas ...
694 views

### How does a V formation save fuel for the lead plane?

I'm watching an episode of Mythbusters where they show aircraft saving 3-5% fuel when flying in a tight V formation. Interestingly, this also applies for the lead airplane. How is that possible for ...
194 views

### Can the implications of dark energy be used to bridge the gap between Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity?

Can the findings of the Physics Nobel Laureates of 2011, namely the overpowering existence of dark energy (vacuum energy) have any implications in the quest the combine Quantum Mechanics and General ...
63 views

### Best observing techniques for a Total Lunar Eclipse?

Is there any good tricks to observing a total lunar eclipse that I should be aware of? Just wanting to know what to do to be prepared for the upcoming one, but please post in general for future ...
206 views

### Why is the shadow of earth red?

Reading this article about the forthcoming eclipse on December 10th, I noticed mention that the moon passes through the red shadow of Earth; I'd always held the impression that a shadow is universally ...
170 views

### What about the other side of the Black Hole

I was wondering if on the recieving end of a black hole can you see the photons being sucked in
504 views

### How scientists estimated that our universe is 4% normal matter, 21% dark matter, and 75% dark energy?

Is there a simple way to understand how scientists estimated/calculated the following percentages?
837 views

### Why are $\mu_0$ and $\epsilon_0$, which appear in electrostatics and magnetostatics, related to the speed of light which appears in electrodynamics?

$\epsilon_0$ and $\mu_0$ appear in electrostatics and magnetostatics. When we include time varying fields we have electrodynamics and the appearance of c which turns out to be related to $\epsilon_0$ ...
4k views

### How does space affect the human body (no space suit, no space craft)

How does "outer space" affect the human body? Some movies show it as the body exploding, imploding or even freezing solid. I know space is essentially a vacuum with 0 pressure and the dispersion of ...
497 views

### How to calculate total distance and time a puck will move?

To simulate a puck's movement, I use the following model (please restrain from discussing the model, it makes the simulation look the way I want it to) and would like to know how to calculate the ...
420 views

### Pauli Matrices in orthogonal space

In some literature there is reference to $\tau$ matrices which are the same pauli matrices in an orthogonal space. I have not seen any explicit constructions of this anywhere. Could someone tell me or ...
407 views

### How do I calculate the time it would take for a space craft launching from earth to reach another planet?

I am making a matlab program the my final project for my programming class in college. I have chosen this problem, but I am bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out the equations and how ...
50 views

### Energy transferring question

If I have a spring being compressed by two bodies, A and B, with different masses, how much energy would be transferred to each one when they are released and the spring expanded?
583 views

### Why do 3d spheres and gravity tend to rotating discs on one plane?

Whether is it our solar system or a whole galaxy, there is usually a massive object (star or black hole) at the centre with gas and objects rotating around it. The gravitational effect of the ...
498 views

### Calculating stress without strain

I am working on an algorithm for a real-time simulation. I would like to calculate to extremely permissive tolerances approximate values for the stress within a 2D geometry. It will not be difficult ...
956 views

### What are brain waves? [closed]

I watched a documentary showing that humans could alter the results of an experiment by thinking about it, and the data these people collected supported their hypothesis. And the reason these people ...
843 views

### How to write the Fröhlich Hamiltonian in one dimension?

I am currently working on a (functional) analysis problem refining Pekar's Ansatz (or adiabatic approximation, as it is called in his beautiful 1961 manuscript "Research in Electron Theory of ...
293 views

### Is there more mass in stars or interstellar medium?

From what I gather the interstellar medium has about about 1 atom per cubic centimeter. But on the other hand, as they say, "Space is big, really really big" So if it is known (or at least theorized ...
5k views

### How might clock synchronization work with RSA SecurID tokens?

My workplace uses these things to generate one-time passwords which only work within a short time period. I have always been curious about how the clock synchronisation between the authentication ...
251 views

### The effect of an EMP on circuits

Which of these is the current (also, what about voltage?) induced by an EMP pulse within a circuit most dependent on? The area of the region enclosed by the circuit The orientation of that area with ...
291 views

### Calculating the Suns vector and distance from the Earth at one time

I am developing a C++ program where I'd like to be able to see the Suns direction vector and distance from Earth at a given time, since 2000 Jan 0.0 TDT. The reference frame I want to calculate it is ...
371 views

### How much energy is contained in a 40 meter wave?

Consider a wave that stands 40 meters high in the sea on very deep water. How much energy would approximately be contained in this wave if it was 100 meters wide and had been produced by wind? Is ...
314 views

### Why do balls in a spinning ellipsoid move to the minor axis plane?

There is a question concerning the Physics of a small child's tall that has been bothering me for some time now. I have investigated this to a small degree, but I have not been able to find a ...
100 views

### Can the Lamb shift be expressed in more-or-less closed form in terms of the renormalized 2-, 3-,…,n-point VEVs of QED?

I see here that there are three contributions to the Lamb shift, from vacuum polarization (-27 MHz), from electron mass renormalization(+1017 MHz), and from the anomalous magnetic moment (+68 MHz). ...
2k views

### Easy to obtain liquid with freezing point a couple of degrees above 0 Celsius [closed]

Please advice me a liquid whose freezing point is 2-5 Celsius. I know that the solution of salt in water can have freezing point of about -3 Celsius. I would like to know if similar liquid but with ...