Greatest Hits
24
votes
10answers
508k views
What is the difference between weight and mass?
My science teacher is always saying the words "weight of an object" and "mass of an object," but then my physics book (that I read on my own) tells me completely different definitions from the way ...
8
votes
2answers
488k views
Example of situation with conduction, convection, and radiation
I am studying heat transfer and have learned there are three kinds of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. Some examples are:
Conduction:
Touching a stove and being burned
Ice ...
12
votes
6answers
469k views
Relation between pressure, velocity and area
In a nozzle, the exit velocity increases as per continuity equation $Av=const$
as given by Bernoulli equation (incompressible fluid). Pressure is inversely proportional to velocity, so we have lower ...
28
votes
6answers
229k views
What is the difference between diffraction and interference of light?
I know these two phenomena but I want to know a little deep explanation. What type of fringes are obtained in these phenomena?
63
votes
4answers
291k views
How does water evaporate if it doesn't boil?
When the sun is out after a rain, I can see what appears to be steam rising off a wooden bridge nearby. I'm pretty sure this is water turning into a gas.
However, I thought water had to reach 100 ...
13
votes
7answers
303k views
Why do bulbs glow brighter when connected in parallel?
Consider a circuit powered by a battery. If light bulbs are attached in parallel, the current will be divided across all of them. But if the light bulbs are connected in series, the current will be ...
52
votes
1answer
113k views
How does this “simple” electric train work?
In this YouTube video, a dry cell battery, a wound copper wire and a few magnets (see image below) are being used to create what can be described as "train". It looks fascinating but how does this ...
17
votes
5answers
214k views
Why does a glass rod when rubbed with silk cloth aquire positive charge and not negative charge?
I have read many times in the topic of induction that a glass rod when rubbed against a silk cloth acquires a positive charge. Why does it acquire positive charge only, and not negative charge?
It ...
13
votes
5answers
122k views
Why does the comb attract the pieces of papers if they're neutral?
When we rub our hairs with a comb, and then try to attract small pieces of paper, they're attracted by the comb. The pieces of the paper were not electrified before they were attracted. Then they ...
700
votes
21answers
238k views
Cooling a cup of coffee with help of a spoon
During the breakfast with my colleagues, a question popped into my head:
What is the fastest method to cool a cup of coffee, if your only available instrument is a spoon?
A qualitative answer would ...
66
votes
9answers
176k views
Why doesn't the Moon fall onto the Earth?
Why doesn't the Moon fall onto the Earth? For that matter, why doesn't anything rotating a larger body ever fall onto the larger body?
145
votes
7answers
180k views
How do moving charges produce magnetic fields?
I'm tutoring high school students. I've always taught them that:
A charged particle moving without acceleration produces an electric as well as a magnetic field.
It produces an electric field ...
33
votes
3answers
165k views
Why do we use Root Mean Square (RMS) values when talking about AC voltage
What makes it a good idea to use RMS rather than peak values of current and voltage when we talk about or compute with AC signals.
9
votes
4answers
208k views
What is the difference between phase difference and path difference?
The path difference is the difference between the distances travelled by two waves meeting at a point. Given the path difference, how does one calculate the phase difference?
64
votes
10answers
147k views
Why is light called an 'electromagnetic wave' if it's neither electric nor magnetic?
How can light be called electromagnetic if it doesn't appear to be electric nor magnetic?
If I go out to the sunlight, magnets aren't affected (or don't seem to be). And there is no transfer of ...
12
votes
2answers
141k views
How can a salt solution conduct electrical current?
How does a sodium chloride solution conduct electricity?
I know that sodium chloride dissociates into sodium and chloride ions in water, so when a voltage is applied, those ions can move. However, if ...
19
votes
6answers
168k views
Why do two bodies of different masses fall at the same rate (in the absence of air resistance)?
I'm far from being a physics expert and figured this would be a good place to ask a beginner question that has been confusing me for some time.
According to Galileo, two bodies of different masses, ...
32
votes
7answers
238k views
How exactly does time slow down near a black hole?
How exactly does time slow down near a black hole? I have heard this as a possible way of time traveling, and I do understand that it is due in some way to the massive gravity around a black hole, but ...
48
votes
17answers
179k views
How can momentum but not energy be conserved in an inelastic collision?
In inelastic collisions, kinetic energy changes, so the velocities of the objects also change.
So how is momentum conserved in inelastic collisions?
42
votes
6answers
235k views
Why is AC more “dangerous” than DC?
After going through several forums, I became more confused whether it is DC or AC that is more dangerous. In my text book, it is written that the peak value of AC is greater than that of DC, which is ...
38
votes
3answers
249k views
Virtual vs Real image
I'm doing magnification and lens in class currently, and I really don't get why virtual and real images are called what they are.
A virtual image occurs the object is less than the focal length of ...
1
vote
6answers
193k views
Water pressure calculation for a volume of water at a given height
I'm looking to create a rain harvesting system. I have a 275 gallon IBC tote that is 48" x 40" x 46". I have an adapter for a 3/4 garden hose at the bottom of the IBC tote. I'm trying to figure out ...
170
votes
9answers
227k views
If photons have no mass, how can they have momentum?
As an explanation of why a large gravitational field (such as a black hole) can bend light, I have heard that light has momentum. This is given as a solution to the problem of only massive objects ...
20
votes
5answers
172k views
How does the freezing temperature of water vary with respect to pressure?
I know when the pressure is reduced, the boiling temperature of water is reduced as well. But how does the pressure affect the freezing point of water?
In a low-pressure environment, is water's ...
9
votes
4answers
133k views
5
votes
10answers
210k views
What does the magnitude of the acceleration mean?
I am a little confused as to what the magnitude of acceleration is and what it means.
53
votes
6answers
113k views
Why doesn't the frequency of light change during refraction?
When light passes from one medium to another its velocity and wavelength change. Why doesn't frequency change in this phenomenon?
5
votes
4answers
144k views
Relation between Electric field and potential
I am unable to understand from this - sign comes. Which step I have done wrong?
21
votes
4answers
111k views
What is the difference between center of mass and center of gravity?
What is the difference between center of mass and center of gravity?
These terms seem to be used interchangeably.
Is there a difference between them for non-moving object on Earth, or moving objects ...
10
votes
9answers
140k views
What is a phase of a wave and a phase difference?
What is the meaning of the phase of a wave and phase difference? How do you visualize it?
19
votes
6answers
126k views
What is the difference between stress and pressure?
What is the difference between stress and pressure? Are there any intuitive examples that explain the difference between the two? How about an example of when pressure and stress are not equal?
10
votes
7answers
98k views
What causes an electric shock - Current or Voltage?
Though voltage and current are two interdependent physical quantity, I would like to know what gives more "shock" to a person - Voltage or Current? In simple words, will it cause more "electric - ...
27
votes
5answers
273k views
Jumping into water
Two questions:
Assuming you dive head first or fall straight with your legs first, what is the maximal height you can jump into water from and not get hurt?
In other words, an H meter fall into water ...
18
votes
4answers
91k views
Why does ice have a lower density than water?
Can someone explain me why is ice less dense than water?
As I know, all solids are usually denser than the liquids (correct me if I am wrong).
126
votes
17answers
109k views
With Newton's third law, why are things capable of moving?
I've got a rather humiliating question considering newton's third law
"If an object A exterts a force on object B, then object B exerts an equal but opposite force on object A" -> $F_1=-F_2$
...
14
votes
5answers
166k views
Which direction does air flow?
I remember learning this in high school, but have forgotten it, and can't seem to find it anywhere online.
Air travels from areas of high pressure to low pressure...correct? So if I have a cold room ...
10
votes
4answers
71k views
A simple derivation of the Centripetal Acceleration Formula?
Could someone show me a simple and intuitive derivation of the Centripetal Acceleration Formula $a=v^2/r$, preferably one that does not involve calculus or advanced trigonometry?
22
votes
4answers
150k views
What exactly is the difference between radiation, conduction, and convection?
Okay, so everywhere I've read, I hear the main difference is the requirement of a medium. But for example, if you take the case of heat 'radiating' from a red-hot iron, isn't that actually convection ...
4
votes
4answers
179k views
How to determine the direction of induced current flow?
There are three ways of inducing current in a loop/coil of wire as shown in my book. We can have a magnet approach a coil of wire, or a wire approaching a magnet. Both can be understood in the same ...
7
votes
4answers
127k views
22
votes
4answers
176k views
Does the rotation of the earth dramatically affect airplane flight time?
Say I'm flying from Sydney, to Los Angeles (S2LA), back to Sydney (LA2S).
During S2LA, travelling with the rotation of the earth, would the flight time be longer than LA2S on account of Los Angeles ...
16
votes
3answers
115k views
Why do birds sitting on electric wires not get shocked?
When we touch electric wires, we get shocked. Why don't birds sitting on electric wires not get shocked?
52
votes
11answers
14k views
Is Schrodinger's Cat itself an observer?
In Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment,
why doesn't the cat itself qualify as an observer?
Reading through the replies there seem to be two suggestions for what can take the role of observer:
any ...
7
votes
3answers
171k views
What is the sign of the work done on the system and by the system?
What is the sign of the work done on the system and by the system?
My chemistry book says when work is done on the system, it is positive. When work is done by the system, it is negative.
My physics ...
27
votes
8answers
112k views
Difference between live and neutral wires
In domestic electrical circuits, there are 3 wires - live, earth and neutral. What is the difference between the live and neutral wires?
As there is AC supply, it means that there are no fixed ...
56
votes
14answers
125k views
What is the simplest way to prove the Earth is round?
Assume you've come in contact with a tribe of people cut off from the rest of the world, or you've gone back in time several thousand years, or (more likely) you've got a numbskull cousin.
How would ...
29
votes
3answers
99k views
How is light affected by gravity?
Light is clearly affected by gravity, just think about a black hole, but light supposedly has no mass and gravity only affects objects with mass.
On the other hand, if light does have mass then doesn'...
76
votes
7answers
107k views
Will a hole cut into a metal disk expand or shrink when the disc is heated?
Take a metal disc and cut a small, circular hole in the center.
When you heat the whole thing, will the hole's diameter increase or decrease? and why?
What will happen to the diameter of disc?
76
votes
4answers
98k views
Why do same/opposite electric charges repel/attract each other, respectively?
I know plus pushes another plus away, but why, really, do they do that? On the other hand, molecules of the same type are attracted to each other. I find that weird.
I do know some stuff about four ...
71
votes
14answers
142k views
What is the difference between “kinematics” and “dynamics”?
I have noticed that authors in the literature sometimes divide characteristics of some phenomenon into "kinematics" and "dynamics".
I first encountered this in Jackson's E&M book, where, in ...
