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General Science / Re: work out the weight

« on: 03/04/2012 13:12:55 »

  Well done Clifford    the answer is indeed 12 pounds     its a simple algebra question made tricky by its wording...   the question is basically    What is the weight of a the brick ?

This one has caused a helluva rumpus in work  even amongst academics ..its only when i DREW it on a board as a seesaw   with a brick on one side.. balanced by a half brick and a 4lb weight on the other that SOME people started to get it !!!!

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General Science / How much does a brick and a half weigh?

« on: 03/04/2012 00:50:35 »

if a brick weighs 4pounds and half a brick
  then what does a brick and a half weigh ?

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / how will Earth appear through my rear view mirror ?

« on: 03/04/2012 00:43:08 »

If the Earth is travelling through space at about 4000 MPH   then if I launch a space ship from earth in the opposite dirrection of orbit AND..... if I   have rear view mirror  ...would the earth appear to be travelling away from me at 4000mph Plus my speed of travel in the opposite direction?  also   if i traveled on a spacecraft out of the Earth's gravitational field  and I wanted to return to Earth!  then it wouldnt be where I left it !  so do I have to hang around in space until it comes passed and then "jump" onto a planet travelling at 4000mph???

PS   If I haven;t got the orbit speed right then Im sorry  ..it doesnt matter  its a hypothetical question!  and if you are really pedantic then just imagine you are on an Earth that orbits the Sun at 4000mph  then do the maths !

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The Environment / Re: Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees C?

« on: 03/04/2012 00:26:01 »

Good spot on the Rankine!

0 degrees is O degrees in ANY scale   so what is twice as cold as 0 degrees?  its not about what you consider "cold"  its what 0 degrees is !
I will reword my question in a boring way       
"What is twice as cold as 0 degrees?"     (in ANY scale)

PS   just so thst you know that I am actually thinking scientifically...I assume that the upper most temp on the scale makes a difference to the answer !

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Technology / Re: HOW DO I KNOW HOW TO STEER MY MOTORBIKE ??

« on: 30/03/2012 23:07:20 »

Do you remember falling off your bike when you were learning to ride it as a kid?
It's not instinctive, you find out the hard way what happens if you get it wrong. That's why people start out on bikes without engines.
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I think that is just a developmental thing like hand to eye coordination...as a kid you cant catch a ball...you have to practice  ...  the reason we fall off a bike when we first learn to ride is because we haven't yet convinced ourselves that we can actually balance on two wheels ..childlike logic tells us that we can't.. I once witnessed an adult aged 32 get on a bicycle for the very first time and,, apart from abit of a wobble   s,, she could actuallly ride it without having to learn

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The Environment / Re: Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees C?

« on: 30/03/2012 09:33:15 »

even though this is a bit of fun    why are people just coming up with  figures and no explanation of how they came up with it ?  Int that a teensy bit pompous to assume that everyone will accept that they are correct?
 Its not a very scientific way of presenting something either is it?  if you presented an essay like that without backing up claims then you would either fail or get the essay returned unmarked

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Technology / Re: HOW DO I KNOW HOW TO STEER MY MOTORBIKE ??

« on: 30/03/2012 09:25:04 »

Thanks  for the link Geezer   It certainly does discuss the physics concerned but i was already aware of that (even if i dont actually understand it)   But that wasnt my question.. My question was "how do i know what to do"  or how does anyone else know for that matter  ..After all , we ALL do it instinctively when its not actually the logical thing to do ?

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The Environment / Re: Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees?

« on: 29/03/2012 19:37:05 »

why are some people being so literal ? the weatherman didn't REALLY say that...its a hypothetical question ! 

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Technology / Re: Will I see a working Hover-board in my lifetime?

« on: 29/03/2012 13:00:03 »

Why does everyone have this preoccupation with hoverboards as being the epitome of futuristic technology?

I can think of much better applications for "hover technology"   how about

Hover luggage
hover wheelchairs
hover oil rigs
hover stretchers
hover shoes
hover wheelbarrows  etc etc etc

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Technology / HOW DO I KNOW HOW TO STEER MY MOTORBIKE ??

« on: 29/03/2012 12:50:12 »

this should probably be under PHYSICS  but it involves engineering as well
 
When i drive a car or anything with a steering wheel, i turn the wheel left to go left and right to go right !
BUT !  when i ride my motorbike I turn the handlebars left to go right and right to go left.. if any of you out there ride a bicycle or motorbike then just make yourself consciously aware of where you apply forces on the bars and you will find that you are doing the same.. this phenomena kicks in usually over 10mph.. You HAVE to do it otherwise the bike will go the wrong way.. (its something to do with torque combined with gyroscopics) the bars dont actually turn because you can't turn them against the spin of the wheel.. Its the BIKE that turns (or leans) when you apply these counter steering forces..
My question is ..... if I have never been taught to do this ..and ...I was previously unaware of this phenomena... then.. HOW DID I KNOW WHAT TO DO ?

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Question of the Week / Re: QotW - 09.04.26 - Do magnets remove lime scale from water pipes?

« on: 28/03/2012 00:25:10 »

I cant see how it could possibly work   If it did then surely it would only provide a limescale free band around the pipe where the magnet is...this theory was probably started by dippy hippies who think that crystals actually DO stuff that influence your life /health/happiness etc    IE complete crap !

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The Environment / Re: Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees?

« on: 28/03/2012 00:21:15 »

11 views   no suggestions yet !

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The Environment / Re: Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees?

« on: 27/03/2012 21:48:16 »

If the temperature is zero degrees C  and the weatherman says it will be twice as cold tomorrow ...what will the temperature be tomorrow ?

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The Environment / Can we get "twice as cold" as 0 degrees C?

« on: 27/03/2012 21:41:18 »

if it is 0 degrees celcius outside and the weatherman says that it will be twice as cold tomorrow ...what will the temperature be tomorrow ?

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Physiology & Medicine / WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT "OLD PERSON" SMELL

« on: 27/03/2012 16:35:39 »

I think every one of us is familiar  with that old person smell.. i dont mean unhygienic smells from neglected , unwashed, incontinent old people.. I mean that typical Granny or old Aunt smell. its always the same . Although i noticed something interesting lately in that, a woman i work with is only in her mid to late 50's but has the old person smell... she lives in in her old Mum's house and dresses like an old woman  so maybe its a life style thing  .. my parents, however are aged 81 and 76 and they live active lives in relatively modern surroundings and they dont have "the smell"...i have posted this question to various science forums and no one has ever being able to answer the question (or even suggest an answer)  "WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT OLD PEOPLE SMELL OF?