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Technology / Re: Can you explain this demonstration of a capacitor?

« on: 24/03/2023 20:09:16 »

Thank you, ES. In question ( b ) the ammeter is registering a redistribution of charge between the variable cap and a fixed cap( the electroscpe ). Nothing new here, just my explanation of how i see it. In your final query the insertion of the dielectric leads to a lower stored energy so i imagine there is an attractive force when inserting the sheet and removing the sheet would require work, and hence reestablishment of the original 1/2CV˛.

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Technology / Re: Can you explain this demonstration of a capacitor?

« on: 24/03/2023 12:35:19 »

Been out of the country for 8 days and missed this one-would have liked to reply but there is little point now as comprehensive answers have been supplied. If touching equipment or even hand proximity causes any change, one's experiment is ill-conceived.

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Physiology & Medicine / Re: Why do some people not get hangovers?

« on: 07/03/2023 20:11:29 »

Two strategies to diminish hangover severity markedly, neither of which I recommend: ( 1 ) if one drinks to excess on a regular basis hangovers become very much reduced. How long this can be maintained I do not know and I suspect the ongoing biochemical insult will result in a reversal of said effect. ( 2 ) if taking an old style tricyclic antidepressant for about a month hangovers become almost non existent. Don't ask me why as I have no idea concerning these effects. I can testify that both strategies work, all as a consequence of a miss-spent youth. I have heard that drinking two pints of water prior to hitting the sack can help but I have never tried it. These days I hardly ever drink.

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That CAN'T be true! / Re: How can academia tolerate such error?

« on: 04/03/2023 10:59:12 »

ZerO, check out dr Dolores Cahill, one of our own academics who fell down the rabbit hole and has not been able to extricate herself yet. 

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That CAN'T be true! / Re: How can academia tolerate such error?

« on: 28/02/2023 12:37:57 »

Internal combustion engine=ice. I am sorry for any confusion, I should not be using abbreviations that may be misunderstood. PS, as explained to ZerO I haven't fully emerged from my annual hibernation phase.

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That CAN'T be true! / Re: How can academia tolerate such error?

« on: 27/02/2023 11:40:18 »

ZerO, apologies, I missed your reply( I have been in my hibernation phase ). As far as I know he is still active, ie not an emeritus prof.

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General Science / Re: Why Does Making A Sandwich Enable Ewe To Cut Anything?

« on: 02/02/2023 20:05:56 »

I assume that the meat content of that sandwich is thinly sliced mutton?

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General Science / Re: How fast does a magnet attract ?..and other magnet questions !

« on: 17/01/2023 10:46:58 »

Yes indeed, Zero, I have noticed this phenomenon too but I have no explanation. I too have a question, more troubling imho: how can a thread go on and on when clear precise answers have been graciously provided but seemingly to no avail? Without any finger pointing these threads concern the behaviour of electromagnetic waves.

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Just Chat! / Re: Another yuletide maths puzzle

« on: 28/12/2022 09:31:41 »

A quick spur of the moment guess- factorial 1000 sec. As I said that is just a quick guess, it hurts to think about it in depth, we have an unwelcome viral visitor in our humble abode at the moment though I seem to be least affected. PS I thoroughly agree concerning the thrash that we are exposed to at this time of the year.PPS: I didn't fully read your question- that's my answer to (1), i'm not up for any more.

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Just Chat! / Re: How many titles are applicable to naked science contributors?

« on: 23/12/2022 08:54:30 »

I say thanks if I learn something new or if some post answers a question in an elegant and comprehensive manner. Sometimes I miss a post and add the thanks much later. I am also guilty of saying thanks when a poster agrees with me!

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 20/12/2022 08:35:19 »

I understand what Hamdani is alluding to and it is something I have often thought about-permeability and permittivity are macroscopic properties derived fundamentally from the presence of charges in said material. Do they have a meaning at the atomic level? Have to run now, working today, mv switchroom in a stinking meat plant-yuck.

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General Science / Re: Is science a religion.........well if not why is it defended as though it were

« on: 16/12/2022 19:34:07 »

Religion is concerned with beliefs, science is concerned with facts. Two entirely different fields of thought. QED as Euclid would have said.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 10/12/2022 16:32:03 »

Completely off topic; I just want to briefly say what a pleasure all of you have provided an old fogey like myself in such stimulating ( for me, certainly ) debate.

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Just Chat! / Re: Is "new theories" getting worse?

« on: 09/12/2022 20:56:41 »

Good decision there, Kryptid, countering bullshit gets tiresome when there seems to be an endless stream of it. I feel an obligation to try to enlighten those who are mired in absolute nonsense but it is rarely productive. Such is life.

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New Theories / Re: An essay in futility, too long to read :)

« on: 08/12/2022 16:57:01 »

Referenda for all major decisions would cripple any government. Democracy is preferable to many other systems but it is not without problems. I believe it was Winston Churchill who said - "democracy is not the best government system, it is the least worst", or words to that effect. Any proposed government system will be riddled with problems, due to the vagaries of human nature.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 07/12/2022 17:05:18 »

Hi, Eternal Student, I am still digesting your damped oscillator maths. I also re-read the whole thread to clarify your requirements and I found an error on post #20( shock, horror ). You have c=1/με when it should be 1/sqrtμε. It's possible that you have accounted for this in the subsequent maths but I haven' determined that yet ( i'm rather slow ).

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 04/12/2022 16:23:33 »

Colin2b, if you document the incident frequencies accurately one will not get new frequencies, ie addition and subtraction species unless there is a non linear element present to perform frequency mixing. On transmission towers frequently multiple frequencies are simultaneously emitted without a hint of mixing; a rusty bolt on the tower can change this, causing multiple spurious intermodulation products.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 04/12/2022 10:06:02 »

Eternal Student, I would have THOUGHT no, to your question about lasers of different frequencies. One can throw n+1 radio frequencies at a target and they will remain discrete unless there is some non linear element that allows mixing( a+b, a-b ). I hate to say this, but I fear you are doing what I am regularly accused of, that is "mixing quantum and classical" in the argument( I wrote the last sentence reluctantly, I certainly don't want to be offensive ).

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New Theories / Re: If there was one Big Bang event, why not multiple big bangs?

« on: 02/12/2022 20:23:59 »

An advanced civilisation would be using low power point to point and cable systems for communication. Using 500kw for an am transmitter and 50kw for tv is very wasteful of energy. The chance of picking up a signal at the distances involved is negligible, if said race is advanced enough to be energy efficient. The era of terrestrial high power transmission on earth has lasted ~100years and is now fading out.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Is there an experiment that shows the oscillation in the E field of light?

« on: 02/12/2022 20:03:15 »

yor-on, it is not possible to run a signal frequency up to that of visible light. Low microwave frequencies are the highest achievable with current electronics, well short of visible light. By the way, I thought you only did catastrophe, now you are digressing into physics-a good move imho.