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  5. Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?

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Offline latebind

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« on: 06/12/2009 22:13:28 »
Besides the very common sphere (planets, stars), can you think of any other examples of natural geometric shapes in the universe or on earth??

Some ones to look for ...

Triangle , square, rectangle, cube, circle...

BTW: Animals can be included, in fact anything that is not made by man can be included!



« Last Edit: 07/12/2009 10:42:36 by latebind »
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Offline LeeE

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Re: Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #1 on: 07/12/2009 01:41:14 »
Crystalline structures.
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Offline RD

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Re: Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #2 on: 07/12/2009 02:39:47 »
Quote from: latebind on 06/12/2009 22:13:28
... I find square is difficult

Table salt is close* to square ...

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

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* Perfect geometric shapes are idealized mathematical concepts and don't occur in nature.

* H1104829-Common_salt_crystals,_SEM-SPL.jpg (100.25 kB, 530x530 - viewed 16279 times.)
« Last Edit: 07/12/2009 02:43:07 by RD »
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Offline latebind

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Re: Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #3 on: 07/12/2009 10:33:53 »
Quote from: DiscoverDave on 07/12/2009 02:24:31
Quote
Saturn, the sixth planet in our solar system, has caused quite a stir ... when the NASA Cassini Orbiter photographed a six sided geometric shape on the surface of the planet.
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Great one! WOW!
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Offline latebind

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Re: Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #4 on: 07/12/2009 10:36:24 »
Quote from: RD on 07/12/2009 02:39:47
Quote from: latebind on 06/12/2009 22:13:28
... I find square is difficult

Table salt is close* to square ...

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* Perfect geometric shapes are idealized mathematical concepts and don't occur in nature.

Very nice with the salt!

I however have to disagree with your statement ...

"* Perfect geometric shapes are idealized mathematical concepts and don't occur in nature."

I believe that they can and do exist, take for example a simple soap bubble, which can easily be a perfect sphere.
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Offline RD

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Re: Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #5 on: 07/12/2009 11:51:56 »
Quote from: latebind on 07/12/2009 10:36:24
I however have to disagree with your statement ...

"* Perfect geometric shapes are idealized mathematical concepts and don't occur in nature."

I believe that they can and do exist, take for example a simple soap bubble, which can easily be a perfect sphere.

Nope, gravity makes the soap bubble thicker at the bottom, distorting its shape from the ideal unattainable "perfect sphere".
« Last Edit: 07/12/2009 11:54:53 by RD »
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Offline latebind

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #6 on: 07/12/2009 17:05:48 »
Also , we do not yet know if atoms are perfect spheres yet, or if electrons are as well. They both could be perfect.

Also a rainbow is a perfect circle, as well as electric fields I assume.
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Offline RD

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #7 on: 08/12/2009 02:27:23 »
Quote from: latebind on 07/12/2009 17:05:48
Also a rainbow is a perfect circle.

Perfect geometric shapes cannot be made of lots of little bits, be they rain-drops or atoms.
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Offline RD

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #8 on: 08/12/2009 02:45:51 »
Rainbows (or garden-hose-bows) can be circular ...

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but not a perfect circle.
« Last Edit: 08/12/2009 02:54:05 by RD »
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Offline AllenG

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #9 on: 08/12/2009 03:42:59 »
Light travels in a straight line.

Fullerene comes in several geometric shapes.


Waves of all sorts are mathematically definable shapes.



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Offline RD

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #10 on: 08/12/2009 04:04:35 »
Quote from: AllenG on 08/12/2009 03:42:59
Light travels in a straight line.

Provided no mass is nearby ... ...sorry, you cannot view external links. To see them, please REGISTER or LOGIN

Quote from: AllenG on 08/12/2009 03:42:59
Waves of all sorts are mathematically definable shapes.

There can be realistic simulations of natural forms (ocean waves, rocks surfaces) using ...sorry, you cannot view external links. To see them, please REGISTER or LOGIN


* hokusi.jpg (60.23 kB, 500x335 - viewed 18015 times.)
« Last Edit: 08/12/2009 04:32:14 by RD »
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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #11 on: 08/12/2009 06:18:40 »
Hexagons in a cilinder:

Behold the carbon nanotube



EDIT: oops, I forgot that these tubes don't occur naturally  [:-\]
« Last Edit: 08/12/2009 06:20:15 by Nizzle »
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Offline RD

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #12 on: 08/12/2009 10:02:12 »
Quote from: Nizzle on 08/12/2009 06:18:40
Behold the carbon nanotube

EDIT: oops, I forgot that these tubes don't occur naturally  [:-\]

There are ...sorry, you cannot view external links. To see them, please REGISTER or LOGIN
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Offline Waldo Pepper

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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
« Reply #13 on: 08/12/2009 10:21:51 »
Fractals.

The fern leaf can be expressed as a recursive mathematical sequence.
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Can you find examples of geometric shapes found in the universe or on earth?
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