Monthly Archives: May 2010

Q: Is it possible to breach the center of a nebula?

The original question was: Is it possible to breach the center of a nebula? All the gases around it would make it hard for us to achieve this correct? Physicist: It wouldn’t be too bad.  If you were in a … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Astronomy | 1 Comment

Q: How does a gravitational sling shot actually speed things up?

Physicist: A gravitational slingshot (or “gravity assist”) is a slick way to pick up speed using a moving planet’s gravity.  What’s confusing about the gravitational slingshot is that, from the point of view of the planet, the object in question … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Physics | 31 Comments

Q: If energy is quantized, what is the least amount of energy possible? And how did they measure it?

Physicist: The name “quantum mechanics” is an old name, but also about the best name.  The name came about because it was noticed that the light created by passing electrical current through pure gases results in discrete, separated colors.  First … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Physics, Quantum Theory | 2 Comments

Q: How did Lord Kelvin come up with the absolute temperature? I mean, how could he say surely that it was 273.15 C below zero?

Physicist: Lord Kelvin (and others of his ilk) noticed that when you hold the volume of an ideal gas constant you get a nice, linear relationship between pressure and temperature. By the by, an ideal gas is just a gas … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Physics | 14 Comments

Q: What do complex numbers really mean or represent?

Physicist: Nothing really. Complex numbers are very useful for streamlining a lot of different types of math, generalizing ideas, and “closing” the real numbers.  In quantum theory you’ll find that on the most fundamental level the universe seems to prefer … Continue reading

Posted in -- By the Mathematician, -- By the Physicist, Math, Philosophical | 14 Comments