Popular Physics
Defining the musical interval of the Kirnberger kernel, or Kirn-kern, to be one-twelfth the atom of Kirnberger, or the difference between a grad and a schisma, its natural logarithm, k = (161/12)\ln{2}-7\ln{3}-\ln{5}, is extremely small, k…
It is shown how repeated observations of the sunset from various points up a tall building can be used to determine the Earth's radius. The same observations can also be used, at some latitudes, to deduce an approximate value for the amount…
Temporal explanations to the Fermi paradox state that the vast scale of the galaxy diminishes the chances of establishing contact with an extraterrestrial technological civilization (ETC) within a certain time window. This argument is…
Modern theories of fundamental interactions describe strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions as quantum field theories with certain kinds of embedded internal symmetries called `gauge symmetries'. This article introduces quantum field…
The heuristic principle that constructive dynamics may arise wherever there exists a difference, or gradient, is discussed. Consideration of black-hole entropy appears to provide a clue for setting a lower bound on any extensive measure of…
The standing wave solution on an idealized mass spring system can be found using straight forward algebra. The solution is found when this system makes jump rope like rotations around an axis.The standing wave forms a constant shape in a…
We study the gravity assist in the general case, i.e. when the spacecraft is not in a coplanar motion with respect to the planet's orbit. Our derivation is based on Kepler's planetary motion and Galilean addition of velocities, subjects…
In this article we exploit the fact that the special relativistic formula which relates the energy and the 3-momentum of an elementary particle with its rest mass, resembles the pythagorean theorem for right triangles. Using such triangles,…
The time dilation of non-inertial travelers in circular and polygonal closed paths are well known. In both cases observers completing a round trip will age less than an observer at rest with respect to the circle / polygon. This rapid aging…
I survey physics theories involving parallel universes, arguing that they form a natural four-level hierarchy of multiverses allowing progressively greater diversity. Level I: A generic prediction of inflation is an infinite ergodic…
This is a written version of a popular science talk for school children given on India's National Science Day 2009 at Mumbai. I discuss what distinguishes solids, liquids and gases from each other. I discuss briefly granular matter that in…
Hubble's name is associated closely with the idea of an expanding universe as he discovered the relation between the recession velocity and distances of galaxies. Hubble also did a lot of pioneering work on the distribution of galaxies in…
We review a work by M.Ninomiya and myself about a model for the initial state - i.e. which solution to the equations of motions - that is being realized. The to be realized solution is suggeted to be the one for which a certain number…
We present the physics of the quantum Zeno effect, whose gist is often expressed by invoking the adage "a watched pot never boils". We review aspects of the theoretical and experimental work done on the effect since its inception in 1977,…
It is shown that the putting stroke of world class golfers can be described as the motion of a pendulum driven at twice its natural resonance frequency. This model minimizes error in the speed of the putter head due to random errors in the…
Methods are presented for measuring thrust using common force sensors and data acquisition to construct a dynamic force plate. A spreadsheet can be used to compute trajectory by integrating the equations of motion numerically. These…
Since that very memorable day at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, a big question on every sports commentator's mind has been "What would the 100 meter dash world record have been, had Usain Bolt not celebrated at the end of his race?" Glen Mills,…
As is well known, several Roman sources report on the existence of a town foundation ritual, inherited from the Etruscans, which allegedly included astronomical references. However, the possible existence of astronomical orientations in the…
We examine four WTC 7 descent curves, labeled "C," "E," "N," and "O," either anonymously published, or confidentially communicated to us. Descent curve describes apparent height of a collapsing building as a function of time. The set "C"…
The 2008 book Superstition: Belief in the age of science, by Robert Park, published by Princeton University Press is briefly reviewed.