Related papers: Sliding rope paradox
We discuss some paradoxes arising due to the gauge-dependence of canonical variables in mechanics.
Two losing gambling games, when alternated in a periodic or random fashion, can produce a winning game. This paradox has been inspired by certain physical systems capable of rectifying fluctuations: the so-called Brownian ratchets. In this…
The spring-mass system studied in undergraduate physics laboratories may show complex dynamics due to the simultaneous action of gravitational, elastic, and torsional forces, in addition to air friction. In this paper, we describe a…
Mathematics is an essential element of physics problem solving, but experts often fail to appreciate exactly how they use it. Math may be the language of science, but math-in-physics is a distinct dialect of that language. Physicists tend…
In our daily lives, we observe objects sinking, floating, or rising when immersed in a fluid. The Archimedes principle, which explains an object's behavior when immersed in a fluid, is important in fluid mechanics; however, it is a…
Comparing and recognizing metrics can be extraordinarily difficult because of the group of diffeomorphisms. Two metrics, that could even be the same, could look completely different in different coordinates. This is the gauge problem. The…
Statistical physics has proven to be a very fruitful framework to describe phenomena outside the realm of traditional physics. The last years have witnessed the attempt by physicists to study collective phenomena emerging from the…
Mesoscopic physics concerns itself with systems which are intermediate between a single atom and a bulk solid. Besides the many intrinsically interesting properties of mesoscopic systems, they can also provide physical insight into the…
We consider an inverse variational problem for the lines of constant curvature in (pseudo-)Euclidean two-, three-, and four-dimensional spaces. The accumulated results are physically meaningful in the case of relativistic mechanics of…
We consider the problem of a sphere rolling of a curved surface and solve it by mapping it to the precession of a spin 1/2 in a magnetic field of variable magnitude and direction. The mapping can be of pedagogical use in discussing both…
A bouncing rubber ball under a motion sensor is a classic of introductory physics labs. It is often used to measure the acceleration due to gravity, and can also demonstrate conservation of energy. By observing that the ball rises to a…
Quantum entanglement is one of the most intriguing phenomena in physics, but many presentations of the subject leave a false impression that it provides a sort of "remote control" for changing the state of a distant particle by local…
Modern physics is founded on two mainstays: mathematical modelling and empirical verification. These two assumptions are prerequisite for the objectivity of scientific discourse. Here we show, however, that they are contradictory, leading…
We investigated the common difficulties that students have with concepts related to rotational and rolling motion covered in the introductory physics courses. We compared the performance of calculus- and algebra-based introductory physics…
We cosider random dynamical systems with randomly chosen jumps. The choice of deterministic dynamical system and jumps depends on a position. We proove the existence of an exponentially attractive invariant measure and the strong law of…
We study experimentally the dynamics of a water droplet on a tilted and vertically oscillating rigid fibre. As we vary the frequency and amplitude of the oscillations the droplet transitions between different modes: harmonic pumping,…
A survey of topics of recent interest in Hamiltonian and Lagrangian dynamical systems, including accessible discussions of regularization of the central force problem; inequivalent Lagrangians and Hamiltonians; constants of central force…
This lecture note covers Relativistic Kinematics, which is very useful for the beginners in the field of high-energy physics. A very practical approach has been taken, which answers "why and how" of the kinematics useful for students…
Even if students can make the blend, interpret physics correctly in mathematical symbology and graphs, they still need to be able to apply that knowledge in productive and coherent ways. As instructors, we can show our solutions to complex…
Spin polarization and spin transport are common phenomena in many quantum systems. Relativistic spin hydrodynamics provides an effective low-energy framework to describe these processes in quantum many-body systems. The fundamental symmetry…