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Science Trivia Thread

Started by Viking, November 09, 2009, 11:42:02 PM

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Viking

#45
November 10, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
Kelvin came up in another thread. Kelvin didn't know about fusion and thus got the age of the sun very very wrong by calculating it's age based on it's temperature. Kelvin tried the same with the earth but despite no fusion happening on earth he got that wrong as well. This is from a period in Lord Kelvin's life where he made himself famous for getting stuff wrong, rather than an earlier part where he made his much deserved reputation.

Name one of the two main causes of error in Kelvins estimation of the age of the earth.
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Viking

#46
November 10, 2009, 12:12:37 PM
Quote from: Maximus on November 10, 2009, 12:06:14 PM
By the way, the human body is diamagnetic. Given a powerful enough magnetic field and the right conditions you could levitate on it.

Of course no telling what else that level of energy would do to you.

Meh, Nerds and their levitating tadpoles.
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Barrister

#47
November 10, 2009, 12:13:40 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
Kelvin came up in another thread. Kelvin didn't know about fusion and thus got the age of the sun very very wrong by calculating it's age based on it's temperature. Kelvin tried the same with the earth but despite no fusion happening on earth he got that wrong as well. This is from a period in Lord Kelvin's life where he made himself famous for getting stuff wrong, rather than an earlier part where he made his much deserved reputation.

Name one of the two main causes of error in Kelvins estimation of the age of the earth.

Not accounting for radioactive decay generating heat?
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Maximus

#48
November 10, 2009, 12:15:50 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
Kelvin came up in another thread. Kelvin didn't know about fusion and thus got the age of the sun very very wrong by calculating it's age based on it's temperature. Kelvin tried the same with the earth but despite no fusion happening on earth he got that wrong as well. This is from a period in Lord Kelvin's life where he made himself famous for getting stuff wrong, rather than an earlier part where he made his much deserved reputation.

Name one of the two main causes of error in Kelvins estimation of the age of the earth.
He thought geothermal activity was caused by chemical reactions?

Viking

#49
November 10, 2009, 12:23:15 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 10, 2009, 12:13:40 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
Kelvin came up in another thread. Kelvin didn't know about fusion and thus got the age of the sun very very wrong by calculating it's age based on it's temperature. Kelvin tried the same with the earth but despite no fusion happening on earth he got that wrong as well. This is from a period in Lord Kelvin's life where he made himself famous for getting stuff wrong, rather than an earlier part where he made his much deserved reputation.

Name one of the two main causes of error in Kelvins estimation of the age of the earth.

Not accounting for radioactive decay generating heat?

That is one, the other is that he didn't know about the mantle and it's effects on convection in the core.

Quote from: Maximus on November 10, 2009, 12:15:50 PM
He thought geothermal activity was caused by chemical reactions?

Kelvin assumed a molten ball of earthstuff and calculated how long it would take to cool down to the present temperature. He assumed more efficient convection and did not include heat from radioactive decay. Kelvin probably understood heat better than any person in his own lifetime, so don't assume he was stupid. He just lacked information.
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Barrister

#50
November 10, 2009, 12:24:27 PM
I've got about 10 minutes before leaving for court - let me see what I can come up with.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Maximus

#51
November 10, 2009, 12:26:22 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:23:15 PM
Kelvin assumed a molten ball of earthstuff and calculated how long it would take to cool down to the present temperature. He assumed more efficient convection and did not include heat from radioactive decay. Kelvin probably understood heat better than any person in his own lifetime, so don't assume he was stupid. He just lacked information.
I wasn't assuming he was stupid. Verne wasn't stupid either, but he subscribed to that theory.

Barrister

#52
November 10, 2009, 12:30:59 PM
Extremely simple (if you've taken geology 101 that is), but I want to keep things moving:

The most common mineral containing lead is called Galena (formula: PbS).  What is the obvious visual feature about Galena crystals that makes it easy to identify?
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Viking

#53
November 10, 2009, 12:36:20 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 10, 2009, 12:30:59 PM
Extremely simple (if you've taken geology 101 that is), but I want to keep things moving:

The most common mineral containing lead is called Galena (formula: PbS).  What is the obvious visual feature about Galena crystals that makes it easy to identify?

They are yellow?
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Barrister

#54
November 10, 2009, 12:37:04 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:36:20 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 10, 2009, 12:30:59 PM
Extremely simple (if you've taken geology 101 that is), but I want to keep things moving:

The most common mineral containing lead is called Galena (formula: PbS).  What is the obvious visual feature about Galena crystals that makes it easy to identify?

They are yellow?

Nope.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

The Larch

#55
November 10, 2009, 12:52:34 PM
Wasn't there some kind of Yi rule used for this thread?

Viking

#56
November 10, 2009, 12:55:25 PM
The modified Yi rule here is about your own field. There is no science in Law, so Beeb can ask anything he wants.
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

Viking

#57
November 10, 2009, 12:56:57 PM
The crystal split cleanly so it has flat surfaces where it has been broken?
First Maxim - "There are only two amounts, too few and enough."
First Corollary - "You cannot have too many soldiers, only too few supplies."
Second Maxim - "Be willing to exchange a bad idea for a good one."
Second Corollary - "You can only be wrong or agree with me."

A terrorist which starts a slaughter quoting Locke, Burke and Mill has completely missed the point.
The fact remains that the only person or group to applaud the Norway massacre are random Islamists.

The Larch

#58
November 10, 2009, 12:59:02 PM
Quote from: Viking on November 10, 2009, 12:55:25 PM
The modified Yi rule here is about your own field. There is no science in Law, so Beeb can ask anything he wants.

He has some kind of degree in geology, though, IIRC.

Barrister

#59
November 10, 2009, 03:38:15 PM
Quote from: The Larch on November 10, 2009, 12:52:34 PM
Wasn't there some kind of Yi rule used for this thread?

Undergrad was in geology, but clearly not my profession so I thought this would be okay.  Besides galena really is Geology 101.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.
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