Quantumaniac is where it’s at - and by ‘it’ I mean awesome.
Over here I post a ton of physics / math / general interesting science related posts. I try to be as informative as possible, all while posting fascinating things that hopefully enlighten us both a little to the mysteries of our truly wondrous universe(s?). Plus, how would you know if the blog exists or not unless you observe it? Boom, just pulled the Schrödinger’s cat card. Now you have to check it out - trust me, it said so in an equation somewhere.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Calculus Board
Wonderful Geometric Shapes Made from Currency
Kristi Malkoff is a Canadian visual artist - in her series titled Money Pieces, Kristi uses an assortment of colourful currency from around the world, folding and manipulating bills into wonderful geometric shapes.
Everyday Physics
Rules of the Lab
LEGO Albert Einstein
The LEGOland park in Orlando, Florida - hosts this enormous LEGO bust of Albert Einstein. Measuring in at 20 feet tall by 10 feet wide, it took a team of 7 LEGO builders about 4 months to complete!
Simple and Circular Motion
Although it may seem counterintuitive, simple harmonic motion (left) and simple circular motion (right) have a great deal in common. If one looks at an object undergoing simple circular motion, it is clear that there are two scales to which an extreme can be reached - a polarized left/right, and an equally polarized up/down. However, looking from the side - only the top and bottom can be seen, and by looking at circular motion from the side it looks exactly like simple harmonic motion.
The physical equations governing these bodies are also quite similar:
Angular Velocity:
- Of a spring undergoing simple harmonic motion:
- A pendulum:
Time Period
- Spring:
- Pendulum:
k is a spring constant, m is the object’s mass, g is gravity, l is the length of the pendulum ‘arm.’
Gallium
The above picture is not an illusion, not a trick - it is Gallium. With a melting point of only slightly above room temperature (about 29 °C), it will easily melt in one’s hand. It could also be used for a great tea-time prank.
Gallium has atomic number 31, and although elemental gallium does not naturally occur, it can be found as the gallium(III) salt in certain ores. Elemental gallium is a soft, silvery, brittle metal at room temperature.
The major use compound in microwave circuitry and infrared tools is gallium arsenide. The element is almost exclusively used for semiconductors, but in more recent times it is being utilizes for alloys and fuel cells.
Can I Help You?
What Group Projects Have Taught Me
Neutron Stars
Imagine compressing 500,000 times the mass of the Earth into a space no larger than Brooklyn - this is what a Neutron star is. Following the gravitational collapse of specific kinds of supernovae, the remnant from the explosion is an incredibly dense object known as a Neutron star.
