Science geek brain teasers
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The classic that is far too easy to google for now. If you have an aircraft on a conveyor belt. The air craft attempts to take off and the conveyor belt runs in the opposite direction matching the speed of the air craft. Does the plane take off?
It does, because the source of thrust is the air moving through the jet engines or propellers, not the wheels on the ground. The wheels will end up just spinning super fast. It might affect the speed of the aircraft a little due to friction, but not by enough to prevent takeoff.
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Exactly. Gold elephant stamp for you.
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
*checks his profile*... Bah, lies! ;P This reminds me of the good old days, writing violent flash games with ballistic trajectories...
Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels) -
I was thinking that there's enough geeks here - maths, computing, physics, you name it - that we could easily put together a bunch of questions that are answerable by most, but a little tricky. I'll start the ball rolling: Q. In a constant graviational field, how can you accelerate while keeping a steady speed? Hmm - just found braingle.com[^]. There goes a productive day...
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
I know the language. I've read a book. - _Madmatt
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I was thinking that there's enough geeks here - maths, computing, physics, you name it - that we could easily put together a bunch of questions that are answerable by most, but a little tricky. I'll start the ball rolling: Q. In a constant graviational field, how can you accelerate while keeping a steady speed? Hmm - just found braingle.com[^]. There goes a productive day...
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
Here's one from biological sciences: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (And yes, there actually is a correct answer. ;P ) (For those outside the US, "woodchuck" is an American name for Marmota monax, better known as the groundhog.)
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Q. How many roads must a man walk down? :-D
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind ... Bob Dylan / Peter, Paul & Mary
Steve _________________ I C(++) therefore I am
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And the even more classic Monty Hall problem: Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?
You had one chance out of three that door number one had a car behind it which leaves 2/3 that it's behind one of the other doors. The fact that the host opens one door and shows you the goat doesn't change that fact. So picking door number two doubles your chances. It's a classic and possibly a repost I believe.
"When did ignorance become a point of view" - Dilbert
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I was thinking that there's enough geeks here - maths, computing, physics, you name it - that we could easily put together a bunch of questions that are answerable by most, but a little tricky. I'll start the ball rolling: Q. In a constant graviational field, how can you accelerate while keeping a steady speed? Hmm - just found braingle.com[^]. There goes a productive day...
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
Q. What alcohol and in what quantities will bring Mick to a stand still?
Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
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And the even more classic Monty Hall problem: Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?
Yes always switch... probability of winning has just doubled after what host has done... :cool:
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I was thinking that there's enough geeks here - maths, computing, physics, you name it - that we could easily put together a bunch of questions that are answerable by most, but a little tricky. I'll start the ball rolling: Q. In a constant graviational field, how can you accelerate while keeping a steady speed? Hmm - just found braingle.com[^]. There goes a productive day...
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
You simply cannot do that. :)
If the Lord God Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon the Creation, I would have recommended something simpler. -- Alfonso the Wise, 13th Century King of Castile.
This is going on my arrogant assumptions. You may have a superb reason why I'm completely wrong. -- Iain Clarke
[My articles] -
I was thinking that there's enough geeks here - maths, computing, physics, you name it - that we could easily put together a bunch of questions that are answerable by most, but a little tricky. I'll start the ball rolling: Q. In a constant graviational field, how can you accelerate while keeping a steady speed? Hmm - just found braingle.com[^]. There goes a productive day...
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
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It does, because the source of thrust is the air moving through the jet engines or propellers, not the wheels on the ground. The wheels will end up just spinning super fast. It might affect the speed of the aircraft a little due to friction, but not by enough to prevent takeoff.
Wrong. The engines are moving it forward but the belt is moving it backwards at the same speed. As a result its net velocity is zero meaning the wings aren't generating lift so it stays put. The only way it could get aloft is if it's a helicopter/vtol/or it's a windy day and the AC is an ultralight with a takeoff velocity lower than the wind speed. Edit: ooops.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
modified on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 3:53 PM
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Here's one from biological sciences: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (And yes, there actually is a correct answer. ;P ) (For those outside the US, "woodchuck" is an American name for Marmota monax, better known as the groundhog.)
Gregory.Gadow wrote:
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as it could, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
You may be right I may be crazy -- Billy Joel -- Within you lies the power for good - Use it!
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Here's one from biological sciences: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? (And yes, there actually is a correct answer. ;P ) (For those outside the US, "woodchuck" is an American name for Marmota monax, better known as the groundhog.)
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Wrong. The engines are moving it forward but the belt is moving it backwards at the same speed. As a result its net velocity is zero meaning the wings aren't generating lift so it stays put. The only way it could get aloft is if it's a helicopter/vtol/or it's a windy day and the AC is an ultralight with a takeoff velocity lower than the wind speed. Edit: ooops.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
modified on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 3:53 PM
Or it fires one of its missles at the idiot running the conveyor belt.
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services -
Gregory.Gadow wrote:
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as it could, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
You may be right I may be crazy -- Billy Joel -- Within you lies the power for good - Use it!
Good! The answer I learned was slightly different: As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if he could chuck wood.
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Three.
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Wrong. The engines are moving it forward but the belt is moving it backwards at the same speed. As a result its net velocity is zero meaning the wings aren't generating lift so it stays put. The only way it could get aloft is if it's a helicopter/vtol/or it's a windy day and the AC is an ultralight with a takeoff velocity lower than the wind speed. Edit: ooops.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
modified on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 3:53 PM
Mythbusters launched an airplane using these conditions. He's right, the thing just takes off.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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Three.
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Wrong. The engines are moving it forward but the belt is moving it backwards at the same speed. As a result its net velocity is zero meaning the wings aren't generating lift so it stays put. The only way it could get aloft is if it's a helicopter/vtol/or it's a windy day and the AC is an ultralight with a takeoff velocity lower than the wind speed. Edit: ooops.
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
modified on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 3:53 PM
That belt is only trying to move it backwards though, and the airplane is not connected to the belt, so while the wheels will spin faster than normally, why would anything out of the ordinary happen? (from the airplanes point of view, he just needs a very high ground-speed to get some decent air-speed)
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Q. What alcohol and in what quantities will bring Mick to a stand still?
Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
That's already been proven to be an unsolvable problem.
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP