Dr. Katrina Hay, Physics Curiosity Questions
I collect these questions each year from students before they take
physics. This is a
wonderful colection of uninhibited natural world questions. My students
and I try to answer or discuss as many as possible in class.
Curiosity Questions submitted by students in Physics 153, Fall 2011
1. How does light work and what is it essentially "made of"?
2. I understand the concept of exploding pretty well,
but the mechanics of imploding still confuses me. How exactly
does that work?
3. I have always loved baseball, so I am curious
about the physics behind the sport. For example, how does the density
of a baseball bat affect the maximum distance traveled by the baseball
it hits? How does the friction of the infield dirt, compared to the
friction of the outfield grass, affect rolling balls’ velocity
and range?
4. Why is nature is so orderly and based on universal laws?
5. Do you think a frictionless surface is ever truly
attainable? If so how would you postulate such a creation would be
made? Liquid solidifying? Very smooth sanding? Glass?
6. What will I actually learn in physics besides math and how is applicable?
7. When was the first wheel used and what was it mainly used for?
8. What is the make up of a black hole?
9. When an object is falling from the upper layers of
the Earth's atmosphere, does the gravity of the planet affect it
differently as it is falling or is the force of gravity at a constant?
10. I have learned a little bit about Quanta. What
are some basic (simpler) physics behind the bizarre occurrences
involved with things such as Quantum Leaps?
11. How is light spread about when it has the characteristics of a particle?
12. In a geophysics class we learned many formulas on
seismic waves and how they travel though the earth. I am curious how
physicists knew what to write for the formulas.
13. I want to know why and when light is in waves and when it’s like particles.
14. Humans have destroyed the earth so much. Is there
any way that we can go back to the original? Can you imagine your life
like that? (No electronics, eat rough...)
15. Where does all the energy from splitting an atom come from when exploding an atomic bomb?
16. Most people say that if one majors in physics or
chemistry, they can only become a teacher. But what if someone is not
interested in teaching but wants to major in it? Is there any future
from natural science majors? What other careers would you recommend if
someone is majoring in physics or chemistry.
17. What is the physics behind ice-skating?
18. How do forces like gravity and electricity work?
19. Will the universe ever reach a ground state? When
every reaction has fallen to its lowest energy state, is it the end of
the universe?
20. I just watched Source Code couple days ago. I'm
interested in if there is another world and happening the same time as
what we are experiencing now.
21. Why do two objects of different weight, when
dropped, land at the same time? Why does it do that? How does it work?
What happens because it does that?
22. Is there really one answer to explain the entire universe and its functions?
23. How does string theory explain how the universe works?
24. If physics is sort of a snap shot of time, but
time never stops. How do we know physics actually is real?
25. Is there only one universe?
Curiosity Questions
Submitted by introductory physics students Fall 2010
1. What exactly is gravity and why does it not necessarily fit in with the other known forces in our universe?
2. What are quarks and how do they affect the polarity of atoms.
3. According to the string theory, all things in the
universe are made up of vibrating strings. What makes the strings
vibrate?
4. What concept(s) in physics provide the strongest
foundation for a continuing education in physics and how do these
concepts apply to the world we experience?
5. Why can't you see the northern lights further south?
6. How do different forms of medical imaging
work? For example, how is x-ray radiation converted to the image
that appears on the screen? How do MRIs and MRI machines work?
7. How do mach numbers correlate to speed? What
are some applications of that in terms of aircrafts? (ie. What mach
number do the planes leaving Lewis-McChord traveling at? What is
the highest mach number achieved by human aircrafts?)
8. How do black holes and worm holes work?
9. As a physicist, how realistic do you think
representations of physics in the media are? (ie. movies like
Armageddon)
10. I want to learn as much as I can about
electronics, on a circuitry level. I want to be able to
understand Maxwell's equations and all that good stuff.
11. If a spaceship reaches the speed of light, will light coming from the sun surpass the spaceship?
12. What makes the Earth's core so hot? Does it cool off over time?
13. Is the String Theory possible?
14. The lowest theoretical temperature is absolute
zero, where atoms have no kinetic energy. What is the theoretical
highest temperature, where atoms have the greatest possible amount of
kinetic energy (approaching, but never reaching the speed of light)?
15. How does physics relate to biology? Specifically, how do the forces of physics affect the human body?
16. Tornadoes, I've just always wondered how they function as a destructive force.
17. How do electrical synapses work?
18. I would like to know what causes the northern lights.
19. Given the rate at which the earth loses heat to
the coldness of space, how long will it take for Earth to become cold
and geologically dead like Mars?
20. I want to ask: what is time? Is it something really that really exists?
21. How much of an impact do the varying positions of
the curtains on the upper walls have on the impact in Lagerquist
Concert Hall?
22. Is the theory of relativity and quantum theory related?
23. How is physics used in the medical industry?
24. What causes the aurora borealis?
25. What are gravitational waves?
26. I am looking forward to see how I can apply physics concepts knowledge to the wonders of the human body.
27. There is a farmer in the Sumner valley that grows
grass and then pulls it up and sells it as grass sod. How is it that
this farm still has the soil to produce grass after years of use? I
have noticed that the farmer can grow and pull the grass out of the
ground in less than a month.
28. How does calculating orbit, acceleration, etc of
something in motion in outer space relate to that same object within
atmosphere? In short, other than there being zero gravity, what are the
physical differences between objects in motion in space and those in
earth’s atmosphere?
29. How is physics linked to the field of engineering
and what aspects of physics are most important for that respective
field? For example: cutting a tree down. How can you calculate some of
the forces needed to cut the tree down?:"
30. Just outside of Quito, Ecuador a mere 240 yards
to the south of the GPS calculated equatorial line is the historical
line which was calculated by scientists in 1700's. Is the calculation a
question for Physics and if so how could one calculate where the
equator is?
31. I am intrigued by the law (or laws?) of
conservation in nature, and would like to learn more about its
discovery, basic principles, and practical applications.
32. How can one construct a stable bridge? What is the physics behind it?
33. What is antimatter, how does it react with regular matter, and how is it created?
34. If you dropped an object that you were holding in
an elevator going downward, would there be less of an impact on the
object than there would be if the elevator was not moving at all?
35. What are some recent breakthroughs in the area of physics?
36. This isn't necessarily a question, but more me
asking for an explanation. I was wondering if I could get an
explanation of how the quantum logic clock works, and how it is
different than the now-standard cesium fountain clock. If that is too
in-depth of a question, then I would like to know more about the LHC,
and what it has discovered/accomplished so far.
37. I’m interested in learning about the
creation of matter from nothing but energy considering I’m not
certain I believe in the big bang theory.
Curiosity questions asked by Dr. Hay’s Physics classes Fall 2009
Introductory Physics with Calculus:
1. I was playing pool with some friends the other day
and it got me wondering about the physics behind it. I was trying to
figure out how the cue ball would interact of hitting the next ball.
Sometimes the cue ball would stop at the collision point, sometimes it
would keep going slower but in the same direction, and sometimes it
would veer off. I knew that the cue ball was transferring its energy to
the new ball, but energy probably wasn't conserved because it is an
inelastic collision. I figured these outcomes must have had something
to do with how direct the cue hit the ball and the speed of the cue
ball. Can you explain this further?
2. When something is free falling, how do you
determine its terminal
velocity?
3. What about physics creates the most problems for creating a personal flying machine?
4. Can you explain the concepts of anti-matter and
dark
matter?
5. How could we mimic photosynthesis in plants to
more efficiently store solar energy as chemical
energy?
6. Why does the world work the way it does? Physics, perhaps?
7. I want to know how the strong force works.
8. I would really like to know about the Earth before
humanity. For instance how old it really is and how exactly it
came to be and where dinosaurs fit in the Earth's history.
9. How can principles of physics be used to
understand abilities and limitations of the human body? For
example, when lying on one's back, can physics be used to understand
why raising one's legs causes the lower back to hurt?
10. Explain how blood pressure works and how salts
affect it i.e. why would a higher salt diet raise blood pressure?
11. How do we know that physic's equations and models perfectly resemble that of natural phenomenon?
12. How does physics apply to everyday pharmaceutical practices and sciences?
13. Why does gravity pull things toward each other?
14. What is the definition of physics and how is it applied to everyday life?
15. In a TV show (I forget what it's called) the
moon's orbit is altered and begins to affect gravity on Earth. Is this
phenomenon possible? What could possibly cause an affect on Earth's
gravitational force?
16. I was always curious about big bang theory.
17. How does wireless energy transfer work?
18. One of my friends told me that he learned how a
credit card works in his physics class, so that would be interesting to
learn about.
19. How are black holes formed? I’m not sure we
learn about the universe but I think it would be cool to learn about.
20. When I was a student leader at Outdoor School, we
would play a soil game in which the students would name any item and we
would relate it back to soil. Well, as physics seems to be the most
universal part of science, I was wondering if you really could relate
physics to anything?
21. Why can't anything travel faster then the speed of light?
22. Is it possible to make a theoretical model to
describe the statistics of a turbulent flow (in particular, its
internal structures)?
23. How much of the class is actually revolved around calculus? I have heard it is a calc based class
24. I am really interested in the connection between
electricity and imaginary numbers. I know there's another class
about that I take later, but I would like to know a little bit more
about them.
25. I'm really curious as to the affects of all this
new technology we have (cell phones and the like) on our brains, and
mankind in general. I heard something about magnetic fields or
frequencies or something and how cell phones had something that moved
faster than the same something of the brain and that this affected the
brain somehow. I can't remember what it was, but I thought it was very
interesting, and pretty scary.
26. What do physicists actually do?
27. Recently on the news there was a claim that the
secret of the lightning ball was figured out. However, there is
little known about it. Is it possible to generate the lightning
ball in the laboratory?
Electrodynamics Class:
28. Wouldn't black holes show up as very bright?
Because the light that hasn't quite been pulled into the black hole by
its gravity yet is just beyond that gravitational horizon?
29. Exactly what happened during the Big Bang?
30. Are we being visited by extraterrestrials? Are
they inhabitants of our universe or of a parallel universe?
31. Are all events in the universe a result of determinism or of freewill?
32. I've heard that since America has slowed down our
nuclear sources the French and the Russians have researched like crazy
and now have found ways to reuse the nuclear wastes while we just want
to bury it. I'm just wondering what sort of technologies they have.
Curiosity Questions asked by Dr. Hay’s Physics Classes Fall 2008 (Pacific Lutheran University)
E&M Fall 2008:
1. Does technology disrupt/hinder social justice, or
promote social equity? (Along the lines of environmentalism like
polluted water)
2. What is superconductivity?
3. How is the neural circuitry connected to function as a cognitive unity?
4. Is there a universal explaining-all theory?
If so would mankind ever find it when we ourselves are a part of it?
5. How does everything connect?
6. What is the best way to live life?
7. Do I have obligations to the world and if so what are they?
8. Where can I best apply my time and energy to serve the world?
9. Is string theory correct?
10. Are there universal laws? Are they physical, moral, etc?
11. How does current create a magnetic field?
12. Is there a universal frame of reference?
13. How big is the universe?
14. How small is a quark?
15. Why do people do bad things?
Physics 153 Fall 2008:
1. How does gravity work?
2. How do black holes work?
3. Could time travel be physically possible?
4. If the universe is infinitely big, how is it expanding?
5. What is physics? Why is it needed? How does it apply to my day to day life and career?
6. Curious about physics of structures
7. How do some animals defy the laws of physics (bumbles)?
8. Interest in astrophysics (planetary, geology, climate)
9. Is it true there is no such thing as centrifugal force?
10. How were all the equations we use derived from calculus?
11. Why is gravity considered weak?
12. How does physics apply to/complement chemistry?
13. What do you do when you get stuck on a problem during an exam and can’t remember how to do it?
14. What happens to an object if it were to travel at the speed of light?
15. Are we going to learn about
“Schrödinger’s Cat” this semester or is that in
a more advanced physics class?
16. I am interested in how does physics affect and change the natural world?
17. How do aerodynamics work?
18. Do feathers on birds have anything to do with ability to fly?
19. Why is gravity so weak?
20. How can energy be transferred without direct contact? How efficient is it?
21. What’s the deal with mass?
22. How can physics help get over today’s problems?
23. Do you weigh more while doing a push-up?
24. Wants to learn more about LHC and the controversy around it.
25. I want to learn more about other dimensions and string theory.
Physics 201 (Oregon State University) Curiosity Questions submitted Fall 2007:
What would happen to the earth if the sun suddenly ceased to exist?
Would it instantly fling off into space instantly? Wouldn't that mean
gravity traveled faster than the speed of light?
Can ice really be made into a viable bullet, is something other than
water frozen to make it work, or is it just Hollywood make-believe?
How does the F-117A Nighthawk deflect incoming radar, and why are these
angles (of the body plating) optimal for being stealthy against radar?
Is levitation truly possible? Also, as a physicist, have you encountered
anything related to physics that cannot be explained, or can be
considered as something of the supernatural? If most of the world can
be explained through the eyes of a mathematician, how much of it
cannot?
What are some physics applications in the human body?
How can I relate physics to the human
body and its movement? I am an athletic training major and want to
know some sample problems that relate to the human body and its
actions or movements, instead of problems about the speed or velocity
of a ball or a car.
Which is stronger : triangles or arches?
Anyway, my question was spurred by the rumors and kind of "urban
legends" surrounding living near a power substation. I realize that
there has been substantial research done on the subject and no
deleterious health effects have been proven. However, since we
currently have one in our backyard, I was wondering if it was possible
that electromagnetic forces could somehow otherwise affect our bodies (
i.e., thoughts/dreams/etc?) and the mechanism by which it could do
that.
I know that sun dials work by the change of the sun's position during
the day, but in higher lattitudes, where winter days are shorter, are
sundials still used? If so do they have to take into acount the amount
of light/dark? Or do they plug in the date and angle of shadow into an
equation to get the time?
Why when your walking to class in the rain do you get less wet then if
you are running or biking to class? (Ignoring the splash factor on a
bike). It seems like the faster you go the more wet you get. I believe
it was proved on Myth busters but does (and if yes, what kind of)
physics backs this up?
Lets say an anvil and apple where dropped from the same exact height.
Which of the two would reach the ground faster?
So my little brother once asked me if you fired a bullet straight up
would it fall back into the barrell and my mom and I had a
disagreement on why not, or under what circumstances it might happen.
If you toss
a ball straight up in the air 2 meters and catch it at the exact same
spot you threw it from, at 1/2 meter above that spot is the ball going
faster on the way or on the way down?
Can you predict where a leaf will land based on the wind, the shape of
the leaf, and the height it falls from, or are all those measurements
too variable? Are there other variables that would also matter?
Why is it when you are snorkeling, or swimming and you do a breast
stroke with your arms and then begin kicking it seems to shoot you
forward?
I was wondering how baseball stitching affects its spin, and if it
would be possible to throw a whole different variety of pitches if the
balls were stitched differently. I know that the stitching and spin
on the ball is how movement in pitches is achieved but why and how
much is spin and how much is the stitching.
How does a boomerang work? Why does it come back when you throw it?
My question is why does water stay in a bucket if you rotate
it over your head?
How is it that the simple act of swinging your legs back and forth
can keep you swinging when you're on a swing?
My question is how is a bumble bee able to fly with such a large body and small wings?
my question is about the physics surrounding the world of winter sports
athletes and the extreme jumps they are able to live through. I
have a general knowledge of why these jumps are possible but i would
like to know the actual forces that are coming together to make it
possible. Just for your information as far as i know the current
world records for a cliff drop (a vertical fall) is approximately 250
vertical feet and the longest distance covered horizontally as
approximately 190 feet. the cliff drop rider had to be dug out of the
hole he made on impact (he was reported to be about 6 feet deep in the
snow and suffered only a split lip from biting it on impact) and the
distance jumper rode away from the jump cleanly with out ever leaving
his feet!
What are some physics applications in the human body?
how does a curveball in baseball work? Don't one of the physics laws
state that an object cannot change motion in midair unless another
force hits it?
why do some things float in water and some things not?
why do densities effect weight.
why does the world rotate (at all) on an axis? and what does the
rotation affect on earth?
What causes the earth to continually rotate?
Why do the stars seem to stay in the same place if the world is moving as well as the sun/moon?
what keeps planets in orbit?
I know that sun dials work by the change of the sun's position during
the day, but in higher lattitudes, where winter days are shorter, are
sundials still used? If so do they have to take into acount the amount
of light/dark? Or do they plug in the date and angle of shadow into an
equation to get the time?
Which is more of a phenomena; lunar eclipses or solar eclipses?
Why is the moon year shorter than the sun’s rotation around the earth?
Why does the full moon have such a strong impact the the tides?
I know the text book answer, "gravity," but break it down for me. Is
it really as simple as the moon being closest to that area at that
time and thus looking full and pulling more on the water in that area
of the ocean? I feel like there must be more to it, what else is going
on?
How does the pull of the moon control the tides? How can one predict the high and low tides?
What is the distance between the earths core and the surface?
I read in the textbook that physics plays a role in the medical
profession in aiding in the obtainment of images of the interior of
the human body. I am curious as to how it does, because I do not
clearly see the connection.
How is it that the gravitational pull is always to the centre of the planet? Or is this
only because that is all we see?
I have heard that the moon controls the waves or tides in the ocean. Is this true and if so how does it work?
The moon, earth, and sun all have a gravitational pull, but what causes this? How exactly does it suck objects towards them?
What keeps a satellite in orbit around the Earth?
Why do planets rotate and why can we not feel it?
What are the effects of physics on a roller coaster??
Why does a pendulum swing for so long?
Why is it that the time duration between each swing on a swing-set
(The duration of going back and going forward) is the same no matter
the height of the swing? (eg Bob starts his swinging and is swinging
really high. Carl starts swinging but swings half as high as Bob. The
duration for Bob to swing forward when he is back is the same duration
for Carl to swing forward when is back and vice versa.)
When a tree falls in the forest and there is nobody around to hear it, does the tree still make a noise when it falls?
I would love to know more about how timbre is created. What
determines different timbres? I play the clarinet and music revolves
around different timbres so it would be great to learn more about it.
On a piano, as the notes get lower, the strings in the piano get
thicker and shorter. Why does the string size and thickness cause the
sound to change?
How is it that my son and I can talk to eachother with 2 tin cans and
some string and hear eachother clearly? When you are driving a car...why is the sound pitch of an approaching
car high as it approaches you and low after is passes you?
How is it possible to measure the speed of sound? Speed of light?
How do soundwaves affect the stability of structures (i.e. bridges,
buildings, spiderwebs, etc
I heard somewhere that certain sound frequencies can breakdown specific
materials. If this is true, would it just have to be one blast of
that frequency or would there have to be a prolonged exposure to it for
say a bridge to collapse because of it? Also, if sound waves can break
apart materials, can they help strengthen them or protect them?
How do radio waves penetrate walls (how does a radio receive signals within a house)?
Why is it easier to climb up than climb down?
If a weight is swung is the challenge of that weight greater or less then if it simply lifted?
How and why do earthquakes occur?
It's my understanding that the potential energy of an object increases
as it's lifted from the floor for example to a desk. (maybe this is
wrong) If this increases the objects potential energy, what happens if
the object is lifted beyond the gravitational field of the planet?
How do people jump?"
If a bullet from a rifle is fired into
a body of water how far will it actually descend?
Why does time differ from a moving object and an object standing still?
What is time made of? (particles? waves? a line with a forward arrow? or is it just a concept used to describe a dimension?)
What is faster than the speed of light?
I am curious why liquid assumes a tear drop shape in the air?
How is it that when you turn a bucket upside down in water it is hard
to bring it up out of the water even though it doesn't have any water
in it?-And how high can you lift it?
I studied Poiseuille's law in one of my classes, unfortunately
everybody had taken physics so they understood the concept.
I find hemodynamics facinating, so I guess my question is more of a
request:
I'd love to know more about Poiseuille's Law and if there is ever a
situation in which Poiseuille's Law DOES NOT work? (i.e. elevation,
etc.)
One physics observation or question that I thought up upon pondering
the universe was how we use blood pressure to determine cardiac health.
I am a pre-pharmacy major so this is of some interest to my field.
In the average human body, how much force does our body have to exert
on our veins to return the blood from our feet to our heart? I
know that there is not enough force exerted by the heart to return the
blood all the way from our extremeties so the veins have valves that
prevent backflow and our muscles squeezing the veins during movement
help bring the blood back. I have always been curious as to how
much work needs to be done be the muscles to bring that blood back.
How does the blood in the small vessels in the limbs of your body get back to your heart?
How does an airplane stay in the air?
How does a Boeing 737 take off from the ground in terms of physics?
How can the increase of entropy be reversed?
What is fire? Like what makes the flame a flame?
Why is fire so hot amd orange?
I'm not particularly talented at coming up with questions, but I heard
my dad asking how water and other liquids can't pass through our skin
even though it's all just a bunch of atoms. I am going take that as the
question.
How do radio waves penetrate walls (how does a radio receive signals within a house)?
Why is the sunset turn the sky a pink and orange color when its setting?
What makes the sky blue? Does it have to do with the wavelengths of
light that are reflected or refracted?
Why do microwaves boil water?
What is faster than the speed of light?
How does glow-in-the-dark objects retain light and actually glow?
how does a double rainbow form?
How are telescopes made so that it can magnify the stars to such a degree?
How is physics involved in eyesight?
Why does light bend when it goes through glass?
How exactly do mirrors work?
what makes fiber optics work?
Light as a Particle or wave?
I've noticed that wave crests get closer together as they roll up a
beach; that they change direction as they go around a rock, or enter
narrow gates. Why does this happen?
How is it that we can determine which chemicals make up a specific
compound based off NMR?" Along the same lines, NMR is the same as an
MRI but how do we get an image from the same technology?
In the vastness of everything, protons, neutrons, and electrons are
still the basic building blocks. How is it that these simple,
tiny structures can compose and set in motion something that is so
complex through an explanation of physics?
Is the proton really stable, or does it eventually decay?
How do so many types of waves (radio, television, etc.) travel through
the air and our bodies without doing any noticeable harm to us?
How is it that the universe can be said to be infinite? Does this mean
that the universe is continuously growing and creating new galaxies,
planets, etc? or Has it already been created to point that is so vast
an massive that we just say that it is inifinte because we cannot
actually prove that it is actually infinite?
Does the universe have an end? Or is it infinite? Or does it loop?
How is light affected by gravity if it does not have mass?
I was wondering if there was any way that a machine can be created to travel through time, space, and/or universe?
How can physics help me to understand what dark energy is all about?
What is a black hole? And how can our ordered universe house such a anomoly?
I know that the first three dimensions are spatial and the fourth is
generally considered a time dimension but I was curious to know what
the fifth dimension was and if it actually existed.
Is it possible to reach speeds faster than light in space [assuming
Einstein's theory that space is curved and other theories that space
and time are connected] and how would that affect the perception of
time for the passengers?
Given the rotation of the rotation of the earth around the sun, the sun
around the galaxy, and the galaxy through space, how fast are we moving
while just sitting here?
What is the maximum velocity of a falling star?
Is underground liquid water a possibility on Mars?
Can you explain the process behind shooting stars?
I would like to learn the process of how a star works.
Is there a way that we (people) could set up a habitat on the moon, and if so, why haven't we done it?
How do you measure the distance between Earth and the Sun?
Is there any scientific basis to support the saying that every atom in our body was once part of a star?
Why are there different eye colors?
Do species really exist or are they simply a useful convention to help us understand nature?
Why do fruits and vegetables change colors as they ripen?
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?
Why does ice cream make you thirsty?
Why do people cry when they are sad?
What is stoping humans from using our brains and bodys to their
fullest potential? Such as not using our full strength or using all of
our brain.
How do different animals sense different color hues, for example some
can sense IR or UV which is out of what we consider "visable"
light. How do they incorporate that into their "mental image" of
the world?
So here's my question for you... How is it that hot water freezes
faster than cold water? I've heard this is true!
I am the type
of person that gets the anoying hic-ups very frequently when I dink
soda pop. And I have tried everythng to get rid of them. One way that
I found worked was to drink water with a spoon in the glass while
hanging upside down. How does it work? I heard (sources untold) that
hic-ups are the bodies way of expressing that they are not getting
enough oxygen to the muscles. So why would the water spoon trick work?
Could the problem of global warming be solved by moving the earth
farther from the sun? If so, what other problems would this possibly
trigger?