do you know science?

Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:02 pm   

I like to do these little basic science quizzes - man
in the street - I've posted a few here, previously.

How does a cigarette lighter work? People
recognize that the spark ignites the flame.
("what is a spark?" is another, but that's far over
their heads) But then ask, what keeps the flame
alive, after the spark? Blank out.

Try it on your friends and business associates.

These experiences make me realize we haven't
progressed much since Aristotle, except among
the geek elite -

--
Rich

Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:02 pm   

On 11/23/2011 2:02 PM, RichD wrote:

I've read that about 20% of the US population is functionally illiterate.

I'm sure science knowledge lies way beyond that.

I like to quote an ACS bookmark which reads:

"Only 5% of the members of Congress have backgrounds in science and
engineering Yet, everyday they make decisions that impact the
scientific community"

Scarey, isn't it?

Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:15 pm   

"Frank" <frankperiodlogullo_at_comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jaji5d$rc6$1_at_dont-email.me...
| On 11/23/2011 2:02 PM, RichD wrote:
| > I like to do these little basic science quizzes - man
| > in the street - I've posted a few here, previously.
| >
| > How does a cigarette lighter work? People
| > recognize that the spark ignites the flame.
| > ("what is a spark?" is another, but that's far over
| > their heads) But then ask, what keeps the flame
| > alive, after the spark? Blank out.
| >
| > Try it on your friends and business associates.
| >
| > These experiences make me realize we haven't
| > progressed much since Aristotle, except among
| > the geek elite -
| >
| > --
| > Rich
|
| I've read that about 20% of the US population is functionally illiterate.
|
| I'm sure science knowledge lies way beyond that.
|
| I like to quote an ACS bookmark which reads:
|
| "Only 5% of the members of Congress have backgrounds in science and
| engineering Yet, everyday they make decisions that impact the
| scientific community"
|
| Scarey, isn't it?
|
Far worse than that. The language of science is mathematics ...
how many Congressmen and Congresswomen can speak it?

Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:56 pm   

"Androcles" <Headmaster_at_Hogwarts.physics.November.2011> wrote in message
news:Cvczq.80987$uS.50525_at_newsfe19.ams2...

====================

"The language of science is mathematics ..." What are the *mathematical*
terms for 'high national genius', 'low national genius', 'wise', 'stupid',
'Space Man', 'Utopian Man', 'Space Age', 'Dark Age', 'freedom', 'slavery',
'liberty', 'tyranny', Da Vinci's 'The Mona Lisa', my gr-granddaughter's
'scrawl', 'correct', 'incorrect', 'observable', 'unobservable',
'perceptibility', 'superficiality'.....?

GLB

===================

Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:08 pm   

On Wednesday, November 23, 2011 1:15:23 PM UTC-7, Androcles wrote:

It's even worse, given that mathematics is also the language of economics.

Bob M.

Thu Nov 24, 2011 12:48 am   

On 11/23/2011 3:15 PM, Androcles wrote:

the nation's check book

Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:14 am   

"G. L. Bradford" <glbrad01_at_insightbb.com> wrote in message
news:6d-dnRa1foSY8VDTnZ2dnUVZ_q2dnZ2d_at_insightbb.com...
|
| "Androcles" <Headmaster_at_Hogwarts.physics.November.2011> wrote in message
| news:Cvczq.80987$uS.50525_at_newsfe19.ams2...
| >
| > "Frank" <frankperiodlogullo_at_comcast.net> wrote in message
| > news:jaji5d$rc6$1_at_dont-email.me...
| > | On 11/23/2011 2:02 PM, RichD wrote:
| > | > I like to do these little basic science quizzes - man
| > | > in the street - I've posted a few here, previously.
| > | >
| > | > How does a cigarette lighter work? People
| > | > recognize that the spark ignites the flame.
| > | > ("what is a spark?" is another, but that's far over
| > | > their heads) But then ask, what keeps the flame
| > | > alive, after the spark? Blank out.
| > | >
| > | > Try it on your friends and business associates.
| > | >
| > | > These experiences make me realize we haven't
| > | > progressed much since Aristotle, except among
| > | > the geek elite -
| > | >
| > | > --
| > | > Rich
| > |
| > | I've read that about 20% of the US population is functionally
| > illiterate.
| > |
| > | I'm sure science knowledge lies way beyond that.
| > |
| > | I like to quote an ACS bookmark which reads:
| > |
| > | "Only 5% of the members of Congress have backgrounds in science and
| > | engineering Yet, everyday they make decisions that impact the
| > | scientific community"
| > |
| > | Scarey, isn't it?
| > |
| > Far worse than that. The language of science is mathematics ...
| > how many Congressmen and Congresswomen can speak it?
| >
| >
|
| ====================
|
| "The language of science is mathematics ..." What are the *mathematical*
| terms for 'high national genius', 'low national genius', 'wise', 'stupid',
| 'Space Man', 'Utopian Man', 'Space Age', 'Dark Age', 'freedom', 'slavery',
| 'liberty', 'tyranny', Da Vinci's 'The Mona Lisa', my gr-granddaughter's
| 'scrawl', 'correct', 'incorrect', 'observable', 'unobservable',
| 'perceptibility', 'superficiality'.....?
|
| GLB
|
| ===================
|
Da Vinci's 'The Mona Lisa'?
No, no, that was Robert Langdon's painting of Sophie Neveu.

Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:22 am   

"Frank" <frankperiodlogullo_at_comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jak0p2$t7n$2_at_dont-email.me...
| On 11/23/2011 3:15 PM, Androcles wrote:
| > "Frank"<frankperiodlogullo_at_comcast.net> wrote in message
| > news:jaji5d$rc6$1_at_dont-email.me...
| > | On 11/23/2011 2:02 PM, RichD wrote:
| > |> I like to do these little basic science quizzes - man
| > |> in the street - I've posted a few here, previously.
| > |>
| > |> How does a cigarette lighter work? People
| > |> recognize that the spark ignites the flame.
| > |> ("what is a spark?" is another, but that's far over
| > |> their heads) But then ask, what keeps the flame
| > |> alive, after the spark? Blank out.
| > |>
| > |> Try it on your friends and business associates.
| > |>
| > |> These experiences make me realize we haven't
| > |> progressed much since Aristotle, except among
| > |> the geek elite -
| > |>
| > |> --
| > |> Rich
| > |
| > | I've read that about 20% of the US population is functionally
illiterate.
| > |
| > | I'm sure science knowledge lies way beyond that.
| > |
| > | I like to quote an ACS bookmark which reads:
| > |
| > | "Only 5% of the members of Congress have backgrounds in science and
| > | engineering Yet, everyday they make decisions that impact the
| > | scientific community"
| > |
| > | Scarey, isn't it?
| > |
| > Far worse than that. The language of science is mathematics ...
| > how many Congressmen and Congresswomen can speak it?
| >
| >
| Congress critters don't even have the mathematical knowledge to balance
| the nation's check book
|
Look at it positively; they are quite good at shaking hands, smiles and
kissing babies.

Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:02 am   

RichD wrote:

Do you know the answer to your own question?
The inventor of the lighter flint was a famous
Austrian chemist from a family of famous Austrian
chemists. He established a very successful company
making lighter flints, which became involved with
the German project to build a nuclear bomb during WW2.
(A critical material for lighter flints comes from
a radioactive mineral.)

Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:41 am   

On 11/23/2011 2:02 PM, RichD wrote:

Hey, rich, it's over YOUR head too! This is how people with a little
knowledge start feeling superior to everybody else. Next thing you know
they are using words like "waveform collapse" and "quantum entanglement".

So YOU tell us how does a lighter work? (and do it fast before smoking
is a felony and descriptions of "drug paraphernalia" is banned from the
Internet "for the children", natch.) What is a "spark"? Does it depend
on the kind of lighter? How is it created? IN DETAIL, BUNKY! Let's see
just how "smart" you are and how much is bluster and hand-waving!

Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:35 pm   

RichD wrote:


I AM TOTALLY AND MENTALLY IMPOTENT!

OH, Did I forget? How shameful of me being mentally impotent and all,
I am also mentally incapacitated!


Jamie

Sun Nov 27, 2011 4:31 am   

On Nov 23, RichD <r_delaney2...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Another:

Which is greater: # of six letter english words, with n
as the fifth letter, or # of six letter words ending in 'ing'?
(could ask for fraction, instead)

It's math, not science, but the same spirit -

--
Rich

Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:26 pm   

On Nov 27, 12:31 pm, RichD <r_delaney2...@yahoo.com> wrote:



SET1 = _ _ _ _ n _
SET2 = _ _ _ i n g


SET2 C SET1

so SET1 is bigger!

but you asked for n (no quotes) in SET1
and stipulated 'ing' (with quotes) in SET2

If n would stand for a natural number in mathematics

n e {1,2,3,4...}

then SET1 = {}

or is small if chemical names are allowed.

So I'll go with 'ing' ending being the bigger set, using the clue THIS
IS MATH!

Actually it's the 2nd most common bug in computer programming!

Herc