Category Archives: Math

Q: What are singularities? Do they exist in nature?

Posted on September 19, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: Singularities are just artifacts that fall out of math.  They show up a lot in theory, and (probably) never in nature.  The “singularities” most people have heard of are black hole singularities. In practice, when you’re calculating something in … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Math, Philosophical, Physics | 23 Comments

Q: Is it likely that there are atoms in my body that have traveled from the other side of the planet, solar system, galaxy, or universe?

Posted on September 13, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: Not just likely, but essentially guaranteed! Technically, every atom in your body has been swirling all around the galaxy for billions of years (although it’s mostly stayed in the same place for the last 5 billion or so).  So … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Astronomy, Physics, Probability | 14 Comments

Q: Is there a number set that is “above” complex numbers?

Posted on September 8, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: Yes, but they don’t fix problems the way the complex numbers do. The nice thing about real numbers (which includes basically every number you might think of: 0, 1, π, -5/2, …) is that no matter how you add, … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Math | 12 Comments

Q: If Earth was flat, would there be a horizon? If so, what would it look like? If the Earth was flat and had infinite area, would that change the answer?

Posted on August 14, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: There’d definitely still be a horizon if the Earth were flat.  It would be in almost exactly the same place, and look essentially identical.  While the Earth isn’t flat, adherents to that theory are correct in that it’s nearly … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Geometry, Physics | 73 Comments

Q: If you could drill a tunnel through the whole planet and then jumped down this tunnel, how would you fall?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: This is a beautiful question, in a small part because it’s an interesting thought experiment with some clever math, but mostly because of all the reasons it couldn’t be done and wouldn’t work.  Right off the bat; clearly a … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Physicist, Brain Teaser, Physics | 103 Comments

Q: How would the universe be different if π = 3?

Posted on July 10, 2012 by The Physicist

Physicist: We sometimes get questions about physical constants changing, and those questions make sense because there’s no real reason for the constants to be what they are.  But π is mathematically derivable; it kinda needs to be what it is.  You … Continue reading →

Posted in -- By the Mathematician, -- By the Physicist, Geometry, Math, Philosophical, Physics | 45 Comments