Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really hard
 

Don't ask why, it's complex......

Essentially I need a question which is designed to flatter a specific person in front of a large audience. The person has done a physics degree. Basically the question needs to be a very easy multiple choice question to someone who has studied physics, but sounds really difficult to the general public.

Thanks in advance!!!

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

airplane, conveyor belt, etc.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Any physics question is going to sound very difficult to the general public

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

yeah but unfortunately i'm a member of the general public....

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Standard one is two trucks are driving toward each other. Each travels at 50 mp/h. At a distance of 100 miles apart a fly takes off from the windshield of one truck traveling toward the other at 80 mp/h. When it reaches the other truck it instantly turns around and flies toward the first - this continues until the trucks collide. What total distance does the fly cover?

This was actually in "A Beautiful Mind" although I'd laugh pretty hard if a Princeton grad student couldn't get it.

oh, multiple choice, n/m

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

ok thanks that's more like it....

furthermore, i would like something very quick and easy to ask e.g. a one sentance question, 3 multiple choice answers. Particle physics would be a particularly good subject.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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airplane, conveyor belt, etc.

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Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
Standard one is two trucks are driving toward each other. Each travels at 50 mp/h. At a distance of 100 miles apart a fly takes off from the windshield of one truck traveling toward the other at 80 mp/h. When it reaches the other truck it instantly turns around and flies toward the first - this continues until the trucks collide. What total distance does the fly cover?

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This is poorly worded. It's not clear if the fly is moving 80 mph relative to the ground or 80 mph relative to the truck it flew off.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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airplane, conveyor belt, etc.

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just make sure you don't word it confusingly, or it will turn into a huge debate...

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

listen, i'm not going anywhere near airplanes and conveyer belts, nobody wants a punch-up at a wedding....

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Standard one is two trucks are driving toward each other. Each travels at 50 mp/h. At a distance of 100 miles apart a fly takes off from the windshield of one truck traveling toward the other at 80 mp/h. When it reaches the other truck it instantly turns around and flies toward the first - this continues until the trucks collide. What total distance does the fly cover?

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This is poorly worded. It's not clear if the fly is moving 80 mph relative to the ground or 80 mph relative to the truck it flew off.

[/ QUOTE ]

ok...nsert "relative to the ground"

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

A dalmatian (20 kg) is dropped 20 meters into a vat of lime Jello. When it enters the Jello, it decelerates and comes to a stop 10 m deep. What is the total Jello force acting upon the dalmatian?

a) 100 Newtons
b) 200 N
c) 400 N
d) 800 N

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
A dalmatian (20 kg) is dropped 20 meters into a vat of lime Jello. When it enters the Jello, it decelerates and comes to a stop 10 m deep. What is the total Jello force acting upon the dalmatian?

a) 100 Joules
b) 200 J
c) 400 J
d) 800 J

[/ QUOTE ]

I think I understand what you're trying to say, but wtf?

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

more particle physics!

something simple like..... how many centrinos in a googleplex?????

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Standard one is two trucks are driving toward each other. Each travels at 50 mp/h. At a distance of 100 miles apart a fly takes off from the windshield of one truck traveling toward the other at 80 mp/h. When it reaches the other truck it instantly turns around and flies toward the first - this continues until the trucks collide. What total distance does the fly cover?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is poorly worded. It's not clear if the fly is moving 80 mph relative to the ground or 80 mph relative to the truck it flew off.

[/ QUOTE ]

ok...nsert "relative to the ground"

[/ QUOTE ]

Isnt that just a math problem and not a physics problem?

Just ask some stupid question like, If the sun was the size of a basketball how far away would pluto be, and then multiple choice like 60 feet, 60 yards, 6 miles, 60 miles (Im not sure what the answer would be, but its obviously the last one)

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

I'll do the work out if there's demand for it. The answer is C.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

whats the answer to the fly thing.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

I'm more interested in how you measure total force in Joules.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

how many different quarks are there, and what are their flavors?

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Is this a level? It's been a while since I took physics but isn't the result of F = ma measured in joules?

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The SI unit used to measure force is the newton (symbol N), which is equivalent to kg·m·s−2.

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Edit: I even quoted the right answer too. I am off my game today.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I'm more interested in how you measure total force in Joules.

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Me too. I'm not sure whether he's asking for the average force that operated on the dalmatian as it was being slowed down by the Jello, or the total energy absorbed by the jello. Either way it's not a difficult problem, but I don't think he even knows what he is asking.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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whats the answer to the fly thing.

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Im guessing 80 miles since the trucks crash into each other in an hour, and the fly is traveling 80 miles an hour

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

multiple choice question, pleas provide answers!!!!

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
Is this a level? It's been a while since I took physics but isn't the result of F = ma measured in joules?

[ QUOTE ]
The SI unit used to measure force is the newton (symbol N), which is equivalent to kg·m·s−2.

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Joules is a unit of energy. Energy =/= force.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I'm more interested in how you measure total force in Joules.

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Me too. I'm not sure whether he's asking for the average force that operated on the dalmatian as it was being slowed down by the Jello, or the total energy absorbed by the jello. Either way it's not a difficult problem, but I don't think he even knows what he is asking.

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Yes, I assumed it was the 2nd case, but the correct answer is 6000 joules not 400 (30 meters total displacement x 20kg x 10m/s^2).

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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[ QUOTE ]
Is this a level? It's been a while since I took physics but isn't the result of F = ma measured in joules?

[ QUOTE ]
The SI unit used to measure force is the newton (symbol N), which is equivalent to kg·m·s−2.

[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

Joules is a unit of energy. Energy =/= force.

[/ QUOTE ]

Crap, I meant to say "newton."

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Force = mass x accelleration = kg m/s^2
Mechanical energy = Force x distance = kg m^2/s^2

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

I wanna see this magical 80 mph fly

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I'm more interested in how you measure total force in Joules.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too. I'm not sure whether he's asking for the average force that operated on the dalmatian as it was being slowed down by the Jello, or the total energy absorbed by the jello. Either way it's not a difficult problem, but I don't think he even knows what he is asking.

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Yes, I assumed it was the 2nd case, but the correct answer is 600 joules not 400 (30 meters total displacement x 20kg).

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You're forgetting about the acceleration of gravity. You have to multiply by 9.8m/s^2 to get energy

Edit: look like you just noticed that

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Is the cat dead or alive?

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I wanna see this magical 80 mph fly

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I also have a spherical cow you may be interested in.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I'm more interested in how you measure total force in Jellos.

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Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Okay, my post has seemingly resulted in mass confusion, so I'll work through my answer.

Force is mass times acceleration, so if you know the acceleration the Jello imparts on the dog, you get force.

First, I determined the speed the dog was traveling at when it reached the Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
a = 10 (I kept it simple)
Vi = 0
d = 20
Vf^2 = 400 so Vf = 20.

I used the same equation to determine the acceleration of the dog in Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
Vf = 0
Vi = 20
d = 10
0 = 400 + 20a

Therefore, a = -20 m/s.

Then, it's just the force equation:

F = ma
m = 20
a = 20
F = 400

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
Okay, my post has seemingly resulted in mass confusion, so I'll work through my answer.

Force is mass times acceleration, so if you know the acceleration the Jello imparts on the dog, you get force.

First, I determined the speed the dog was traveling at when it reached the Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
a = 10 (I kept it simple)
Vi = 0
d = 20
Vf^2 = 400 so Vf = 20.

I used the same equation to determine the acceleration of the dog in Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
Vf = 0
Vi = 20
d = 10
0 = 400 + 20a

Therefore, a = -20 m/s.

Then, it's just the force equation:

F = ma
m = 20
a = 20
F = 400

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what flavor jello?

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Okay, my post has seemingly resulted in mass confusion, so I'll work through my answer.

Force is mass times acceleration, so if you know the acceleration the Jello imparts on the dog, you get force.

First, I determined the speed the dog was traveling at when it reached the Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
a = 10 (I kept it simple)
Vi = 0
d = 20
Vf^2 = 400 so Vf = 20.

I used the same equation to determine the acceleration of the dog in Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
Vf = 0
Vi = 20
d = 10
0 = 400 + 20a

Therefore, a = -20 m/s.

Then, it's just the force equation:

F = ma
m = 20
a = 20
F = 400

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what flavor jello?

[/ QUOTE ]

lime ldo

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

The ASPCA has just been notified of this abuse of a dalmatian.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

Why can't this person come up with his own question?

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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I wanna see this magical 80 mph fly

[/ QUOTE ]

I also have a spherical cow you may be interested in.

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Nice.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

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Okay, my post has seemingly resulted in mass confusion, so I'll work through my answer.

[/ QUOTE ]

The post caused confusion becaues every single part that could be wrong was wrong. Even your walkthrough to correct the confusion was completely wrong.

Re: Need help devising an easy physics question that sounds really har
 

[ QUOTE ]
Okay, my post has seemingly resulted in mass confusion, so I'll work through my answer.

Force is mass times acceleration, so if you know the acceleration the Jello imparts on the dog, you get force.

First, I determined the speed the dog was traveling at when it reached the Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
a = 10 (I kept it simple)
Vi = 0
d = 20
Vf^2 = 400 so Vf = 20.

I used the same equation to determine the acceleration of the dog in Jello:

Vf^2 = Vi^2 + 2ad
Vf = 0
Vi = 20
d = 10
0 = 400 + 20a

Therefore, a = -20 m/s.

Then, it's just the force equation:

F = ma
m = 20
a = 20
F = 400

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Gravity doesn't stop doing work on the dog once it enters the jello.