Recent content by cosmogrl

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    EM waves in phase and E/B = c question

    I like the candy/kid analogy, but is there a way to show mathematically how E/B = c even when E and B are zero? Or at that point, do we have to do the ratio of the amplitudes?
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    EM waves in phase and E/B = c question

    My textbook (Serway and Jewett, Physics for Scientists and Engineers) says that Emax/Bmax = E/B = c. And that E and B are in phase. My question is, if they are in phase, they both reach zero at the same time. At that point, E/B = 0/0 and not c. I know I am missing something, but not sure what...
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    I How Does the Biot-Savart Law Apply to Angles in an Infinite Wire Calculation?

    So, when using the equation as provided, is theta 1 always measured clockwise, but theta 2 is measured counterclockwise?
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    I How Does the Biot-Savart Law Apply to Angles in an Infinite Wire Calculation?

    In using the Biot-Savart Law for an finite wire, I am having trouble understanding the angles. I have sintheta1-sintheta2, where theta1 is measured from point P to the horizontal wire and from the vertical axis, to the left of point P. Theta 2 is measured to the right of point P. I am ok until...
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    Discharging capacitor in RC circuit

    there was no external resistor. The voltmeter itself (the multimeter) has a resistance of 10Mohms. But, what do you mean disconnect the output? Do you mean remove one of the wires leading into/out of the power supply?
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    Discharging capacitor in RC circuit

    It was a power supply.
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    Discharging capacitor in RC circuit

    No, the battery has an on/off switch. It was not just my group where this was happening. It happened to all the groups. We tried first with a 2.2 micro-F capacitor, and since it discharged too fast, we switched to a 4.7 micro-F capacitor. I don't know if that affects anything.
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    Discharging capacitor in RC circuit

    The voltmeter was a digital multimeter. The initial fall in the voltage was very quick. No matter what voltage we started at, either 1V or 20V, it seemed to drop down to close to zero almost immediately, then climb back up to about 1V in about 10seconds, then begin it's steady decline back down.
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    Discharging capacitor in RC circuit

    In lab, we built a circuit with a 4.7 micro-F capacitor hooked up to a DC source. In parallel to the capacitor was a 10megaOhm resistance voltmeter. We used the voltmeter to find the voltage drop across the resistor and find the RC constant (supposing unknown C). We would turn on the battery...
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    Understanding Gravitational Force: Why Does My Effect on Earth Seem Negligible?

    OK, so the force between me and Earth is G*m1*m2/r^2, and I have the same pull on Earth as Earth has on me. I see it in the math, BUT, it doesn't make sense to me outside of the math. Earth's gravity pulls me down to the surface...certainly I don't pull up on Earth with the same force? Why is...
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    Olbers' Paradox, the CMB and the observable universe

    Please do carry on. I always want to know more! I certainly still want to know more, always.
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    Olbers' Paradox, the CMB and the observable universe

    Aha! That's it. Thank you so much. That's the bit of info my feable mind was missing!
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    Olbers' Paradox, the CMB and the observable universe

    the observable universe is finite in extent, but we can see out to the cmb. Isn't that the very first few minutes after the big bang. Outward from the cmb (back in time) there was coupled light/matter so we wouldn't be able to see it anyway. But if we see the cmb, and the cmb defines the...
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    Olbers' Paradox, the CMB and the observable universe

    Ok, but if there are stars who are younger than the cmb, which I'm assuming all stars are, then shouldn't we be able to see all of them? Saying that there are objects whose light hasn't reached us means they are older than the cmb? Or, stated another way, can we see everything withing the...
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