What is the hardest thing for you to wrap your brain around

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In summary, the conversation touches on various topics such as the size of the universe, the size of a quark, infinity, the Riemann Hypothesis, the platypus, women, diamonds, and memory. The participants share their difficulties in comprehending these concepts and express their amazement at the complexity of the human brain. They also discuss the mathematical concept of infinities and their comparison in calculus.
  • #1
uperkurk
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Maybe the sheer size of the universe? The speed at which light travels? The size of a quark?

Out of all the things in the universe, what is hardest for you to possibly imagine, as long as it's generally accepted it doesn't have to be proven.

For me it's both the size of the universe and the size of a quark. I mean, sitting here trying to wrap my head around how something can be so unbelievably large, yet also thinking how something can be so unbelievably tiny.

Kind of ironic a little bit, how something like a solar system is similar to an atom even though their sizes vary beyond belief.
 
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  • #2
I used to have a problem with infinity. I kept using it like it was a number.
For example, I couldn't understand that the amount of numbers between both 0 and 1 and 0 and 2 were both the same.
 
  • #3
My brain.
 
  • #4
I haven't quite wrapped my brain around it yet.
 
  • #5
The structure of the human eye and how the process of vision functions, and then dreams.
 
  • #6
Diamond.
 
  • #7
What is the hardest thing for me to wrap my brain around? Has to have to been a tarmac road surface ... well, I suppose wrapping my skull around the road and my brain around the inside of my skull is technically more accurate.

Other than that it is probably why anything exists at all (and, please, do not try and expound some hypothesis involving quantum theory and zero point energy fluctuations ... such hypotheses presuppose the existence of a quantum field and so on)
 
  • #8
The Riemann Hypothesis. I don't understand it.

But I'm not even very good at differential equations.
 
  • #9
The platypus. Need I say more?
 
  • #10
Women...
 
  • #11
Jimmy Snyder said:
Diamond.

Why diamonds?
 
  • #12
leroyjenkens said:
I used to have a problem with infinity. I kept using it like it was a number.
For example, I couldn't understand that the amount of numbers between both 0 and 1 and 0 and 2 were both the same.

Aren't some infinities larger than other infinities?
 
  • #13
tahayassen said:
Aren't some infinities larger than other infinities?

In a way, yes, that's what Cantor demonstrated in the late 1800s.

If you took the number of numbers in between 0-1 and divided it by the number of numbers between 0-2, you should get 1/2.

Let x be the number of numbers between 0-1. There are an equal number of numbers between 0-1 and between 1-2, so the number of numbers between 0-2 is x + x, or 2x. So you have x/2x, and even if x is infinity, they cancel (they're the same infinity).

I'm sure mathematicians will murder me for doing it that way, since I probably did all kinds of things wrong, but I think that's the general idea.
 
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  • #14
uperkurk said:
Why diamonds?

:rolleyes:
 
  • #15
uperkurk said:
Why diamonds?
Hard to say.
 
  • #16
uperkurk said:
Why diamonds?

Jimmy Snyder likes to joke a lot. Diamonds are extremely hard. His post above mine is also a pun.
 
  • #17
How and if an inverse tangent function "jumps" from positive infinity to negative infinity.
 
  • #18
Memory.

How tiny chemical reactions and electrical signals can conjure up such vivid memories from 20+ years ago amazes me. Occasionally I have a dream that has been recurring since I was 7-8 years old (currently 27 years old), and it just fascinates me to think about what all is stored in our brain and how some of it surfaces when you least expect it.
 
  • #19
Jack21222 said:
In a way, yes, that's what Cantor demonstrated in the late 1800s.

If you took the number of numbers in between 0-1 and divided it by the number of numbers between 0-2, you should get 1/2.

Let x be the number of numbers between 0-1. There are an equal number of numbers between 0-1 and between 1-2, so the number of numbers between 0-2 is x + x, or 2x. So you have x/2x, and even if x is infinity, they cancel (they're the same infinity).

I'm sure mathematicians will murder me for doing it that way, since I probably did all kinds of things wrong, but I think that's the general idea.

The problem is you're using infinity as if it's a number. You added infinity with infinity. That makes no sense if infinity isn't a number.
 
  • #20
leroyjenkens said:
The problem is you're using infinity as if it's a number. You added infinity with infinity. That makes no sense if infinity isn't a number.

It makes plenty of sense. For every number in the 0-1 set, there is a corresponding number in the 1-2 set. In my example, x is not necessarily infinity, it's the number of numbers in between 0-1.

The concept of infinities cancelling out, and one infinity being "bigger" than the other, is used ALL THE TIME in calculus when dealing with limits. For example, consider (2^x)/(x!) As x goes to infinity, the top and bottom are both infinity. However, the bottom infinity is "larger" so the limit as it goes to infinity is zero.
 
  • #21
Jack21222 said:
The concept of infinities cancelling out, and one infinity being "bigger" than the other, is used ALL THE TIME in calculus when dealing with limits. For example, consider (2^x)/(x!) As x goes to infinity, the top and bottom are both infinity. However, the bottom infinity is "larger" so the limit as it goes to infinity is zero.

For x equal to infinity, both the numerator and denominator are infinitely large, but their ratio is not zero.

For x approaching infinity -- but still finite -- the numerator and denominator also have finite values and their ratio is close to zero, but not zero.

Taking the limits of functions like this is not the same as dividing infinity by infinity.
 
  • #22
It makes plenty of sense. For every number in the 0-1 set, there is a corresponding number in the 1-2 set. In my example, x is not necessarily infinity, it's the number of numbers in between 0-1.
It is necessarily infinity.
The concept of infinities cancelling out, and one infinity being "bigger" than the other, is used ALL THE TIME in calculus when dealing with limits.
It is, but adding infinity to infinity is not.
 
  • #23
Entropy.

Why it is what it is, and so on.
 
  • #24
Jack21222 said:
The concept of infinities cancelling out, and one infinity being "bigger" than the other, is used ALL THE TIME in calculus when dealing with limits.
But that isn't what you did at all; you didn't do a limiting case argument. It would probably be beneficial if you looked at Cantor's original argument.
 
  • #25
Jack21222 said:
I'm sure mathematicians will murder me for doing it that way, since I probably did all kinds of things wrong, but I think that's the general idea.
Wrong on both counts. I won't repeat it here, but there's a famous example of a hotel with an infinite number of rooms, all of them full. An infinite number of new guests arrive and the hotel is able to accommodate them using only the existing rooms.
 
  • #26
Jimmy Snyder said:
Wrong on both counts. I won't repeat it here, but there's a famous example of a hotel with an infinite number of rooms, all of them full. An infinite number of new guests arrive and the hotel is able to accommodate them using only the existing rooms.

I think Travelocity operates according to this example.
 
  • #27
encorp said:
Entropy.

Why it is what it is, and so on.


John von Neumann told Shannon to call a certain quantity "entropy" because no one understood what it was. This would increase respect for Shannon's information theory.
 
  • #28
My conundrum is "why would anybody harm or kill another person absent any threat".
 
  • #29
why I'm so dumb
 
  • #30
turbo said:
My conundrum is "why would anybody harm or kill another person absent any threat".
a. Mu ha ha ha ha ... (this is a science forum)
b. It's fun.
c. I want something they've got and I couldn't be bothered to "ask nicely" or "barter" ... duh!
d. Bored, bored, boreditty, bored, BORED!
e. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
f. I vos only obeying orders.
g. They told me my driving was poor / They cut me up at an intersection / They took "my" parking place.

... although I suppose f & g could fall into the "any" threat category (if I don't kill the "Jews" / "capitalist running dogs" / "commie lovers" they'll take over the world / the State will kill me) (my precious little ego is deeply hurt by the aspersions cast up my ability to control a vehicle)
 
  • #31
What have I got in my pocket?
 
  • #32
julcab12 said:
Women...

Roger that.
It's amazing that they say almost exactly the opposite of what they mean, and then rag on you for a week because you took them at their word. ("I don't care about Nancy's party; I want to stay home with you," turns rapidly into "We could be having fun at Nancy's party instead of sitting here watching Jeapardy.")
 
  • #33
Jimmy Snyder said:
What have I got in my pocket?
I'm sure it's precious.
 
  • #34
Borg said:
I'm sure it's precious.

I believe that would just be "prec", since there were several "S's" absent from the end of his post. We must keep our tensesses straight.
 
  • #35
encorp said:
Entropy.

Why it is what it is, and so on.

I'm all set with entropy; it's enthalpy that I still don't quite get (beyond it's definition, and how to calculate the change thereof).

Enthalpy isn't taught in basic physics, so I haven't had the professional requirement of coming up with a dozen analogies to explain it.
 
<h2>1. What is the concept of infinity and why is it difficult to understand?</h2><p>The concept of infinity refers to something that has no limit or end. It is difficult to understand because our brains are used to thinking in finite terms, with a clear beginning and end. Infinity challenges our understanding of time, space, and quantity, making it a difficult concept to wrap our brains around.</p><h2>2. Why is quantum mechanics considered to be one of the hardest topics in science?</h2><p>Quantum mechanics is the study of the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. It is considered to be one of the hardest topics in science because it challenges our understanding of how the world works. The principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, are counterintuitive and often defy our classical understanding of physics.</p><h2>3. What is the hardest thing to understand about the theory of relativity?</h2><p>The theory of relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein, describes how gravity affects the fabric of space and time. The hardest thing to understand about this theory is the concept of spacetime, where space and time are intertwined and affected by the presence of mass. It can be difficult to wrap our brains around the idea that time can be relative and not constant.</p><h2>4. Why is the concept of parallel universes so mind-boggling?</h2><p>The concept of parallel universes, also known as the multiverse theory, suggests that there are multiple universes existing alongside our own. This idea is difficult to understand because it challenges our perception of reality and raises questions about the nature of existence. It is also difficult to prove or disprove, making it a controversial topic in the scientific community.</p><h2>5. What makes the concept of the Big Bang so difficult to comprehend?</h2><p>The Big Bang theory is the prevailing explanation for the origin of the universe. It suggests that the universe began as a singularity and expanded rapidly, leading to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets. This concept can be difficult to wrap our brains around because it is hard to imagine something coming from nothing and the vastness of the universe can be overwhelming to comprehend.</p>

1. What is the concept of infinity and why is it difficult to understand?

The concept of infinity refers to something that has no limit or end. It is difficult to understand because our brains are used to thinking in finite terms, with a clear beginning and end. Infinity challenges our understanding of time, space, and quantity, making it a difficult concept to wrap our brains around.

2. Why is quantum mechanics considered to be one of the hardest topics in science?

Quantum mechanics is the study of the behavior of particles at a subatomic level. It is considered to be one of the hardest topics in science because it challenges our understanding of how the world works. The principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, are counterintuitive and often defy our classical understanding of physics.

3. What is the hardest thing to understand about the theory of relativity?

The theory of relativity, proposed by Albert Einstein, describes how gravity affects the fabric of space and time. The hardest thing to understand about this theory is the concept of spacetime, where space and time are intertwined and affected by the presence of mass. It can be difficult to wrap our brains around the idea that time can be relative and not constant.

4. Why is the concept of parallel universes so mind-boggling?

The concept of parallel universes, also known as the multiverse theory, suggests that there are multiple universes existing alongside our own. This idea is difficult to understand because it challenges our perception of reality and raises questions about the nature of existence. It is also difficult to prove or disprove, making it a controversial topic in the scientific community.

5. What makes the concept of the Big Bang so difficult to comprehend?

The Big Bang theory is the prevailing explanation for the origin of the universe. It suggests that the universe began as a singularity and expanded rapidly, leading to the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets. This concept can be difficult to wrap our brains around because it is hard to imagine something coming from nothing and the vastness of the universe can be overwhelming to comprehend.

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