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bill nye scienceguy!
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to spontaneously develop an instability, i.e. without some external force acting on it?
Do you mean like if you lock me up in a box sitting on the floor, is it possible for me, inside the box, to tip the box over?bill nye scienceguy! said:to spontaneously develop an instability, i.e. without some external force acting on it?
I'm pretty sure the point of the OP's question is to ask if this can happen without introducing energy from an external source.DaleSpam said:In general it is always possible to add enough energy to a system to destabilize it. Stability refers to a system that returns to its original state after a small input of energy.
A box on the floor is stable, if you tip it a bit it will rock back in place. It is possible to add enough energy to tip the box completely over or even break the box.
What about the example in post#3 of me inside the box?russ_watters said:I agree that it sounds to be, by definition, impossible.
Who said anything about creating energy? Is there anything that says the closed system cannot contain stored energy, like say, a bored Web Developer with a point to make?AFG34 said:you can't create energy, so no it can't be
If it is possible to tip the box over, then it isn't stable.DaveC426913 said:What about the example in post#3 of me inside the box?
bill nye scienceguy! said:to spontaneously develop an instability, i.e. without some external force acting on it?
Not at all. If I turn myself in a circle inside the box, it will rotate in the opposite direction. True, its CoM will not have moved, but its orientation has.Crosson said:If you manage to tip the box over, its only because of the force of the floor, which is an external force.
To imagine a closed system, imagine trying to tip the box over in intergalactic space (impossible).
You sure about that definition?russ_watters said:If it is possible to tip the box over, then it isn't stable.
The way the question in the OP is worded, it is basically the same as asking if it is possible for 1 to equal 2. We don't need to nitpick the definition when the OP used two words with opposite meanings and asked if they can be equal.DaveC426913 said:You sure about that definition?
DaleSpam said:I would say that a person in a box is a conditionally stable system. The condition being that the person keeps themselves within certain bounds (below a certain height and velocity etc.) within the box. If the person exceeds those bounds then the box can spontaneously tip over, but if the person does not exceed those bounds then small external inputs will not result in the box tipping over.
Yes, it is possible for a stable system to become unstable. This can happen if external factors or disturbances disrupt the equilibrium of the system, causing it to deviate from its stable state.
The stability of a system can be influenced by several factors, such as the structure and design of the system, the control mechanisms in place, and the presence of any external disturbances or feedback loops.
The stability of a system can be analyzed by studying its behavior over time and assessing its response to disturbances. Mathematical models and simulations can also be used to predict the stability of a system.
Yes, a stable system can be improved upon by identifying and addressing any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that may compromise its stability. This can involve implementing new control measures, optimizing the system's design, or reducing the effects of external disturbances.
An unstable system can have various consequences, depending on the type of system. In some cases, it may lead to system failure or malfunction, which can have serious consequences in critical applications. In other cases, it may cause disruptions or inefficiencies in the system's functioning.