What is Phenomenon: Definition and 218 Discussions

A phenomenon (Greek: φαινόμενον, romanized: phainómenon, lit. 'thing appearing to view'; plural phenomena) is an observable fact or event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which cannot be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in this part of his philosophy, in which phenomenon and noumenon serve as interrelated technical terms. Far predating this, the ancient Greek Pyrrhonist philosopher Sextus Empiricus also used phenomenon and noumenon as interrelated technical terms.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. K

    Honeycomb structure of oil due to an electric field

    Hi, I've been working on a problem for some time now and I can't figure out why exactly this happens, and I've been looking for some insight. The phenomenon can be seen in this video. We can see that the oil rearranges itself due to a high-voltage electric field. Thinking about this, my...
  2. WiseGreatTrixie

    Copper wire problems and strange phenomenon

    ok so I was creating a connection today and used a 5 v led on a 1.5 v battery. Battery was in a case from radioshack and had insulated leads, full of twisted micro wire. Since there was no way to crimp it or strip the wire without me ruining the twists, I just bundled it to some non twisted wire...
  3. sunrah

    I Why is special relativity a local phenomenon?

    Where does the requirement come from that special relativity applies only locally? It is not immediately obvious from the two postulates. I'm asking because this is important for the validity of the Hubble Law.
  4. Stephanus

    Exploring Kinetic Energy & Relativity: A New Look at an Old Phenomenon

    Dear PF Forum, I'd like to ask a question regarding a post in Relativity sub forum. The formula for kinetic energy is ##E_k = 0.5mv^2## Which makes sense. Because if we push/accelerate 1 kg object for 1 m/s2 for 8 meters, we'll spend ##E = N.m = 8 joules## How much time do we need to do that...
  5. 24forChromium

    Name of this phenomenon on gyroscopic motion?

    There is the illusion that when a force is applied at one point on a spinning wheel, the effect is as if the force is applied 90 degrees downstream of the rotation. What is this called? Does it have an official name?
  6. kkpanu9

    Help explain Physics Phenomenon

    http://www.quora.com/How-can-sound-waves-alter-the-flow-of-water Ok, so I carried out this experiment, and I understand some of it, but need help with other parts. Ok, so are we actually seeing a sine wave formed by the water? If so, I understand that waves are supposed to transport energy...
  7. Prashan Shan

    Do virtual photons explain this phenomenon?

    ok. this may sound stupid, first of all i asked this question because i have a doubt that "if a photon can see things around it will it be able to see its own reflection if it aproaches towards a mirror?" so i played a video of light being reflected in a mirror in slow motion and paused the...
  8. C

    An interesting experimental phenomenon about electric field

    Hi, I find an interesting related to electric field when doing experiment. I put a chip which has the following circuit inside Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM), an electron beam is irradiating on R1. The AC source is isolated from Earth by using a capacitor C1 and resistor R3 in the...
  9. B

    Sonoluminescence-- why is this phenomenon so mysterious?

    I'm not sure which forum to post this under... Anyhow all scientists I've talked to have agreed that sonoluminescence is not completely understood by the scientific community. I'm curious as to which parts of the phenomenon remain a mystery. To me it seems like a reasonable process if you...
  10. Symmetry777

    Concerning Quantum Phenomenon the Center of the Torus

    Concerning Quantum Phenomenon: I understand the effects of liquid nitrogen on the magnetic fields. However If you ran a tube of liquid nitrogen in the center of a torus magnet or toroidal inductor - would the magnetic field increase, toroidal magnetic vector potential increase. (Zero-point...
  11. Coffee_

    Can the Lorentz force explain the following phenomenon?

    The situation is probably well known by many of you. The setup is at rest realtive to the B-field while the rod is moving at a constant velocity. I have been thinking about the connection between the Lorentz force and Maxwell 3 and looking stuff up about it. The first question is wheither only...
  12. A

    Mysterious boiling phenomenon during experiment

    I am a student in my third year of engineering (materials science) and I was performing a lab experiment in which I was asked to calculate the heat capacity of metals using thermodynamic relationships. The experiment was done by placing a metal sample into a foam container filled with liquid...
  13. A

    Mysterious boiling phenomenon during experiment

    Greetings, I am a student in my third year of engineering (materials science) and I was performing a lab experiment in which I was asked to calculate the heat capacity of metals using thermodynamic relationships. The experiment was done by placing a metal sample into a foam container filled...
  14. T

    Correct definition for statistical phenomenon

    Suppose we have a random service time ##T## with residual service time ##R## observed at some point along the way. What is the correct way to call ##T## (in 1-2 words, without having to introduce ##R##) if: 1) For any observation time, ##\mathbb{E}R\leq\mathbb{E}T##? 2) For any observation...
  15. T

    Van Cittert Zernike Theorem and associated Optical phenomenon

    Hello colleagues So I've been trying to make head and tail of a paper concerning coherence holography. As I see it, it involves a sound understanding of the Van Cittrt Zernicke theorem I have linked the paper below, and I was wondering if someone could explain the physics going on behind and...
  16. J

    Observer vs Natural phenomenon

    If you have two hydrogen atoms as your system, then you use the many body schrodinger equation for 2 protons and 2 electrons. The coulombic repulsion between the two atoms is built into the SWE, so is there a range of different possible magnitudes for the repulsion? If so, does the system decide...
  17. S

    Why Does a Convex Lens Create a Flower-Like Light Pattern?

    I have a long tube (aout 30 cm) with a convex lens of diameter 7.5 cm on the one end and a small hole of diameter 2 cm on the other. When i shine a light through the hole and let it pass through the lens, i get a flowery pattern on the wall, looked very strange to me. There is a maxima in the...
  18. M

    MHB Gibbs Phenomenon: Investigating Fourier Series of a Discontinuity

    Hey! :o I am looking at the Gibbs phenomenon. We want to look at the behaviour of a Fourier series of a region of discontinuity of $f$, especially we are looking at the function $f(x)=sgn(x), x \in [-\pi, \pi]$ near $0$.Since $f$ is odd, it suffices to look its behaviour at $[0, \pi]$. Why...
  19. R

    Magnetism - What do you call this phenomenon?

    When a substance is neither attracted nor repeled by a magnet what can I call such phenomenon? Thank you
  20. J

    What phenomenon occurs that reduces drag when a swim cap is applied

    Dear Experts, I am 4th year undergraduate who did experiments for drag reduction in swim cap. I had applied hydrophobic and hydrophilic coatings on my cap. My final results are shown in attachment below. The no cap has more drag than body with swim cap without coatings. There is not much...
  21. D

    MHB Real life phenomenon that can be modeled by this curve?

    Is there any real life phenomenon that can be modeled by the curve: S(t) = 1/(1+e^-t) ? in the range between t=-5 and t=5 Thanks!
  22. S

    Uncertainty of Randomness: Exploring a Phenomenon

    maybe this is too basic question but it is not so clear for me. when we refer to a random experiment, can a phenomenon be absolutely random by itself or its all about our uncertainty about the outcome that we call it random?
  23. P

    Are gravitational waves relativistic or Newtonian phenomenon?

    Today, all of the scientific world (including /r/physics) buzzes about BICEP2's discovery of gravitational waves dating from Big Bang as an undispute confirmation of the general relativity. Now I wonder is it really GR? Can't it be explained by simple Newton's mechanics? I mean if you can...
  24. A

    Heating phenomenon in a nozzle

    Hello , I have a rather odd question. I am trying to find a phenomenon that occurs in nozzles but am quite unable to name the phenomenon per se. The vague description of the phenomenon I remember is that when a supersonic flow occurs in a nozzle (or superheated steam), there is heat produced...
  25. P

    What Does the Coriolis Effect Really Refer To?

    Does the term "Coriolis effect" refer to the phenomenon that causes the sheering of wind (or other objects) due to the difference in angular velocity encountered when moving from north to south or south to north, or . . . does it refer to the turning observed with a Foucault pendulum that is...
  26. davenn

    Exploring Seismic Waves: Uncovering a New Phenomenon

    Greetings all Over the last couple of days I have been delving into a new personal discovery about seismic waves. And with the talk recently in several threads in the general and classic physics sections about sound wave propagation in water, I thought this was appropriate to share. Many of...
  27. U

    Magnetism as a Relativistic Phenomenon

    Consider a wire with charges moving with speed 'v'and '-v' in frame F (with charge q at distance s away moving at speed u). In frame F', the charge q is stationary, and so the speeds of the charges in the wire are v+ and v-, where v- > v+ Hi guys, I have trouble following through the proof in...
  28. R

    Gibbs phenomenon and ringing in square waves: causality?

    A seemingly good way to understand the overshoot and decay (ringing) of a square wave on a scope is that it is the result of bandwidth limiting. In that case, the Fourier series of a square wave \Pi(t) = \frac{1}{2 \pi} \sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty \frac{\sin(n \omega/2)}{n \omega/2} \exp(i n \omega...
  29. C

    Exploring the Physical Phenomenon of Color Mixing

    Why when artists mix blue and yellow colors, we see green? What is the physical explanation of this?
  30. S

    Understanding laser phenomenon

    For some reason, can't delete this thread... thank you, UltrafastPED, the below video was very helpful!
  31. Phy_enthusiast

    Is black hole a theoretical concept or a natural phenomenon?

    is black hole a theoretical concept or a natural phenomenon?
  32. A

    Magnet Phenomenon: The divergent region of a ring magnet

    Magnet Phenomenon: The "divergent" region of a ring magnet Here's a puzzler: I have a NdFeB ring magnet, 1.75" outer diameter x 1.375" inner diameter x 0.25" thick, N40 grade. It is axially magnetized so that the north pole is toward one face and the south pole is toward the opposite face. The...
  33. N

    Need Help With a Physics Phenomenon (Quick Question)

    What's the optical phenomenon called when a wheel is rotating clockwise so fast that it eventually looks like it's rotating counter-clockwise? Not a homework question, just curious.
  34. E

    Is coherence a single photon phenomenon?

    Hello folks. 2-dimensional spectroscopic techniques have been used to investigate biological systems and found that they transfer energy via coherent pathways. However, some have argued that this has no bearing on how these systems behave in nature, as the sun is not a coherent source and the...
  35. M

    What is the strange phenomenon above this explosion on Mythbusters?

    Here's an explosion from mythbusters. At about the 1:35-36 mark, there is a particular camera angle where if you go frame by frame, just as the explosion starts, there is a weird disconnected phenomenon right above the explosion(kinda like a cone). Could anyone explain what that is? A...
  36. tsuwal

    Bowl turns black with heat Strange physicochemical phenomenon

    I have a bowl in my kitchen that turns black when heated (when it goes to the microwave oven or the washing machine). It is driving my crazy so I started to investigate. Here are the results: This is how it looks after cleaning it: After going to the microwave it becomes like this...
  37. R

    Why can't photoelectric effect be explained by wave phenomenon ?

    photoelectric effect is explained by taking photon of energy 'hv'.Even electromagnetic waves carry energy.Why can't they interact with electron and transfer energy ?Even a wave has characteristics frequency and wavelength charateristics and all. I think I'm a bit confused.Can someone help me...
  38. N

    Explaining the Phenomenon of Electric Charge in Straws

    Hi! Someone said me, if I take a plastic straw and wipe it with a handkerchief (or something like that), I can recharge it so that it will hang even on some of the walls due to electric charge (but do not know which way, tomorrow I am going to buy some straws:-D) How would you explain this...
  39. A

    Phenomenon of Light Refraction

    I have read about effect of refraction due to slowing of light rays reaching the denser medium first and so light bends etc...but why can't light go as shown in the figure (attachment)? In the diagram (Sry, not a great artist ;-) ) the wavefront does change but not the path of light...or is it...
  40. M

    Why Do Glasses and Lightbulbs Spontaneously Explode on My Desk?

    I'm not sure how to put it, but recently its been happening, so far around 3 times, i leave a glass or a lightbulb on my desk right between my screen and my speakers RANDOMLY, seriously.. SPONTANEOUSLY they EXPLODE They have NOT been exposed to mechanical stress or even rough...
  41. Q

    What natural phenomenon explains this glowing object.

    Many years ago I was sat playing cards with friends when I saw this strange light outside hovering just above a door handle so I went to have a look. It was about the size of a golf ball and had some resemblance to a flame but with very different properties. It was silent. It was in...
  42. T

    Someone please explain this Sun Phenomenon

  43. P

    Why the phenomenon of relativity is not progressive in nature.

    My Question is, “why the phenomenon of relativity is not progressive in nature”. For example we say that a person moving with ‘c’ faces the time dilation say t. But since the person is still in inertial frame (constant velocity or zero acceleration) and also moving with ‘c’ with new time why he...
  44. C

    Musical instruments - beats phenomenon

    Can anyone give me a description of the beats phenomenon associated with musical instruments (or in general, any waves with which beats are associated). I have looked at numerous textbooks however I feel I don't completely understand the concept still. Thanks
  45. H

    What is the technical term for this sociological/psychological phenomenon?

    Greetings everyone, When someone discusses a given topic, people often perceive that the speaker's view on the topic is opposite theirs, even if no opinion on the topic was given. I know that there is a technical term for this (I read it in an obscure magazine, like Alaska Airlines magazine...
  46. T

    Are humans a natural phenomenon if they are just society of cells?

    So a human is made of cells. It is essentially a city or society of cells that live together. There is no such thing as human, it's just a bunch of cells. So human is just a natural phenomenon, an emergent property. In addition, a cell is just a bunch of atoms. I.e. a collection of atoms...
  47. C

    First magnetic phenomenon observed on the Sun

    I am currently doing a bit of research into the history of our understanding of the solar magnetic field. It is quite interesting. As I understand it, sunspots, which were observed at least as early as the time of Aristotle, were the first solar magnetic phenomenon to be observed. Can...
  48. D

    Phenomenon of rotation of planets

    is the phenomenon of rotation of planets best explained based on frame dragging due to sun? If so does universe rotate as a whole. What causes it. I am really beginner. Forgive my ignorance.
  49. Loren Booda

    Turbulence - just a phenomenon of cavitation?

    Turbulence -- just a phenomenon of cavitation? Is turbulence exclusively cavitation of a fluid? Please give me your insight on this idea.
  50. J

    Explaining a Physics Phenomenon with a Snowy Photo

    Homework Statement I have to submit a photo for a physics contest. I was thinking of using the picture in the attached, but I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to explain it in terms of physics. The background on the picture is: We had a very wet snow and as the snow built up on top...
Back
Top