Monthly Physics Competition Questionnaire

In summary, each month a question is asked and the winner receives a free book. This month's prize is "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica" and the question is why objects held above the ground fall towards the Earth. Many incorrect answers were given, but the correct answer is that both objects exert gravitational forces on each other and if the person holding the object does not provide an equal and opposite force, both objects will fall towards each other. The Earth's large mass makes it seem like only the object is falling, but in reality both objects are moving towards each other. This explanation was deemed satisfactory by the host of the competition.
  • #1
AnTiFreeze3
246
9
Each month I will be hosting a question that, if answered correctly, will result in a free book of my choice to be delivered to the winner of the competition.

This month's prize: Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.

The question for this month is the following: Why is it that objects that are held above the ground tend to fall towards the Earth?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
AnTiFreeze3 said:
The question for this month is the following: Why is it that objects that are held above the ground tend to fall towards the Earth?

It is the will of Satan.
 
  • #3
It's not the objects falling towards the Earth, it's the Earth falling towards the objects
 
  • #4
It won't fall. You're holding it still above the ground. Kthxbai
 
  • #5
PhizKid said:
It's not the objects falling towards the Earth, it's the Earth falling towards the objects

Close, but not quite. In reality, nothing falls towards each other. It is our mind that makes it seem that things are falling. Without the mind, nothing is.
 
  • #6
WannabeNewton said:
It won't fall. You're holding it still above the ground. Kthxbai

I'm sorry, the answer we were looking for was

Like I would give away the answer to an ongoing competition, you ignoramus.
 
  • #7
micromass said:
Close, but not quite. In reality, nothing falls towards each other. It is our mind that makes it seem that things are falling. Without the mind, nothing is.

You're getting close! Keep following this train of thought, and you might just win a new book!
 
  • #9
micromass said:
Is this the book that you're going to give away: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0538497815/?tag=pfamazon01-20 ? In that case: no thanks.

Oh don't worry, we here at the annual/12 competition already know that you have a copy of that book which you enjoy very much, and would never think of supplying you with a book which you already possess.

Assuming you don't have this book, then this remains our standard prize for this month.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #10
The answer is [itex]\mathcal{L}_{\boldsymbol{\psi}}(\epsilon_{abcd}\xi^{b}\nabla^{c}\xi^{d}) + 2\psi^{e}\nabla_{[a}(\epsilon_{e]fgh}\xi^{f}\nabla^{g}\xi^{h}) = 0
[/itex]
 
  • #11
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Oh don't worry, we here at the annual/12 competition already know that you have a copy of that book which you enjoy very much, and would never think of supplying you with a book which you already possess.

Assuming you don't have this book, then this remains our standard prize for this month.

Reported for giving away crackpot books.
 
  • #12
WannabeNewton said:
The answer is [itex]\mathcal{L}_{\boldsymbol{\psi}}(\epsilon_{abcd}\xi^{b}\nabla^{c}\xi^{d}) + 2\psi^{e}\nabla_{[a}(\epsilon_{e]fgh}\xi^{f}\nabla^{g}\xi^{h}) = 0
[/itex]

But what does that mean?
 
  • #13
micromass said:
But what does that mean?
Whatever you want it to mean young grasshopper.
 
  • #14
WannabeNewton said:
Whatever you want it to mean young grasshopper.

I see. To understand the equation, I must first become one with the equation.
 
  • #15
micromass said:
I see. To understand the equation, I must first become one with the equation.
Yeah sure whatever turns you on brah
 
  • #16
Obviously you guys didn't read the fine print for this competition: All answers to my questions, just like all of physics, are devoid of any math, because of the pure uselessness and homeliness of mathematics in general.

For this reason, WannabeNewton's answer remains, yet again, false.
 
  • #17
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Obviously you guys didn't read the fine print for this competition: All answers to my questions, just like all of physics, are devoid of any math, because of the pure uselessness and homeliness of mathematics in general.

For this reason, WannabeNewton's answer remains, yet again, false.

Can we use philosophy?
 
  • #18
AnTiFreeze3 said:
For this reason, WannabeNewton's answer remains, yet again, false.
This is tough. None of my textbooks cover this. After hours of deliberation I have, however, come upon a solution.

Kate Upton.
 
  • #19
WannabeNewton said:
This is tough. None of my textbooks cover this. After hours of deliberation I have, however, come upon a solution.

Kate Upton.

What do you find prettier:

Kate Upton

or

[tex]\mathcal{L}_{\boldsymbol{\psi}}(\epsilon_{abcd}\xi^{b}\nabla^{c}\xi^{d} ) + 2\psi^{e}\nabla_{[a}(\epsilon_{e]fgh}\xi^{f}\nabla^{g}\xi^{h}) = 0[/tex]
 
  • #20
micromass said:
Can we use philosophy?

Of course.

WannabeNewton said:
This is tough. None of my textbooks cover this. After hours of deliberation I have, however, come upon a solution.

Kate Upton.

Ah, you've finally started using your brain. While Kate Upton isn't the exact answer, the units for this answer are in Kate Uptons; ie. 17 Kate Uptons, or 92 Kate Uptons.
 
  • #21
micromass said:
What do you find prettier:

Kate Upton

or

[tex]\mathcal{L}_{\boldsymbol{\psi}}(\epsilon_{abcd}\xi^{b}\nabla^{c}\xi^{d} ) + 2\psi^{e}\nabla_{[a}(\epsilon_{e]fgh}\xi^{f}\nabla^{g}\xi^{h}) = 0[/tex]
Mila Kunis no question.
 
  • #22
WannabeNewton said:
Mila Kunis no question.

Enjoy then:

ieGILM9.jpg
 
  • #23
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Ah, you've finally started using your brain. While Kate Upton isn't the exact answer, the units for this answer are in Kate Uptons; ie. 17 Kate Uptons, or 92 Kate Uptons.
10 Kate Uptons per second. At least that's how it goes down in my dreams.
 
  • Like
Likes 1 person
  • #24
micromass said:
Enjoy then
Dude what the hell I was eating.
 
  • #25
Following this post, everyone will be allotted one final post in which they can post their final answer to my original question. I will review these answers and pick the one that my gut tells me has the most rightness to it.
 
  • #26
Final Answer:

Whatever happens is because AntiFreeze3 commands them to happen. He is perfection.
 
  • #27
Both objects exert gravitational forces on each other, if the person holding the object fails to provide equal and opposite force of magnitude "mg" then both objects will fall towards each other, however Earth being massive moves negligible, thus it seems to the observer as if only the object is falling down.
Was that explanation good enough?
 
  • #28
Knights of Ni. That will be all.
 
  • #29
Viru.universe said:
Both objects exert gravitational forces on each other, if the person holding the object fails to provide equal and opposite force of magnitude "mg" then both objects will fall towards each other, however Earth being massive moves negligible, thus it seems to the observer as if only the object is falling down.
Was that explanation good enough?
Needs more ##\nabla_a##
 
  • #30
Viru.universe said:
Both objects exert gravitational forces on each other, if the person holding the object fails to provide equal and opposite force of magnitude "mg" then both objects will fall towards each other, however Earth being massive moves negligible, thus it seems to the observer as if only the object is falling down.
Was that explanation good enough?

Prove that there is such thing as a gravitational force without using any Newtonian physics or descendants thereof (since Principia is the prize)
 
  • #31
WannabeNewton said:
Needs more ##\nabla_a##

Dat ##\nabla##
 
  • #32
micromass said:
Dat ##\nabla##
It's the answer to everything according to 2001 Space Odyssey.
 
  • #33
WannabeNewton and micromass have both disregarded the rules of this competition by posting twice, after I allowed them to post only once, and have therefore forfeited the prize.
 
  • #34
AnTiFreeze3 said:
WannabeNewton and micromass have both disregarded the rules of this competition by posting twice, after I allowed them to post only once, and have therefore forfeited the prize.
Ain't nothin' but a thang.
 
  • #35
PhizKid said:
Prove that there is such thing as a gravitational force without using any Newtonian physics or descendants thereof (since Principia is the prize)

but I know physics only upto Newtonian level, so I explained on the basis of the knowledge which I have at the moment
 

Similar threads

Replies
7
Views
3K
  • Science and Math Textbooks
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
30
Views
2K
  • Classical Physics
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
17
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
4
Views
670
  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • New Member Introductions
Replies
2
Views
739
  • General Discussion
Replies
26
Views
9K
Back
Top