Recent content by CPW

In physics pedagogy, the routine is to introduce new material in lectures and then practice the material in end-of-chapter problems. This problem, shown below, familiar to many of us on PF, is my favorite. One must get to intermediate mechanics class in undergraduate physics studies to finally...

My child is learning the periodic table for science class, memorizing elements 1 - 20. Middle school. While I assisted, I mused on the elements and on which are discussed most in physics classes. Here is my ranking of the top three: 1. Z=1 2. Z=2 3. Z=92 Do you agree?

"The concept of a light quantum, or a photon, turns out to be far more subtle and mysterious than Einstien imagined. Indeed, it is still very poorly understood." - Halliday/Resnick/Walker Chapter 39 of 6th edition "Fundamentals of Physics". Published in 2001. That reading sparked by post to PF...

Hi PF. I desire deeper understanding of fundamental physics, and quantum mechanics can be a challenge for me (compared to other topics in physics). I read in the intro of the physics textbook chapter that QM explains many phenomena, e.g. why copper conducts electricity and glass does not. In...

A friend of mine shared a YouTube video with me, saying he was sure I would love it. He described it as very strange with a rotating wingnut in the space station flipping over on its rotation axis, over and over, while it spun rapidly. After watching the video, I verified I was taught the...

Thank you.

In reading through The Physics of Energy, the textbook describes the decay chain of U-238: "The longest half-life of any descendent in the chain is less 1 million years. Many half-lives are much shorter, making those nuclides very radioactive." Why does having a short half-life make a...

Are you aware of the field of medical physics? www.aapm.org

"Studies have suggested this as a useful natural analogue for nuclear waste disposal." Very interesting!

This week I read through the chapter "Energy from the Nucleus" inside the familiar intro physics textbook Halliday, Resnick, Walker. I found it fascinating that there is evidence from a uranium mine in West Africa that there may likely have been a nuclear fission natural reactor that went...

Summary:: I wish this video (and YouTube in general) was around when I took intermediate level mechanics as an undergraduate physics student: I wish this video (and YouTube in general) was around when I took intermediate level mechanics as an undergraduate physics student:

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm happy with my test results with opening the basement door and blowing the air out.

A basement waterproofing contractor visited my unfinished basement to quote the cost of an interior drainage system (which I deemed as overkill for my dry basement, at least currently), and he explained the stack effect to me. Takeaway lessons for me as the homeowner: 1. Even with the door to...

Thanks for all the information, Jayhyland. The pro's week-long test came back with this result: 2.2 pCi/L. So that's good, although I would like my equipment to give the same result. My CRM is reading about 1 pCi/L higher, on average. My plan is to do a long-term test again this winter. Include...

This is an old thread, I know. But as the homeowner I have an update this month. I purchased a continuous radon monitor last month, and it sends details to my iPhone. There were multiple times when the peak value was greater than 4.0 pCi/L, and the average value was still close to 3.8. “Action...