Recent content by Georgepowell

Okay cool. I think we can leave this discussion, thanks for the help everyone :)

There obviously IS something about a quantum computer that classical computers cannot do in a reasonable time. Otherwise quantum computers would be useless, even in theory. Also don't think I'm talking about what can be computed given infinite time: I understand that given infinite time a...

My line of reasoning was this: You can't model a quantum computer that can solve large combinatorial problems on a classical computer in reasonable time. Or else you've just solved the combinatorial problem in reasonable time. Therefore there's something about this system, and the quantum...

Okay, that's made me think a bit more about my original question. I don't think I really know what I'm asking without a better understanding of how a quantum computer might work, or how quantum mechanics might be modeled by a classic computer. So what you're suggesting is that basic quantum...

First of all, I haven't the slightest idea how a quantum computer actually works but I understand that it is theoretically possible to make them and they could, in theory, be used to compute things that a classical computer would take too long to compute. (i.e. large combinatorial problems like...

Velocity is relative because when describing something's velocity you have to say relative to what. i.e. "A particle is traveling at 5m/s" doesn't make sense. "A particle is traveling at 5m/s relative to me" does make sense. Does "A particle is accelerating at 5m/s²" make sense? I have...

Thanks, if m is presumed to be constant then F=ma, so I understand why F=ma shouldn't be used with variable mass. I'll explain this to my teacher if he doesn't seem to understand tomorrow.

Thanks I understand that. So the mass that is being added in this scenario starts from stationary and that is why the acceleration is not simply g.

I don't understand. Are you saying that if an object (not subject to air resistance or any other type of resistance to motion) is falling under gravity and has an increasing mass, its acceleration will not be at a constant g?

So if I wrote the question correctly (I'm pretty sure I did) then does that mean there is something wrong with the question?

I found this question on a past paper (it is from an old syllabus and I was not asked to do this question, so it isn't homework or school work. I'm just curious): A raindrop falls from rest at time t = 0 and moves through still air. At time t its speed is v and its mass is Me^(kt), where M...

The way I think of it, there are 4 forces acting: The weight of the block pulling down (100N) The tension of the string acting on the block to stop it falling (100N) The branch of the tree pulling up on the string to stop the rope falling (100N) The tension of the string pulling down on...

A car drives fast off the top of a ramp, but while it is in the air it is rotating forward (towards a nose-dive). Would suddenly putting the brakes on and reversing your wheels as fast as you can either: a) not effect the rotation b) slow the rotation, bringing it out of the nose-dive c) push...

My advise: Learn Newtonian mechanics at school. Most of it isn't really fun enough to be put into pop-science books. Just choose Maths or Further Maths for your A-Levels. As for relativity/quantum theory/string theory... etc. As other people say, read some pop-science books. My favourites...

Here is a good question if someone wants a go: A space-ship of (constant) mass M starts from rest in a zero gravity vacuum. It has a rocket that provides a constant force of F Newtons in any direction it wants. The space-ship's aim is to travel in a perfect circle of radius R from rest by...