Recent content by nautikal

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    Maximizing Value and Profit Simultaneously

    Homework Statement This isn't a specific math problem but rather a business problem I would like to try and solve using calculus. Basically, a car company wants to maximize value AND profit (per car). Homework Equations Value = \frac{Benefit}{Price} (see...
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    Why does a boat lean into its turn?

    When cars turn they lean away from the turn as the torque from the centripetal force is balanced by the larger normal force on the tires on the outside of the turn. However, boats lean into their turns. So when a boat is turning left, it will lean to left. This doesn't make any sense to me...
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    Engineering Need help deciding on an engineering major (undergrad)

    Unfortunately MSE and civil engineering diverge first semester sophomore year (my next semester), especially since I have some AP credits. There are three civil engineering classes that are supposed to be taken (2 civil engineering and 1 general engineering) and for MSE there are two classes...
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    Engineering Need help deciding on an engineering major (undergrad)

    chiro, thanks for your post. I've definitely considered doing something business related (I'm taking some business classes now) but I definitely want to spend some time in the engineering field first and maybe get a MBA later on. Can anyone else help?
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    Engineering Need help deciding on an engineering major (undergrad)

    I'm currently a freshman engineering student in my second semester and am currently in materials science engineering. So far I've just taken the core engineering courses such as general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus (up to multivariable), and physics (mechanics, waves, thermodynamics...
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    Lowest Possible Frequencies of a Sound

    Homework Statement A loudspeaker at the origin emits sound waves on a day when the speed of sound is 340 m/s. A crest of the wave simultaneously passes listeners at the (x, y) coordinates (40m, 0) and (0, 30m). What are the lowest two possible frequencies of the sound? Homework Equations...
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    What causes the decrease in pressure in a smaller diameter tube?

    Okay, but how is this explained on the molecular level? An individual molecule of water will have the same kinetic energy as it goes up the pipe at a constant speed, yet its potential energy will increase. There is no pressure at the molecular level, so how is this explained? Is pressure a type...
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    What causes the decrease in pressure in a smaller diameter tube?

    So we are learning about fluid dynamics in my physics class right now, and while I "know" the concepts, I don't understand them. Bernoulli's law says that when a fluid flows from a large area to a smaller area, the pressure decreases and the speed of the fluid increases. I understand how the...
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    Build a Pedal-Powered Generator for Middle School Workshop | Engineering Project

    But don't we only need to know all the losses if we want to find out how much total power they are producing? If I understand this properly there is power (and energy) lost mechanically when the motion of the wheel is transferred to the motion of the generator. Then there is power (and energy)...
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    Build a Pedal-Powered Generator for Middle School Workshop | Engineering Project

    The load is an inverter which is powering several light bulbs in series. We don't really need to know the internal losses since there are going to be more losses due to the inefficiency of just butting up the wheel against the motor. We're more interested in just knowing how much usable...
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    Build a Pedal-Powered Generator for Middle School Workshop | Engineering Project

    If you want some background information on the project I'm working on, continue reading. If you just want to help then you can just skip to the bolded part. I'm supposed to build a pedal powered generator for an engineering class with a group. We are using a treadmill motor and pressing the...
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    Calculating the Mass of H2 Gas Using Pressure and Volume Measurements

    I'm going to assume this was at a temperature of 295°K, because that's what you used in your calculations, but you didn't state this in the problem. You calculated the pressure of the hydrogen gas correctly. The total pressure of the gas is 833 torr, with H2O gas accounting for 22 torr of that...
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    Work/Energy and Parallel Current-Carrying Conductors (Conceptual Question)

    Homework Statement Two parallel conductors carrying current in the same direction attract each other. If they are permitted to move toward each other, the forces of attraction do work. Where does the energy come from? Does this contradict the assertion in the previous chapter that magnetic...
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    Wobbling Disks: Thin Hoop vs Solid Disk

    What would wobble more easily... a thin hoop or a solid disk of the same mass? A solid disk will have a lower moment of inertia, but I'm not sure how this applies to wobbling. I was just thinking about CD players and how they vibrate a lot from the discs wobbling. Would thickening the outer...
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    Understanding Newton's Third Law

    Thanks! I just made a FBD using that info and I understand now :).
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