Recent content by physmurf

Is it always safe to assume that \frac{\partial^{2}I}{\partial x \partial t}=\frac{\partial^{2}I}{\partial t \partial x}

Homework Statement Consider an electrical cable running along the x-axis which is not well insulated from ground, so that leakage occurs along its entire length. Let V(x,t) and I(x,t) denote the voltage and current at point x in the wire at time t. These functions are related to each other...

Thanks for the input guys. That works. I just didn't think to look at it that way and treat the chain rule as an operator.

Wave on a string and the chain rule...Argh So, I am working through the wave equation for a review before my friend and I go off to grad school. It has been a couple of years since we both graduated with our BS in Physics. So, here is the question: Suppose I want to solve the wave...

So, I am working through the wave equation for a review before my friend and I go off to grad school. It has been a couple of years since we both graduated with our BS in Physics. So, here is the question: Suppose I want to solve the wave equation using a change of variables. Let's use...

So, I am reading about a compton scattering problem, and I don't understand part of the derivation of a formula. I will explain my confusion. If a gamma photon with energy E_{\gamma}, undergoes compton scattering with an electron which is at rest, how does one arrive at the following...

I originally posted this in the homework section until I realized the homework section only covers through undergraduate courses. The course I am currently in is a graduate level Medical Physics course. So if you don't mind, here is the thread I posted in the homework section. I am...

Intuitively I would think that the total energy of the system should be the same no matter what frame of reference you are in... However, that is where my misconception lies...Energy is not always going to be the same in every reference frame! I apologize for the stupid question. I...

I am reading from the book, "Nuclear Reactor Theory", by Lamarsh. I have run across an idea that I am struggling to understand: It states that for a neutron that scatters elastically with a nucleus, the Energy in the Center of Mass (COM) frame of reference will always be slightly less than...

Okay, from lecture, the professor uses the following example. U-235 decays to two daughter nuclei X and Y each with A=117 with the release of two free neutrons. He says the change in binding energy = (7.6 Mev * 235 - 8.3 Mev * 234) = (approximately equals) (0.7)(235) = (approximately) 200 MeV...

So, wouldn't that imply that this would require energy from the surroundings in order to make the reaction to take place? I know that we can safely assume that the kinetic energy of the incoming neutron to be negligible. So, how can this happen without the addition of external energy?

I am a little bit confused. If U235 decays 2 neutrons, and the two daughter atoms posses a larger amount of binding energy per nucleon, then why is there excess energy? Why doesn't this process require the input of additional energy? I know I am missing something fairly simple.

Hi, I am looking at some oscilloscopes for a class I will be teaching. What should I look for when selecting a dual trace oscilloscope? What are the key differences between a 20MHz and a 100MHz oscilloscope? Is the 100 better than the 20? Thanks!

Thanks, I knew it was something like that.

I assigned a couple of problem to my students today without realizing that these would be too difficult for high school students. However, after starting the problem, I got stumped. I know I am missing something, but what is it? The problem reads as follows: 5. A person walks first at a...