'Ant on a rubber rope' Wikipedia page

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem found on Wikipedia that involves stacking blocks to create an arbitrarily large overhang. The problem has since been removed from the page, but it can be found on MathWorld and involves the sum of the harmonic series. The individual was seeking an explanation or illustration of how such a stacking can be done.
  • #1
guysensei1
31
0
Some time ago, I came across this page on Wikipedia. The problem is interesting, and I understood it.

There used to be a small part on the bottom that said something like 'One can stack a block, such that it overhangs off the table, and put more blocks on the first one to make the overhang arbitrarily large.' Now, it seems to have been removed for some reason. Or maybe I saw it somewhere else. I don't know.


Any explanation or illustration on how such a stacking can be done?

Thanks.
 
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  • #3
willem2 said:
I can't find the problem in the edit history of the page, but it seems to be this problem

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/BookStackingProblem.html

wich also involves the sum of the harmonic series.

This was the problem I was looking for! Thanks!
 

1. What is the concept of "Ant on a rubber rope"?

The concept of "Ant on a rubber rope" is a thought experiment often used in physics to demonstrate the concept of tension in a flexible medium.

2. How does the experiment work?

In the experiment, an ant is placed on a rubber rope that is suspended between two points. The ant's weight causes the rope to stretch and form a curve. As the ant moves along the rope, it causes the rope to stretch and change shape.

3. What does this experiment demonstrate?

This experiment demonstrates the concept of tension in a flexible medium. As the ant moves along the rope, it creates tension in the rope which causes it to stretch and change shape. This shows how tension can affect the behavior of a flexible medium.

4. What other applications does this concept have?

The concept of tension in a flexible medium has many real-world applications, such as in the design of bridges, cables, and other structures. It is also used in fields such as engineering, architecture, and biology.

5. Is this experiment only applicable to ants and rubber ropes?

No, this experiment can be applied to any object on a flexible medium, such as a person on a tightrope or a car on a suspension bridge. The concept of tension in a flexible medium is universal and can be observed in many different scenarios.

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