Escape from totally closed empty room

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of how one might escape from a totally closed empty room, which is defined as having no doors or windows. Participants explore various theoretical and humorous approaches to this problem, touching on concepts from physics, mathematics, and logic.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Humorous anecdotes

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that physics cannot help in this scenario, but mathematics can redefine the problem, such as by considering the inside of the room as the outside.
  • One participant proposes that if the room is empty, then one is not actually inside it.
  • Quantum tunneling is mentioned as a potential method of escape, with one participant humorously suggesting running into the wall repeatedly for a chance to appear on the other side.
  • Another participant humorously suggests that simply sitting in the room long enough might also yield an infinitesimal chance of appearing outside.
  • Several jokes involving mathematicians, physicists, and engineers are shared, illustrating the humorous side of the discussion.
  • One participant notes that dead people cannot escape, adding a darker twist to the conversation.
  • Another participant suggests that physical force could be used to break through walls, specifically mentioning drywall as a material that could be breached.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on how to escape the room, with multiple competing views and humorous interpretations remaining throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes various assumptions about the nature of the room and the physical laws at play, which are not fully resolved. The humor and anecdotal contributions may also obscure serious attempts to address the question.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring theoretical physics, mathematical reasoning, or simply looking for humorous takes on problem-solving in a constrained scenario.

Enya25
Hi guys! I have one question that bothers me for reeeeally long time (and it's NOT homework! :-) I found one question which goes like this "How can physics help you escape from a totally closed empty room?" Of course it means that room doesn't have any doors or windows, it would be too easy to answer it...
 
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Enya25 said:
Hi guys! I have one question that bothers me for reeeeally long time (and it's NOT homework! :-) I found one question which goes like this "How can physics help you escape from a totally closed empty room?" Of course it means that room doesn't have any doors or windows, it would be too easy to answer it...

Physics cannot help here, but math can: Define the inside of the room as the outside. See https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104076&p=869356"
 
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If the room is empty, then you're not inside it.
 
quantum tunneling, or i heard another question like how can you get to the other side of the room and there is nothing in the room , to get to the other side you take your clothes off and push them away from you.
 
C 4..lots of C 4
 
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cragar said:
quantum tunneling

That's what I was thinking. Just run headlong into the wall repeatedly. There is an infinitesimal but finite possibility you'll appear on the other side.

And if you try that experiment, please post it on youtube. Thanks.
 
Jack21222 said:
That's what I was thinking. Just run headlong into the wall repeatedly. There is an infinitesimal but finite possibility you'll appear on the other side.
The possibility is zero =) wave function collapses...
 
A.T. said:
Physics cannot help here, but math can: Define the inside of the room as the outside. See https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104076&p=869356"

This reminds me of a joke. A mathematician, a physicist and an engineer are at a farm and the farmer asks them to fence off the most amount of area using the least amound of fence. The engineer knows that the circle has the best diameter to area ratio, so he contructs a big circle. He looks smug thinking he has won when the physicist makes a fence that goes all round the earth. Then the mathematician come along and makes a tiny circle around him and says "I declare myself to be on the outside".
 
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Focus, =)) It reminds me of this one... Biologist, physicist and mathematician are traveling in Australia and suddenly this see a black sheep. Biologist says: "Look! There are black sheep in Australia!", physicist says: "No, you're wrong, there is at least one black sheep in Australia." and mathematician says: "You are both wrong, there is at least one sheep in Australia that is black at least on one side".
 
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  • #10
Heisenberg gets pulled over by the cops for speeding and the cop says do you know
how fast you were going and Heisenberg says "no but i know where i am .
 
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  • #11
A bunch of mathematicians and engineers are going to a mathematical engineering conferance on a train together. The engineers have all got tickets but they notice that the mathematicians have one ticket between them. They all start to laugh at how stupid mathematicians are and how they are going to get busted and fined. One mathematician runs in shouting "ticket inspector", then all of the mathematicians crowd into the loo. The inspector knocks on the door and says "tickets please", and they slide the ticket under the door. The inspector rips the ticket and shoves it back and moves on.

On the way back the engineers now have one ticket between them and they realize that the mathematicians have no tickets. They start joking and laughing again how stupid mathematicians are and how this time they are really going to get fined. The mathematician runs in again shouting "ticket inspector" so all the engineers cram into the to loo. The mathematician knocks on the door and says "tickets please"...
 
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  • #12
Jack21222 said:
Just run headlong into the wall repeatedly. There is an infinitesimal but finite possibility you'll appear on the other side.
But just sitting around will do fine as well !
Jack21222 said:
And if you try that experiment, please post it on youtube.
Ah I see your point..
 
  • #13
Jack21222 said:
That's what I was thinking. Just run headlong into the wall repeatedly. There is an infinitesimal but finite possibility you'll appear on the other side.

And if you try that experiment, please post it on youtube. Thanks.

The way I understand the math is you wouldn't even need to run into the wall if you just sat long enough there is a extreamly small chance you would just appear outside the room.
 
  • #14
Ha ha ha. Very imaginative answers. It seems that I've opened new topic for engineer-physicist-mathematician jokes :-)
 
  • #15
Enya25 said:
Hi guys! I have one question that bothers me for reeeeally long time (and it's NOT homework! :-) I found one question which goes like this "How can physics help you escape from a totally closed empty room?" Of course it means that room doesn't have any doors or windows, it would be too easy to answer it...

Dead people can not escape.
 
  • #16
Most of the walls I've seen are drywall. A focused punch here, a power kick there, and you've created a mess. And after all that work to wall you in! *shakes head*
 
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  • #17
cragar said:
Heisenberg gets pulled over by the cops for speeding and the cop says do you know
how fast you were going and Heisenberg says "no but i know where i am .

:biggrin: Good one
 
  • #18
thanks
 
  • #19
A mathematician, an Italian, and a minister are in a room without any windows or doors. The Italian calls out "Get your ice cream, get your tutsi fruitsi ice cream". The minister says "Are those tout sheets you've got on your ice cream box?" The mathematician says I'll take one of those sheets" and he pays for it. The minister says "Being a mathematician, you should know better than to gamble." The mathematician says "So what, I have lots of money. I teach at the university so my kids can go to school for nothing". The minister says "Big deal, I'm a minister, so my kids can be good for nothing." The Italian goes back to singing out "Get your ice cream, get your tutsi fruitsi ice cream". The mathematician peruses the tout sheet and says to the Italian "What does this mean: 2837 to win in the first?" The Italian says "Oh that. You need a code book to see what it means." "Where can I get a code book?" asks the mathematician. The minister starts to preach, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to weave." "I just happen to sell those too." said the Italian. The mathematician shoves the minister aside and tells him to shove it. Then he asks the Italian how much for the code book?" The Italian says "If you got to ask, you can't afford it." The minister is good and mad now and he charges the mathematician. But his aim is bad and he knocks the Italian down. The Italian gets up, presents an open hand to the minister and says "Pick two". The mathematician starts chasing the Italian who is chasing the minister who in turn is chasing the mathematician. Round and round the ice cream box they go until they are all out.
 
  • #20
Niels Bohr is visited by his students at his home. They notice a horse shoe over the door, and ask him, if he is superstitious. He replies: "No, but I have been told that it works, even if you don't believe in it".
 
  • #21
ranger mike said:
c 4..lots of c 4

ha!
 

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