Left/Right Communication with Alien Race by Richard Feynman

[Karim Habashy]

Hi all,

I was thinking about the problem and can someone verify my solution :

1) Set up a Magnetic field going from down to up, i.e north pole is at the bottom.
2) Use the triboelectric series to charge some small particle positive (hair or glass with teflon)
3) Throw that particle in forward direction in the magnetic field (i.e away from the aliens body).
4) The direction the particle goes to is Right.
5) Left is the opposite

Thanks.

 

[DaveC426913]

What does this accomplish?

 

[DrGreg]

1) Set up a Magnetic field going from down to up, i.e north pole is at the bottom.
2) Use the triboelectric series to charge some small particle positive (hair or glass with teflon)
3) Throw that particle in forward direction in the magnetic field (i.e away from the aliens body).
4) The direction the particle goes to is Right.
5) Left is the opposite

You have omitted some details.

How do you define what is north and what is south?

How do you define what is positive and what is negative?

 

[Dale]

The definition of the magnetic field includes a cross product, which uses the right hand rule already.

 

[Karim Habashy]

Separation Between Positive and Negative charges can be done by the Triboelectric Series, but the difference between North and South poles of a magnet is not easy(Since there is no magnetic Monopole) and i assumed its know for the alien, i will keep looking for other solutions.

I wanted to help the alien learn about the right direction from the Positive charge behaviour in a magnetic field which follows the RHR.

Thanks