What are the most important open questions in classical physics?

In summary, the article discusses the phenomenon of buttered toast, and how it can be used to test theories of turbulence.
  • #1
andresB
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As the tittle say. I've been out of touch with many branch of non-quantum non-relativistic physics and I would like to know what people that work in these areas would say are the most important or interesting current trents of research in classical physics.
 
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  • #2
Though I myself do not work in physics area I find complex systems interesting.
 
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  • #3
Why does the toast always fall jelly side down?
 
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  • #4
HallsofIvy said:
Why does the toast always fall jelly side down?
I thought somebody had done some work on that. The conclusion, as I recall, was that in a higher gravitational field we'd be shorter (due to needing to pump blood to our heads) by exactly the same fraction as the increase in the gravitational couple and hence spin rate imparted to dropped toast. So they proposed that toast falling butter side down was likely a universal constant.
 
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  • #5
HallsofIvy said:
Why does the toast always fall jelly side down?
Ibix said:
I thought somebody had done some work on that. The conclusion, as I recall, was that in a higher gravitational field we'd be shorter (due to needing to pump blood to our heads) by exactly the same fraction as the increase in the gravitational couple and hence spin rate imparted to dropped toast. So they proposed that toast falling butter side down was likely a universal constant.

Pleasantly surprised to find https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttered_toast_phenomenon.
Among the references:

Bacon (2001). "A closer look at tumbling toast". American Journal of Physics. 69: 38–43.
https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1289213
https://space.umd.edu/dch/p405s04/AJP00038.pdf

R A J Matthews (1995) "Tumbling toast, Murphy's Law and the fundamental constants". Eur. J. Phys. 16 172
https://doi.org/10.1088/0143-0807/16/4/005
 
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  • #7
Turbulence is always interesting. Probably ergodic hypothesis too.
 
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1. What is the current understanding of classical physics?

Classical physics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of macroscopic objects and their behavior under various forces and energies. It includes the laws of motion, gravitation, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism. This understanding is based on the works of scientists like Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, and Albert Einstein.

2. What are the limitations of classical physics?

Classical physics has been extremely successful in explaining and predicting the behavior of macroscopic objects. However, it fails to explain the behavior of objects at the atomic and subatomic level. This limitation led to the development of quantum mechanics, which deals with the behavior of particles at a microscopic level.

3. What are the unresolved questions in classical physics?

Some of the most important open questions in classical physics include the unification of the four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetism, strong and weak nuclear forces), the nature of dark matter and dark energy, and the origin of the universe. These questions continue to challenge scientists and drive further research in the field.

4. How do classical physics and quantum mechanics relate to each other?

Classical physics and quantum mechanics are two separate theories that describe the behavior of objects at different scales. While classical physics is applicable to macroscopic objects, quantum mechanics is used to explain the behavior of particles at a microscopic level. However, efforts are being made to reconcile these two theories and develop a unified theory of physics.

5. How does classical physics impact our daily lives?

Classical physics has a significant impact on our daily lives, as it is the basis for many technologies that we use. For example, the laws of motion and electromagnetism are essential for the development of transportation and communication systems. Understanding classical physics also helps us make sense of natural phenomena such as weather patterns, tides, and the motion of celestial bodies.

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