Ask a physicist anything. (3)

[Wiccan_Child]

Are you referencing a thought experiment that demonstrates the necessity of the relativity of simultaneity? Or are you claiming that this creates a paradox that relativity cannot solve?

I'm referencing the famous "running with a ladder into a barn door at near lightspeed" thought experiment, so yes, the relativity of simultaneity.

 

[AvalonXQ]

I'm referencing the famous "running with a ladder into a barn door at near lightspeed" thought experiment, so yes, the relativity of simultaneity.

It's exciting to see that posters here are clear on these concepts.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

It's exciting to see that posters here are clear on these concepts.

I just have a fetish for barns.

 

[AV1611VET]

What is the difference between the United Kingdom, British Isles and Great Britain?

Is it just a matter of perspective, or are they each their own governmental entity?

 

[AvalonXQ]

There is a body of islands in northern Europe known as the British Isles. The largest of these islands is Great Britain. This is a geographic designation, not a political one.
There is a country called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes the land of the island of Great Britain and the northern part of the island of Ireland. It is sometimes referred to as the United Kingdom, and sometimes referred to as Great Britain.
There is a diagram on Wikipedia that helps, but I don't have enough posts to link to it.

 

[AV1611VET]

There is a body of islands in northern Europe known as the British Isles. The largest of these islands is Great Britain. This is a geographic designation, not a political one.
There is a country called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes the land of the island of Great Britain and the northern part of the island of Ireland. It is sometimes referred to as the United Kingdom, and sometimes referred to as Great Britain.
There is a diagram on Wikipedia that helps, but I don't have enough posts to link to it.

Okay -- thank you, Avalon!

 

[TemperateSeaIsland]

Okay -- thank you, Avalon!

Here's the diagram.

 

[AV1611VET]

Here's the diagram.

Wow -- a picture is worth a thousand words, eh?

Thanks!

 

[Assyrian]

The Irish of course disagree with that label 'British Isles'

 

[Wiccan_Child]

What is the difference between the United Kingdom, British Isles and Great Britain?

Is it just a matter of perspective, or are they each their own governmental entity?

The UK is the country, with a single government. It's made up of England, Wales, Scotland, and N. Ireland.

Great Britain is the main island, with England, Wales, and Scotland.

The British Isles are islands in general; Great Britain, Ireland, and all the little funny islands with funny names.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

The Irish of course disagree with that label 'British Isles'

I wonder what it's referred to in Gaelic...

 

[AvalonXQ]

The Irish of course disagree with that label 'British Isles'

Right, but it would be sort of like non-U.S. nations having a problem with the idea of "the Americas" or the North American continent, since "American" has come to mean part of the United States of America in many places. The UK got its name from the largist British island, and the whole set of islands really are British. But now being "British" is more closely identified with being a part of the UK than it is with being a citizen of the British Isles. So the original terminology is disputed in reverse.

 

[AvalonXQ]

That wasn't a science question. Clearly we can do better.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

That wasn't a science question. Clearly we can do better.

What's the difference between the radius of a deuterium atom and a Uranium[sup]238[/sup] atom?

 

[AvalonXQ]

What's the difference between the radius of a deuterium atom and a Uranium[sup]238[/sup] atom?

I don't know, but this seems very much like a "look it up on a table" kind of question. Is there a more interesting conceptual question underlying this question?

 

[TemperateSeaIsland]

Photons generate gravity and the magnitude of that gravity increases with the photon's energy/frequency. Lets say we have two very energetic photons being emitted and they travel parallel to eachother at a distance where their gravity has an effect so they get pulled together, do they eventually come together? What happens?

 

[Nabobalis]

What's the difference between the radius of a deuterium atom and a Uranium[sup]238[/sup] atom?

Choose a type of radius first.

 

[AvalonXQ]

Photons generate gravity and the magnitude of that gravity increases with the photon's energy/frequency. Lets say we have two very energetic photons being emitted and they travel parallel to eachother at a distance where their gravity has an effect so they get pulled together, do they eventually come together?

The two photons do have gravitation and will be attracted to each other, yes.

What happens?

Probably nothing, as photons don't usually interact without a massive intermediary.

 

[AV1611VET]

What's the difference between the radius of a deuterium atom and a Uranium[sup]238[/sup] atom?

237 roentgens?

 

[TemperateSeaIsland]

The two photons do have gravitation and will be attracted to each other, yes.


Probably nothing, as photons don't usually interact without a massive intermediary.

So do they just occupy the same space?