Physics

what happens if you keep on charging a capacior? will it just keep on building up charge? or reach a point where it can't charge any longer or explode or what?

This question is for the physicists mainly, I suppose, though there may also be a philosophical element to it. (Mods may wish to relocate the thread as appropriate). I ask as an interested layman. We're routinely told--by scientists--that there are four fundamental forces of nature, one of which is gravity. This is so commonly heard that I assume quotations are unnecessary. Gravity construed as a force seems entirely unproblematic under the erstwhile Newtonian paradigm. But times have moved on . . . Much of the lay reading I've done in this area seems to suggest that general relativity--if read literally--treats gravity not as a force at all; rather, it is…

If you come in contact with any object, it is not going to resist your movement right, why doesn't ice do this much. What chemical property is responsible for this?When I slide in ice, am I coming into less contact with ice, I don't understand. Thanks

- Question "Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental interactions of physics, approximately 1038 times weaker than the strong interaction, 1036 times weaker than the electromagnetic force and 1029 times weaker than the weak interaction. As a consequence, it has no significant influence at the level of subatomic particles.[4] In contrast, it is the dominant interaction at the macroscopic scale, and is the cause of the formation, shape and trajectory (orbit) of astronomical bodies." link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity It seems to me that the gravity or gravitation adds or builds up in interaction from microscopic (e.g. sub-atomic particles) to macr…

could you have radio waves only travelling in one direction? like a laser, just with radio waves? if so, how?

In definition of matter, it comes that matter is one, which occupies space, and have the mass. Matter occupy space, meant, what ? Which are the things, do not occupy the space? (In definition of matter, is there any necessity of saying that matter is one which occupy the space ?) Why the two matters do not occupy same place, at same time ? (please try to answer by avoiding of pauli exclusion, if necessary include this too)

I'm not sure when quantum mechanics caught the interest of the public, and people began "educating" themselves on the subject, but I want nothing more than for it to go away, and never be talked about on televison, or at parties ever again. TV shows like "Through the worm-hole" are literally making ignorant people who have no idea what the hell their talking about, even MORE ignorant. All the sudden I go to friends houses, or I over hear a conversation that sounds like this "...oh, yeah, but there are infinite universes, and time is infinite so time travel is possible...string theory makes so much sense, its the only quantum theory I believe (real quote)". For…

Quantum physics is becoming really popular on TV and other media, mainly b/c it has the potential to offer so much, but in reality provides so little. yea it sounds cool to talk about wormholes and quarks and leptons, but at the end of the day, what does this get us? I really think quantum physics got started by a bunch of geniuses who got bored and started breaking down matter to unnecessary levels. Sure, I can tediously calculate all the electrons on my computer screen, or explain why benzene is a stable ring due to its orbitals. But at the end of the day, these don't really save or help anyone or anything. Yes, I'm aware of the things physics has given us such …

This is a very serious question for all of you nerds. Who ever can answer it is the smartest nerd of all nerd. If i dig a hole through the Earth (from one end to another), then if i jump through it, will i fall out the other side or what? Because when i jump in it i will be falling DOWN but how could i come out the other side falling DOWN. Thats impossible. Someone please answer this question.

What the main "basic" difference between angular and linear magnification ?

What is second cubed s^3 as in the wikipedia article? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volt

In agreement with one administrator I am posting this here. The topic is multidisciplinary but my main doubts are for physicists. I have just uploaded a draft about Open, closed, and isolated systems. I am using the standard terminology, although, in the discussion section, I notice that some physicists use a coarse-grained terminology. I suppose that their terminology is motivated by their lack of interest in problems of chemical or biological interest. I do not recommend the use of this coarse-grained terminology, because I do not find any reason for using it. If someone disagree, please state your views. I also criticize the textbook by physicists Walter Gr…

Infinity has a lot of odd, or amazing, or impenetrable, properties. Infinity can increase or decrease, but still be itself. Except that, even though infinity plus n (or plus infinity) is still infinite, infinity minus infinity is zero, but infinity minus n (some “ordinary” number that our brains can deal with) is still infinite. Infinity can be multiplied and divided and still be infinite. But infinity divided by infinity is 1. Infinity squared is infinite, as is infinity to any power. So infinity to the power of infinity is still infinity (to the power of 1). It's a really big huge meta-number that can't be transformed like other numbers. It's outside the normal beh…

I recently inflated a balloon inside a box, how doe's the box space end up inside the balloon?

I know that it's because of their different atomic structure, but why? I think I have an idea of why specific properties are present in some elements, like radioactivity(because of their instability) or reactivity with other elements(because of their electron configuration) or atomic weight (because of the number of protons and neutrons)...etc. But how do any of those(or something else I'm most likely unaware of) explain color, texture, melting points and boiling points, density, and many other properties I can't think of at the moment(what are the other properties?). Like, why is gold's color different than silver? I don't know much about science, besides a fe…

Mathematically, in a simple a logical sense, time just does not seem correct to me. Despite the fact that I observe it. But in order to move from one second to another, we have to travel half that distance in time. And half that distance. And half that distance. To infinity. So theoretically, we cannot move forward in time. We would have to travel through an infinity of infinities between an infinity of intervals of time. Xeno's arrow could never have never hit it's target then. It couldn't even leave the bow by this reasoning. So time seems to be just the stitching together of brief instances of existence of matter in a certain arrangement, translating the informatio…

Hi everyone, I asked the same question in another forum but couldn't get an answer... My question is this: since the human eye can detect or see only photons or light then are electrons, neutrons and protons visible? Can electrons, neutrons and protons really be seen?

What metals can stand being rapidly heated to "cherry red" and then withstand being cherry red while still keeping it's strength intact over long periods of time of constant re-heating and cooling? The metal would need a fairly quick re-cool time as well as be fairly light.

I know the human body is mostly third class levers, making it operate at a mechanical disadvantage. What would happen if the human body were made of first or second class levers?

A current can be induced by spinning a wire in a magnetic field, this is due to a change of area in the magnetic field yielding a magnetic flux which in turn induces a current into the wire or solenoid. So if a wire loop, or series of fifty or so were being spun by an electric motor powered by a car battery, this would in turn use an outside potential to power the car to counter the nonconservative forces. Thus the vehicle would not need fuel, but rather an initial push of the battery to start the recharging process. Is this plan plausible?

I wonder how time become a mystery to those who probe it's nature.But regarding my question,is it really a real thing or just a representation or a meter of how much change a matter had undergone because we all know in the physicality of our observable reality,it change except change itself which the second law of thermodynamics applies. Any more explanation of it to lighten more our understanding is very much appreciated.Thank you....

Now, I'm wondering. As I've heard, materials with high dense structure, rich with hydrogen or metals with higher atomic number (denser structure) like osmium, could utterly prevent x ray scanners on customs to penetrate through them, as the strongest neutron scanner has 10MV strongest penetration ability so far (penetrating through 40cm of steel). I'm wondering which metals or other than metal materials, not lead, could be 100% protective against those scanners?