Collision

Severian said: "In practice this means everything is matter except for the particles which transmit the forces (photon, gluon, etc)." So, this must be true: I cannot sense particals that don't transmit force, because I only sense things that can transmit force. I sense the photon or gluon type particals, because they transmit force, which then I do feel, see or hear.

What is the difference between mass and matter?

If you look at examples in a physics book of scalars, you'll see a common property that unites them to the category scalar. If you look at the examples of vectors, they will have a common property that unites them to the category vector. Scalars use only a one dimensional coordinate system, whereas vectors use a coordinate system with more than one dimension. This is the differing principle: one dimension (scalar) and more than one dimension considered (vector). Consider the Cartesian coordinate system. There is the x, y and z axis. Single one out and it's only one dimension. Add two together and you get two dimensions. Add all three and you get three dimensions. The word 'scale' sounds like scalar and is in the scalar category. A bathroom scale plate compresses a spring along one axis, which is one dimension, the 'y' axis and dimension, which is soley up and down. This spring causes the needle to move on the scale demonstrating the magnitude along the y axis, which is the linear displacement the scale plate moved from the point it was before you stood on it to after you stood on it. When you play chess the Rook needs only one dimension to move during a turn, which is the x or y dimension. The Rook may move in either the x or y direction, but may not move in both on one turn. So, when the Rook does move, it relies on one dimension only. The Knight must rely upon two dimensions to move. It moves one or two spaces along one dimension then two or one along a separate dimension. A thermometer soley measures magnitude along a linear axis. It is a scalar only because it considers one dimension of magnitude, which occurs along the number line(one dimension) where you read the temperature.

There was a time in an alien society where the median age of an alien was thirty(in our solar years). Six years after this point, the median age for this alien society was 36. Is there anyway this information can imply the age or average age that aliens die in this society? How would that be represented mathematically? I think that birth rate for aliens and death rate are the two important things to take into consideration for this problem, but since I am only in basic algebra now, I don't see the way to figure out the answer, although I am curious. Does any one know how to create a mathematical framework taking into account the limited information given?

I bought the Feynman Lectures on Physics on CD, volume 05 and 06. He describes things real nice, but I can't see the board. I could get by without the board, if I rewind a few times and do some logic. I'd say it was a good deal a 60 bucks, but I have one real head ache! The sound! My ears are still ringing! There is a constant humming and high screeching tones. They've cause little pings, which I describe a a flash headache. It's there then it's gone with the PING. I've listen for the last few days. I've went bed with my ears making that dumb humming sound and ringing and I've woke up with it! How can I justify this purchase if I can't even listen to it? Perhaps it was not mastered to be played on my Bose headphones and Sony Walkman. But that's the only reason I get books on tapes: that is to listen to them on the bus to and from work. I'm gonna try and take them back. I still got my reciept. It's terrible. What good are they if I can't listen to them with headphones?