Questions and answers about the physics of everyday life http://howthingswork.virginia.edu Copyright 2006, Louis A. Bloomfield http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:14:22 -0400 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:12:56 -0400 120 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com FeedForAll v1.0 (1.0.2.0) unlicensed version http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/images/RSSlogo.gif http://howthingswork.virginia.edu Questions and answers about the physics of everyday life 88 31 How can you keep an open bottle of soda from going flat? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1548 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1549 Mon, 12 Fen 2007 21:05:00 -0400 When you travelling in a jet plane, why do objects on the ground look as though they are still or moving slowly? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1548 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1548 Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:49:00 -0400 If I were to heat up a brownie and a white piece of cake, would the brownie heat up faster by radiation transfer because of its darker color? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1547 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1547 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:28:00 -0400 How can light "travel" through a vacuum when there were no "particles" in the vacuum on which it could "transmit" its charge? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1546 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1546 Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:14:00 -0400 Is it possible for microwaves to somehow measure food properties such as calories, sugar, salt, vitamins, and fat content? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1545 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1545 Sat, 02 Sep 2006 16:17:00 -0400 If something is coasting or moving at a steady pace, is it experiencing a net force of zero? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1544 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1544 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 11:38:00 -0400 Can/should a microwave be disposed with the normal trash, what if any are the environmental impacts of the magnetron or other parts sitting in a landfill? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1543 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1543 Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:35:00 -0400 Why do deep water wells need a pump at the bottom rather than one at the top? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1542 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1542 Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:20:56 -0400 My eight year old daughter asked me, "If light is the fastest thing in the universe what is the second fastest thing in the universe?" http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1541 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1541 Sun, 25 Jun 2006 21:58:56 -0400 I have a large commercial superconducting magnet and am looking for a high-value-added product or manufacturing process to pursue with it. Is there anything you have learned in your research that would be worth producing? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1540 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1540 Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:12:56 -0400 How do glasses work and the physics behind them? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1539 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1539 Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:10:08 -0400 The new soft drink dispenser at a nearby store has touch pads that release soda as long as you are pressing on them. I noticed that if I press a pad with something other than my fingers (like a straw or car key) nothing happens, no matter how hard I press. Yet with my fingers, I sometimes don't even have to make actual contact — just very close proximity. What is happening here? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1538 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1538 Mon, 12 Jun 2006 19:21:10 -0400 Why do washed clothes dry faster in open air than in a closed room? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1537 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1537 Tue, 6 Jun 2006 14:27:59 -0400 Why does steam make ironing cotton pants so much easier? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1536 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1536 Tue, 6 Jun 2006 08:32:01 -0400 A co-worker who is an intelligent electrical engineer said an ungrounded microwave is dangerous because microwaves can then escape through the holes in the door. Aside from the electrical dangers, I disagreed because I think it is just the size of the holes vs. the wavelength of the microwaves. Does lack of a ground allow some microwaves to escape through the holes in the microwave door? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1535 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1535 Sun, 4 Jun 2006 21:42:07 -0400 A bird lands on an uninsulated 10,000 volt power line. Will it become extra crispy? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1534 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1534 Sat, 3 Jun 2006 22:39:00 -0400 Why do I sometimes shock myself when I kiss Uncle Al? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1533 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1533 Fri, 2 Jun 2006 15:43:36 -0400 There is a video circulating on the internet which purports to show an "inventor" who has a machine that burns water. Water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen which is then burned to produce....more water! I maintain that the net energy produced would be about zero since energy must be expended to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. Your comments please. http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1532 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1532 Thu, 1 Jun 2006 09:45:38 -0400 What does it mean if a light bulb uses 60 watts? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1531 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1531 Wed, 31 May 2006 15:24:24 -0400 Does space dust settle on orbiting space shuttles? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1530 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1530 Mon, 29 May 2006 21:01:57 -0400 Why do scantron-type tests only read #2 pencils? Can other pencils work? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1529 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1529 Mon, 29 May 2006 12:40:49 -0400 If a home looses some of its power during a power outage and the lights shine dim, will it burn up the motor in the refrigerator? Will it damage other appliances (TV, VCR. stereo. etc)? Should the main disconnect be shut off? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1528 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1528 Sun, 28 May 2006 15:24:23 -0400 My husband put a large metal bowl in our new microwave oven and tore a small hole in the oven's metal screen while trying to close the door. My husband isn't concerned, but the oven is mounted over the stove at face level and it certainly concerns me. Can we use it? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1527 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1527 Sat, 27 May 2006 11:10:02 -0400 Your answer to question #1393 is fine for the hypothetical case of the earth orbiting around the moon, but I don't see how it works for the real case where the moon orbits the earth. What is the real reason for the tides? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1526 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1526 Thu, 25 May 2006 23:25:46 -0400 Is it true that the bigger the lens on a camera, the more light goes through it and the better the photo or video? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1525 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1525 Wed, 24 May 2006 21:51:23 -0400 Can I warm plates in my microwave oven? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1524 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1524 Wed, 24 May 2006 09:53:19 -0400 How deep under water can I go while breathing from a hose that rises above the surface of the water? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1523 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1523 Tue, 23 May 2006 11:03:41 -0400 Would ice in the freezer absorb the smell in the freezer? http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1522 bloomfield-media@bloomfieldscientific.com (Louis A. Bloomfield) http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/page1.php?QNum=1522 Mon, 22 May 2006 20:25:28 -0400