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Re: [Phys-l] threads on PHYS-L (cont)



Hi all-
I think that Rick's very funny posting took the right tack. I'd like to try my hand at the same light touch:

More responses to "Why is the sky blue"
____________________________________
1. Could you be more specific about the wavelengths, please?
MMQ, PhD, Romeoville Academy of Science
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2. Doesn't it have something to do with the prime evil radiation?
RGB, Ruggers A&M
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3. This is a little off topic, but Sister Bernice, who teaches biology at our
high school says that boys who ask that question grow hair on their palms.
LCMcG PrairieDog Academy
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4. Dr. Ray Muskie, who teaches Field Hockey Chearleading, told me last week
that hair on palms is an urban legend.
LDMcG Texas Embalming College
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5. Getting back on topic, it was all worked out by Sir Walter Rolly, either
before or just after Queen Elizabeth had him executed for forcibly carrying
her over a mud puddle. He also worked out a theory of sound, but I forget the
details. It's all in my notes from graduate school.
OGMcG Lethbridge Academy of Astronomy and Engineering
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6. It's really an experimental question (physics is an experimental science, isn't it?), so I took a poll of my class. There were 34 votes for grey, 17
for cloudy, and 2 for azure. There were no blue votes, so the question is
mute.
ERMcG Shelby Institute of Optometry and Astronomy
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7. This is a bit off topic, but doesn't it all come under the fair use
doctrine? Anyway, I'm sure no Texas jury would vote to convict, hair on
palms or no.
L.Z. Prigogine, M.S., Abilene Institute of Technology
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8. Sister Rebecca says that according to Piaget the sky only looks blue to
post operational formal thinkers. Her statement was verified by Sister
Rita, an expert on unicellular flatulence, who was once abducted by a flying
saucer and given the inside view. So, clearly, it is a psychological
question and not a physics question and doesn't belong on the list. Shame
on the list member who asked it! How insensitive! I hope he/she grows hair
on his/her palms!!!!
Olaf O., Plainfield, Minn. Academy of the Plains
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9. This is actually a very deep question that is worthy of careful
consideration. We know how to make rough estimates using simple harmonic-
oscillator physics. Rolly blamed it on dust particles, so let's try that
(let L stand for lambda, as on p. 243 of the standard text).
We can approximate a dust particle by 10^{20} atoms of silicon, giving
it a mass of ~3x10^{21}M, where M is the proton mass. Then
(1/L)^2 ~ (k/(3x10^{21}Mc^{2}) where k is the spring constant. The occurrence
of Mc^{2} shows that we're really balling with relativity! Blue corresponds to
an L of about 480 nm - call it .5 micrometers. Working it all out and solving
for k gives us a spring constant k of about 10^{22} N/m, which sounds about
right since dust particles are not very stretchable.
L.Robney Glintz, Ph.D.,M.S.W.,D.O.
________________________________________________________________
Dedicated to all those who are unaware that a Hermitean matrix is
one that is equal to its transposed complex conjugate, and who are otherwise
intimidated by Senior-level college mathematics.
Regards,
Jack






--
"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley