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Re: [Phys-l] fun ill-posed questions



Here is one of my favorites.

Given a box full of some uniform object (paper clips, bb's, drinking straws, etc.). Find the mass of one object without counting. Slowly dropping paper clips onto as scale (tink, tink, tink) is counting. This models some of the thinking behind Millikan's oil drop experiment.


Another one I use that is full of things for my students to think about.

Given the specific heat of water and a good calorimeter, find the heat of fusion and the heat of vaporization of ice.