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




On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:09:01 -0500 "Cliff Parker" <cparker@charter.net>
writes:
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.

*** How is this possible without knowing the mass and size of the box or
the size of paper clips??


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.

*** How is this possible without any additional apparatus such as
temperature measuring devices?

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