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

["Cliff Parker" <cparker@charter.net>]

> > 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??

That's what my students say for about 15 minutes before they really start 
trying.  Take the mass of many "clumps" of paper clips.  Look for patterns.