Thursday 25 March 2010

Science Quiz


The Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council is funding a research project to see if ‘boffins’ can extract fuel from CO2 in the air.

Mmm – ain’t that carbon (which we experts call coal) and oxygen (in which coal burns).

Don’t much fancy the idea of stoking up the car’s coal furnace every morning and warming it up for a good half hour before setting off to work. I’ll need a bogey on the tow bar to carry a supply around with me.

Hay knows all these people quite well – she worked with the Energy Portfolio at the EPSRC till recently and credited her PhD in bio-chemistry to the brilliant work done by Dr. Frank Marken and his group.

I want to start a science debate.

First question; is Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity correct? Please give all calculations in your response.

Next question; how long does it take for a photon emitted from the sun to reach earth?

Last question; what is the rest mass of Winifred Atwell’s ‘other piano’?

4 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

Probably, not sure and wasn't she wonderful. If the "other piano" was being played by Mrs Mills - the resting mass would be quite substantial. I have to set the pub quiz for tomorrow night, can I incorporate your questions (and if so can you send me the answers).

Anonymous said...

Ummmm, yes, good questions..... next

AV

phil Nicholas said...

Yea.. sure....
1. YES;;; BUT your blog does NOT give enough space to answer in full.. However, from our last evening at the pub a thought of "do you know how far it is at 4 knots across the pond" jumps to mind Your shout for curry next week and we can discuss in further detail of of course we can just get pissed !
2. depends.... or does it? ( see above) because of the elliptical orbit we can only assume an average distance of give or take 93 million miles... Light therefore takes give or take a few seconds about 8 minutes and 15 seconds to get here... However, From the frame of reference of the photons making the trip, arrival is instantaneous.
3. Who? what and what is a piano.. do they come from the sun?

Chairman Bill said...

Alan: I did. Hope it goes quantumly.

Phil: In respect of 2 you surprise me! In fact I wouldn't be more surprised if Sophie Dahl goosed me from behind with a feather duster. Curry is always on - when are you over?