A physics question...

[Shiver]

Not what you think - I don't have a question, I need one.

Simply put, I need one for a scene in a story I'm writing. It doesn't really matter what it's about, as long as it's something that would be very difficult to answer. Something the average advanced physics student would have trouble with.

Naturally, I'd also require the answer as well. Trick questions are fine, and it doesn't matter which subfield of physics it is - Particle, Biophysics or Astrophysics would be preferred, but any kind would work just as well.

Thanks in advance!

(Cross-posted in Science)

[flvegan]

1. What would be the displacement of Bill O'Reilly's balls when given a full force

kick from Didier Drogba?

This is difficult because it requires proving that O'Reilly HAS balls to begin with. Secondly, the experiments to prove/disprove the question would be simply delightful.

[Shiver]

2. That WOULD be damn fun to experiement

However, I need an answer as well as a question...

[Shiver]

3. Kick

:dunce:

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Here are two good questions

http://info.phys.unm.edu/~ideutsch/Classes/Phys521F02/Exams/Practice2_00.pdf

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. And some more

http://venables.asu.edu/quant/probset1.html

http://venables.asu.edu/quant/probset2.html

http://venables.asu.edu/quant/probset3.html

http://venables.asu.edu/quant/probset4.html

http://venables.asu.edu/quant/probset5.html

They don't have the answers, but I'm sure with some online searching, you can find answers to them.

I especially love the question from the first link about using Heisenberg's Uncertainty principle to determine how long a pencil can stay upright set on its point.

We never did that when I was studying physics; I'm curious how it gets worked out. And am going to search the web now to see if that question is answered anywhere. It appears to be a standard thought experiment, so I'm sure it's out there.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Found the answer

http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~goodving/research/tipping_paper.pdf

[DS1]

7. Airspeed velocity of an un-laden swallow

[Greyskye]

10. What, African or European?

:shrug:

[DS1]

11. I'll get back ta ya on that one, Katie

*fling!*

[Shiver]

13. *cough*

http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/

[Greyskye]

14. Give that guy an Ig Noble!

[WinkyDink]

20. African swallow. Lovely plumage.

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Not standard-level physics but it's always bugged me-

The lack of any sort of layman's explanation regarding the simultaneity of light as particle with measurable weight and wave with measurable frequency/frequency shift.

I don't lose sleep over the little things :/

[pokerfan]

19. Why is the standard model so ugly?

Does the Higgs bosun really exist?
Can quantum field theory ever be reconciled with general relativity?
Does dark matter and dark energy really exist?
What's this business with quantum entanglement?

I demand answers to these questions within my lifetime.

[Fire Walk With Me]

21. Ask the quantum foam. I hear that things quantize down at that level.

[rug]

9. What keeps John McCain standing?

[Inchworm]

12. How long would it take for a drop of water to reach the Gulf of Mexico

from the Head of the New River in North Carolina?

I always wondered this :D

Ballparks are good enough for me.

:hi:

[XemaSab]

17. It might depend on time of year

but if you know the waterways, you can go to USGS and look at stream velocity, and multiply that by the length of each of the rivers involved.

The math might get a little queer in the Delta of the Mississippi, but you could just go to NOLA and get a ballpark figure.

Good times. :D

[pokerfan]

15. A few from Richard Feynman

In increasing order of difficulty:

http://varatek.com/scott/feynman_problems.html

[Orrex]

16. Surely you're joking

:evilgrin:

[pokerfan]

18. What do you care what other people think?

:hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. Are the answers to those available anywhere?

I'd like to know if I got them correct.