Science trivia

The answer to my question was around the 1920's-which is astounding when you consider how much more knowledge of the heavens we have since then.
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Darn you! I was gonna answer it, cause I actually knew! *pouts*:mad::p
 
Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle: The better you know the location of an object, the less sure you can be of its velocity. And the other way around. (The effects of this are most evident with subatomic particles.)

You knew the date, RF?!? :eek: You are a wonder.

Q: What's Hawking radiation?
 
Hawking radiation (sometimes also called Bekenstein-Hawking radiation) is a theoretical prediction from British physicist Stephen Hawking, which explains thermal properties relating to black hole. Normally, a black hole is considered to draw all matter and energy in the surrounding region into it, as a result of the intense gravitational fields. However, in 1972 the Israeli physicist Jacob Bekenstein suggested that black holes should have a well-defined entropy, and initiated the development of black hole thermodynamics, including the emission of energy.
 
Dernhelm said:
Q: What's Hawking radiation?
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I was going to ask that exact question!! :eek: That's the question that I was saying I had a follow up question to the Uncertainty Principle one!!

Anyway, to add to the nice answer given by Kathryn, the canonical explanation given for what causes Hawking Radiation is that virtual particles are produced by the "vacuum" of spacetime, as long as they annihilate each other within an amount of time specified by the Uncertainty Principle for energy and time. But when one virtual particle is created and travels just inside the event horizon of a Black hole and the other one is just outside the event horizon, then they can't annihilate each other and the one created outside the black hole carries some energy away form the black hole, called "Hawking Radiation." :)

anyway, Olorin's question is still on the Dock...
 
If a black hole is really a singularity, then the diameter is zero. Of course, we can't be sure if that is so, given the problems between Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.

(You mean you knew what Hawking Radiation was? :eek: I'd no idea... (jk!))

Q: Give me one of the reasons why wormholes won't work.
 
I was under the impression that wormholes were still theoretically possible, though when we have the Final Physics (if such a thing exists) it would probably be ruled out...But I know the practical problem for sure right now is concentrating enough energy into a small enough space.

Was there some other answer you were looking for? If not...

Q: what are cosmic rays?
 
I believe, actually, that the main problem for wormholes would be that to keep them open would require a constant flow of negative energy. However, each negative energy pulse produced is always followed by another, larger pulse of positive energy, so it sort of cancels out.

Cosmic rays are, according to some theorists, the leftovers from the Big Bang... are they higher frequency than gamma rays?
 
yeah, the sources of cosmic rays remains somewhat of a mystery, although they probably come from lots of places-like leftovers from the big bang as you mentioned, active galactic nuclei, the center of our galaxy, etc.

They are roughly the same energy as gamma rays (we actually don't usually say "frequency" when referring to cosmic rays, because they are either protons or nuclei and we generally only refer to light as having a frequency. :) )

Q: what's at the center of our galaxy?
 
Probably a breat, big black hole. :D

(Olórin's answer was what I was thinking of. Though maybe there is still some way, you never know!)

Q: What is plasma?
 
yeah, you're pretty much right olorin. You can think of it as the 4th state of matter, where things are moving around so quickly that when they bang into each other, the atoms split apart into nuclei and electrons.

The weak force is the force responsible for radioactive decay among other things and is one of the 4 fundamental forces of nature. It is also inextricably linked to the elctromagnetic force and at high enough temperatures, their effect on matter is the same.

Q: What's surprising about the expansion rate of the universe due to the existence (most likely) of dark energy?
 
It's expanding faster than would be expected, due to dark energy. (I think that's right...?)

Q: What are neutrinos?
 
I believe that Newton proposed a particle theory of light. The other guy started the quantam-mechanical theory, in which light is like a hybrid - particles of light waves. :rolleyes: Whenever scientists start talking about quantam-mechanical anything, you're in for a headache. :D

What is the main difference between acids and bases?
 
(But quantum mechanics is where it starts getting interesting!)

Acids donate H+'s (protons), bases accept them. Lewis acids and bases – bases donate, and acids accept electron pairs. I forget the other one.

This is lame...but I can't think of anything better. Which has the larger atomic radius: Silicon, or chlorine?
 
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