Exam season is over so this seems like a good time to admit that physicists don’t know all the answers – and don’t even always agree on which of the available answers is best. The two biggest areas of disagreement are cosmology and quantum mechanics. For example; What do we mean by the “Big Bang”? … Continue reading Answers to some of physics’ biggest mysteries
The Amateur Scientist
There was a time when children were encouraged to do their own experiments at home. A lucky few got chemistry sets as Christmas presents. Others might have read books covering activities that ranged from star-gazing to building crystal radios. As somebody who grew up in what was probably the golden age for young scientists, before … Continue reading The Amateur Scientist
JMP Summer Challenge 2025
"If you love problem solving, science, or sport, and you're curious about how data analytics and visualization can reveal insights and tell compelling stories, this is the challenge for you. It’s also a great opportunity to stretch your creative muscles and try something new this summer." That is the burb introducing the 2025 Summer Challenge … Continue reading JMP Summer Challenge 2025
Am I dumber than a machine?
Help! I have been working my way through a series of puzzles designed to evaluate artificial intelligence systems by setting tasks that are supposed to be easy for humans to solve but hard for current AI engines to crack. All was going well until I came across one particular puzzle. I simply can't work out … Continue reading Am I dumber than a machine?
How reliable are AI assistants?
To explore the current state of AI reliability in a physics context, two questions were put to five free AI assistants, all available via https://duck.ai/; Why don’t radioactive decay chains end with iron? Which isotope has the highest binding energy? Before revealing the AI responses, here are my own answers. Question 1 assumes that all … Continue reading How reliable are AI assistants?
Death and Data Analysis
It sounds like an unlikely scientific challenge but a recent BBC Radio 4 program about dismembered feet that have been washed-up on Canadian and US shores is a great puzzle to tax inquisitive brains. Despite what may appear to be an off-topic context (for the usual range of physbang items) the story's challenge to make … Continue reading Death and Data Analysis
What causes aurorae?
As the nights draw in and skies get darker we approach the time of year when aurorae become easier to observe, especially at times (like now) of high sunspot activity. But the link between aurorae and events happening on the surface of the Sun is not immediately obvious and was initially deduced only indirectly. Subject … Continue reading What causes aurorae?
Aircraft take-off velocity
Three years ago I explained how to use photographs to estimate the speed of a passing car. You can read that article at https://physbang.com/2020/08/02/keep-the-cogs-turning/. Now it is time to use a similar technique to answer a more challenging question: what is the take-off velocity of a passenger jet? Of course, the answer could be found … Continue reading Aircraft take-off velocity
Shapes of Shadows
First a correction: this post is really about the shapes of the bright patches between shadows but "shapes of shadows" sounds much better so please excuse my decision to go for artistic alliteration! If you have ever walked under some leafy trees on a bright summer's day, with the sun high in the sky, you … Continue reading Shapes of Shadows
About physbang
physbang.com started life in 2018 to support students studying GCSE Physics, whether as a separate subject (Edexcel syllabus) or as part of a combined-sciences, double-award course (AQA Trilogy syllabus). A few items have also been posted for the benefit of keen Y9 students and others have been published "just for fun". With effect from Summer … Continue reading About physbang
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 