Strange things happen in the quantum world. It’s not just the events that are strange: the ways in which they happen are also weird. Take the nucleus, for example. Things were bad enough when Ernest Rutherford proposed that the atomic nucleus was very small, very dense and packed with positive charge. But things got even … Continue reading Nobel Prize for Physics 2025
Beta Decay and Energy Conservation
I have just finished reading an excellent book that traces various theories about beta decay in the first third of the Twentieth Century. Controversy and Consensus: Nuclear Beta Decay 1911-1934 is an editted version of the successful PhD thesis written by Carsten Jensen, who clearly had a deep passion for unravelling physics history but died … Continue reading Beta Decay and Energy Conservation
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?
How to Use Logarithms
Although they can seem confusing at first sight, logarithms are just mathematical functions that allow calculations to be carried out quicker than would otherwise be the case. So although they may seen daunting, you should think of logarithms as a way to make calculations easier – once you have mastered the rules. There is quite a … Continue reading How to Use Logarithms
Cool calculations
It's a hot day and you want a cold drink: how long will it take for your chosen beverage to be chilled to its ideal temperature? Fortunately, there's a neat little online calculator that will give you the answer and save you the effort of constantly checking to see whether the drink is ready to … Continue reading Cool calculations
Mr Tarrant's physbang 'blog 