Wander the West: Quick question, what is this? - Wander the West

All I know is that Mark's rig warps space more than mine does .

EdoHart, on 15 March 2012 - 09:07 PM, said:

One of the physics professors I had in college -- a young-ish guy (but full professor) who was still excited about teaching physics -- said that if you look back over the terrain of the history of physics you see two peaks towering over the rest: Newton and Einstein.
(Seems like there might be at least one quantum-mechanical physicist whose peak could be included...but this professor worked in quantum physics so his assessment wasn't biased against it.)

Newton -- with his work in gravity and motion and optics and mathematics was undoubtedly a super-genius...but from what I've read he was kind of a jerk of a human being.

But to keep this post on-topic so I don't have to move it -- Air Drag: As highz suggested, quantitative calculations around turbulence are extremely complicated and difficult to do accurately. Where I (used to) work, a few guys use "computational fluid dynamics" (CFD) software running on a 60-processor computing system (no super-computer, but probably the most-powerful computer system in Bend, Oregon ) to predict the motion and interactions of liquids and gases and suspended solids, etc -- pretty cool, and frequently useful.
But without experimental verification, the honest researchers (i.e., not the managers trying to sell our expertise) could never be sure that the predictions of CFD were accurate when the turbulence was particularly gnarly. The honest researchers (in private) would only claim that, if nothing else, the output of CFD made mighty purdy PowerPoint presentations -- no doubt at all about that! 3-D swirling colors in computer-generated video looks impressive!

Another example of accuracy: Forecasting the weather is very influenced by the turbulence of the atmosphere...and how accurate is that really? Locally -- in central Oregon - it kinda sucks.
And the big-time meteorologists making those forecasts are using super-computers! It's not their fault that long-range forecasts are usually wrong -- it's just too difficult. But it is their fault that they claim that those forecasts are worth looking at.
Still, they're a lot more accurate than the predictions of economists and other financial experts...but don't get me started on people getting paid for being wrong!

highz, on 15 March 2012 - 09:13 PM, said:

Yep, and so, time passes slower inside my truck for the same reason...the more time I spend in it the slower I age!
Of course...that also means that my retirement savings have to last longer...

MarkBC, on 15 March 2012 - 09:51 PM, said:

Possibly because you are protected from all that turbulence outside?

I have a pencil.

That's a good start, Jay!

ski3pin, on 16 March 2012 - 07:05 AM, said:

Yeah, for one thing, it puts less strain on my hair so I can keep it longer.

Please tell me there won't be a test on the subject matter. At least make it multiple choice.

craig333, on 16 March 2012 - 01:17 PM, said:

OK. Multiple choice it is.

Q. 1) If I am traveling in my rig on a highway at 70 mph, I should:

a) get a pencil out. You have one, right?
b)get a computer out to run turbulence simulations
c) Compare time dilation calculations between special and general relativity
d) Relax and enjoy the journey

highz, on 16 March 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

Oh! Oh! -- I know!

damn I forgot the sharpener... wait wait I have my $275 knife I saw in the OJ.