The following concerns a question in a physics degree

> > exam at the University of Copenhagen:
> >
> > "Describe how to determine the height of a skyscraper
> > using a barometer."
> >
> > One student replied:
> >
> > "You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the
> > barometer, then lower the barometer from the roof of
> > the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string
> > plus the length of the barometer will equal the height
> > of the building."
> >
> > This highly original answer so incensed the examiner
> > that the student was failed. The student appealed on
> > the grounds that his answer was indisputably correct,
> > and the university appointed an independent arbiter to
> > decide the case. The arbiter judged that the answer was
> > indeed correct, but did not display any noticeable
> > knowledge of physics. To resolve the problem it was
> > decided to call the student in and allow him six
> > minutes in which to provide a verbal answer which
> > showed at least a minimal familiarity the basic
> > principles of physics.
> >
> > For five minutes the student sat in silence, forehead
> > creased in thought. The arbiter reminded him that time
> > was running out, to which the student replied that he
> > had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn't
> > make up his mind which to use.
> >
> > On being advised to hurry up the student replied as
> > follows:
> >
> > "Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof
> > of the skyscraper, drop it over the edge, and measure
> > the time it takes to reach the ground. The height of
> > the building can then be worked out from the formula H
> > = 0.5g x t squared. But bad luck on the barometer."
> >
> > "Or if the sun is shining you could measure the height
> > of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the
> > length of its shadow. Then you measure the length of
> > the skyscraper's shadow, and thereafter it is a simple
> > matter of proportional arithmetic to work out the
> > height of the skyscraper."
> >
> > "But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it,
> > you could tie a short piece of string to the barometer
> > and swing it like a pendulum, first at ground level and
> > then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is
> > worked out by the difference in the gravitational
> > restoring force T = 2 pi sqroot (l / g)."
> >
> > "Or if the skyscraper has an outside emergency
> > staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark
> > off the height of the skyscraper in barometer lengths,
> > then add them up."
> >
> > "If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about
> > it, of course, you could use the barometer to measure
> > the air pressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on
> > the ground, and convert the difference in millibars
> > into feet to give the height of the building."
> >
> > "But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise
> > independence of mind and apply scientific methods,
> > undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on the
> > janitor's door and say to him 'If you would like a nice
> > new barometer, I will give you this one if you tell me
> > the height of this skyscraper'."
> >
> > The student was Niels Bohr, the only person from
> > Denmark to win the Nobel prize for Physics.
> >

lol

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lol

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It's only after we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything.

VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY GOOD one Jon

that was bohr?! i learnt about him in physics all year :D:D

That's awesome!

Thats confoosling! :S

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"Treat others with respect and you too will be respected." Oac - ed'c dnia - E ys yldiymmo drec cyt.

Excellent.
That was very good...
(reminds me of that episode of Malcom in the Middle)

wow that is amazing lol good man

ouch... that one hurt... great one

Great!

I might use some of those answers in my physics exams.



Post Edited (12-24-03 10:59)


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same here ......... LoL .. I have a physics exam next month and I have barometer in my cource

lol very interesting