nik

This is a fascinating question because it relates to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. As you said, odor is produced by molecules of.... something in the air. At room temperature, if a molecule is in thermal equilibrium with its environment, it may travel roughly 500-1000m/s - based on a quickie calculation I just did. (Couple times the speed of sound - ballistic!) However, in the process of moving, it will collide with other molecules and bounce around, so it's effective (diffusion) speed is determined by its thermal velocity and it's "mean free path." Think of a room filled with marbles, and you have another marble moving through this room. To get to the other side of the room, the marble's speed to get there depends on its own speed and also on how many marbles are in the room because it will bounce around in getting there. More marbles (particles) means a shorter "mean free path" and so a smaller diffusion speed. This is also affected by things like thermal gradients and convection.

I heard somewhere that smell is the sense most closely related to memory. That makes sense to me becuase I'm always forgetting people's names, but I never forget the smell of popcorn.

Pretty fascinating stuff.

Well, to be honest, I never put potatoes in any of my marinara, primevera, or carbonara. That sounds like anathema to me! I have heard of this practice, and it does tend to take some of the bite out of the flavor, but that's what the pasta is for, right!

Yep. The reports I get are like watching C-SPAN. I did find out a bit about my ancestry though. After some careful research, I could trace my lineage back to a 16th

century architect.

I usually try to operate at my usual level of imcompetence, dipping lower when called for.

Excellent reply!!!! Who was it who said, "We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training."? A football coach maybe.....

Yep. Seems like every day for me.....

We love you nik, just keep talking :blink:  B)

Always remember, however, wisdom is not found in a multiplicity of words, but in the ability to use few.

Yeah, well it's shaping up into a close contest over here in the AL central. Twins won, Tigers lost - that's what happens when you get too freakin' hits all game. It's not like Cleveland did anything magical today, Detroit just didn't. However, Tampa's got the edge on the ChiSox right now, so Twins go up a game, but still a close division. We're just happy the Tigers are above 0.500. Last year, it was the end of May before they won 11, and it something like 11-35. Westbrook did the whole game for Cleveland too. One thing I'm worried about the Tigers' piching staff. I'm afraid it might be a bit shallow this year.

I see Boston beat the Yanks again.... gotta like that! Of course, pitching wouldn't have helped here. You can't score if you can't get on base.

Blue Jays-Orioles..... Good thing I didn't have any money on that game.

..... wow........ gosh guys....... Didn't know I garnered that sort of respect...... really, in the words a favorite fictional character, "Aw shucks folks! I'm speechless."

Well, let me say that I'm not a musician. I don't study music, and I can only play a few instruments (but I'm trying to learn guitar - want to buy an electric.... different story).

However, there are a few thinkg I find fascinating, and I imagine that any real musician could put these aspects into "professional" words. The first is tonality. I'm always interested in things that produce waves, and sound is a wave. Each note on the scale is a vibration at a specific frequency (an 'A' is 440 Hz). An increase by an octave doubles the frequency (our ears are logarithmic, as are our eyes). But what I find more fasinating is the idea of note combinations (chords, for example). In physics, we call these "beats." For example a 'C' note at 261.6 Hz goes well with a 'G' at 392 Hz. The ratio of 'G'''s frequency to 'C''s is very nearly 3:2. So if we plot the "superposition" wave pattern of this combination, we get a very nice enveloped wave - a beat. Howeve a 'C' and an 'F#' don't produce such a beat at a frequency similar to the note frequency. Pythagoras was big on these ratios, and was fascinated that planetary motion followed a similar pattern (Bode's Law - music in nature, remember!). During his time, the musical scale was produced by using ratios of the numbers 1:2:3:4 - the tetrad, and I believe this is what you refer to, is referred to in music. More complex ratios could be made by ratios of those ratios,

e.g., 1/3 of 1/3 or 1/2 of 3/4, etc. So, to get the notes based on the the tetrad, one can ascribe ratios of vibrational frequencies (of a string if you wish). This is called the Pythagorean Scale, but is limited because the ratios must be made of numbers less than 4.

That is, if C has a specific frequency , then we define each subsequent notes to have a frequency ratio of roughly 9:8 to the note above it:

c=1:1, d=9/8 of C, e=9/8 of d or 81/64. (This is not exact, but close). I believe that today, the scale can use values of ratios up to 5. Today, the scale is exponential.

Well, there's more to music than that, and we can discuss more, but it is indeed a huge topic.

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I think the solution of mineral salts depends a lot on the salt and solvent, but I believe many salts dissolve in water. By definition, a salt is an ionic molecule of a metal and a non-metal (sodium chloride, silver nitrate, copper phosphate......) My chemist friends could tell you immediately what a salt dissolves in or not, and there are tables.

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When I do math, find that the focus involved typically is distracting enough that it sometimes allows me to forget other things, indeed ignore other things. When deeply focussed, it's almost like being in a trance, and I hear nothing else. Someone has to nudge me to get my attention. So yes, it is like exercise and devotion to a specific activity allows the other to be ignored (apathy is not the right word, but close). I find it very invigorating to come out of a calculation, almost restful.

I'll talk to some of my chemist friends and see if I can find out a good reference or solution table for salts. No wait! I got it! You can look it up in the CRC Physics and Chemistry reference manual! Any college (or public, maybe) library.

When I think of solution, I think of the electron wave-functions and their relative strengths in the vicinity of those of the solute, but that's a very complicated calculation, so this is typically relinquished to experiment. And why not? It's an easy test.

Fine questions, Jeanway. Rather difficult, actually.

Well said, Goose! You are the Ernie Harwell of STF.net (or the Harry Carey, depending on what you like.)

I see the Devil Rays just beat the Sox, too. What the heck is going on?

As of now, Twins are tied...... where there's baseball, there's hope!

Have a nide day!

Hey Ensign and Sarge! I've got another question for you. I was arguing with a friend the other day, and we are wondering what age range the military recruits. Also, does it depend on one's college education? (i.e.,

will they recruit older people who have been through college?)

Thanks!

Took me a couple dozen tries, but I got 350.4!

I think the key is to get Santa Clause to bounce really good a couple of times.

(By God! Did I just use the phrase "... get Santa Clause to bounce really good a couple of times...."?)

Smythe, Eastern, Nectar, Sea of the Edge, Islands, Cleverness, Fecunducy, Cold, Humbolt, Moisture, Showers, Foaming Sea.

Really, for sure! That's great Jeanway. One learns something new every day.

Gratias multas, Jeanway!

I don't like to point out to someone that something they said was 'really dumb' but sometimes, I just can't help it :P I've been dumbfounded sometimes, almost speechless at the absurdities I've heard. And they get away with it.  Especially people in authority and politicians.  Heard anything, really dumb lately? Jim? nik? CaptWright? Fenriz? VaBeachGuy? Now I've got a headache, just thinking about this :P

Well, yeah..... but usually I'm the one talking at the time......

Piaget is required reading in degree courses in the UK. Debating the pros and cons on it is fun, especially when he makes generalisation based on children from geneva and on 30 at that. His theories we largely

unfounded in societies outside of continental Europe and the idea that each stage of a childs development was a concrete stage to do with AGE is almost laughable. (I have personal experience on this one)

Fascinating concepts! I must admit to really not reading too much Piaget, only bits and pieces.

You must have given this much thought.

I must find this book!

Oh yes! To me, there are two very beautiful, almost perfect languages - math and music - and they really aren't too different. It's amazing to be able to understand the symphony of the universe......if we just take time to listen. Yes....... yes indeed!

My grandfather. Uneducated.... immigrated from the old land with no money. Worked his tail off for the family, and always had some wisdom for me. The one man who encouraged me to be my best. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today - the first of my family to go to college, get a degree, and never forget my roots. I was out of the country when he died, and never heard about it until later.

My college degrees aren't hanging on the wall. They're in a box with a few things my grandfather gave me..... an old watch, some National Geographics, some stamps and coins......... If he were here, I'd show him........

It's been ten years..... and it still stings like it was yesterday.......

Is it me, or were there an unusual amount of blowouts yesterday. Some of those scores looked like football scores:

Bal Tor 11-3

Det Clev 17-3! What's up with that. I'm happy to see my home team winning for a change, but these guys are breaking .500, and looking pretty slick at that. Of course, the tribe has been limping along the past couple years.

Sox Yanks 11-2.... I thought the Yanks were good. Of course, that whole division is just mediocre this year, except for Baltimore, I guess.

Bal Tor 11-3

TEX Seattle 10-8..... Sorry Goose..... What can I say... upside down year! My favorites like Ichiro, Martinez, and Boone just aren't putting on much of show this year. Pulling their weight, yes, but just not raking in those RBIs.......

Ana Oak 12-2.... Wasn't expecting that.

Hou Col 13-7...... What'd they miss the extra point or something? 13 runs!

Not a huge score, but an unexptected win was Braves over the Marlins. What do you think?

What do you fans think? Wild day yesterday?

Well, gotta go. Tigers have an appointment with destiny in a half hour. I don't predict any real changes in that division, but maybe they'll get lucky and the Twins'll lose to KC. Heck, maybe the White Sox will lose to Tampa...... Weather in Hell today.... -10 degrees.

My signed copy of "Classical Electrodynamics" by J.D. Jackson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

" Your running on my bean " nik

It's true! I've a lot of respect for that man......

....... HEY! You put a book in the time capsule too!

" The Devil damn thee black, thou cream faced loon "    nik 

Very nice...... unfortunately, I am at a loss for a worthy reply..... touche!

Yes, I am

 

 

    Now quit it nik

Youch! If posts could kill..............

Yeah, I think it takes some getting used to. As you probably know, you almost always arrive at your final destination at night. Which part of Japan?

I need suggestions to survive a 12 hou flight w/o a computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where to Borg?

I fly quite a bit to Japan and back. Here's my trick for avoiding jet lag. Stay awake on the airplane. Really! It works. Watch the movie, read a book, walk up and down the aisles, or look out the windows. (For the past five years, I've racked up over 50,000 miles per year, and I still can't keep myself from looking out the window.) When you

arrive, you will most likely stay up until local evening, and be so wiped out that you sleep soundly overnight and adjust almost automatically.

WeareBorg, I think maybe, and I'm not really sure, but those are lakes named Seas, understand? Or maybe they aren't really vast enough to be in this classification, I don't know Weareborg, I'm not a darn computer, you know. I just started the topic, Man between you and nik your going to drive me around the bend, and I don't HAVE far to go.

Jeanway, illius me paenitet, ex veritas! Die dulci freure.

I think there are about 20, right nik?  The ones I can remember because they sound pretty : Serpent, Tranquility, Vapors, Muscovy, Waves, Clouds, Serenity, Crisis, and the Ocean of Storms. Even if I could remember them all there'd still probably be more I haven't heard of yet. So stop trying to bust my chops, nik :P  :P You know your slowly approaching High CrapHound statis, in my book, don't you? :P

Actually, Jeanway, you know more lunar seas than I! (That's part of the reason why I asked.) Thanks for the lesson! Not trying to bust anything, really.

I'll lay off a bit. Really don't want to be anyone's craphound......