You're a Quantum Mechanic? Great, so what can you tell me about the mileage on the new 99 Quantums? Are they better than the 98 models? Have they solved the problem with the Tacyon (sp?) drive slippage? Sorry about that, couldn't resist. Thanks for correcting my over-simplification/misrepresentation of the Uncertainty Principle. My physics is at a purely PBS documentary/Steven Hawking's popular writings level. However, in my own defense, I'd like to say that at least I don't misrepresent the weirder aspects of quantum physics to suggest that we all "create our reality" or indulge in similar wooly new-age thinking. I do confess that when people talk about the "collapse of the wave function" I tend to picture a high brace failing rather than any lab experiment. Like you say, it may not matter in a sea kayak context, but it's fun. In a published essay, I once drew a parallel between how the length of water waves determines what effect, if any, they will have on a kayak, and the way the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation determines whether it will or will not interact with small particles. Hope I got that right. Cheers, Philip T. At 10:21 AM 12/22/98 -0800, you wrote: >OK, --- it doesn't really matter, but I can't let this one slip by. > >Your statement of the Heissenburg uncertainty principle is wrong. The >correct statement is a bit complicated, but in its simplest form, it says >that you can't simultaneously determine the position and momentum of a >particle with arbitrary precision. As you more precisely measure one, you >degrade your precision in the measurement of the other. > >Momentum is a vector quantity equal to the mass times the velocity of a >particle. Hence, it includes both the speed and the direction of motion. > >According to my limited understanding of the problem (I'm a quantum mechanic >not a meterologist), the problem with predicting wind and rain is due to >issues that fall under the heading of complexity theory. I could explain >this, but it would take more typing than my fingers could handle right now. >Also, it doesn't really matter in a discussion of sea kayaking (but its fun >--- I just love physics). > > >--Tim > > > **************************************** Mountain Equipment Co-op 1655 West 3rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 1K1 Tel: 640-732-1989 Fax: 604-731-6483 email: pid_at_mec.ca Visit our website at: http://www.mec.ca ***************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue Dec 22 1998 - 11:59:16 PST
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