Quiz time

[silentC]

Now here's a question for you. If a second person is standing still and they observe you whizzing past at the speed of light, with your torch turned on, to the observer does the light from the torch appear to be moving at:

a. twice the speed of light?
b. the speed of light?
c. standing still?

[Kris.Parker1]

I would have to say that as nothing in existence can travel faster than the speed of light, to the observer I beleive it would also appear to be travellig at the speed of light.

Correct me if I am wrong.

For the light to look as though it was standing still time would have to stop. And as we all know time will stand still before the speed of light changes; however, light remains at a constant - theoretically if I were to shine a torch through a viscous liquid, such as clear oil, then the light would not so much slow down as the protons be absorbed by the oil thus reducing the amount of light getting through - hypothetically giving the appearance of light slowing down.

Whew - quantum pysics - what nightmare!

[craigb]

But how do you get the hard boiled egg into the bottle ?

[Kris.Parker1]

CraigB. I'd have to suggest getting a bigger bottle!

[silentC]

Your first statement is correct, according to the theory of relativity that is.

As for whether light can appear to stand still, it all depends on what you mean. It can appear to be standing still under certain circumstances. In your example, if I am the observer, to me both you and the torch light are travelling at the speed of light. Therefore the light appears to me to be standing still, relative to you, although it is moving past me at the speed of light.

Anyone got any Panadol?

[Bob Willson]

The speed of light is (as far as we know) a constant that is also the fastest thing known. It is also postulated that the speed of light cannot be exceded. That being so it is impossible for anything to go faster than that speed of light. The obverse of this is of course that no light can travel slower than the fastest speed of light.

Recent research is, however, starting to show that the speed of light is no longer acceptable as a constant

[Kris.Parker1]

Haave to agree with you on that one Bob. Just FYI if I were to travel at the speed of light for 1 billion years (where time equals 0) then I would have travelled 1 billion light years. At the same time while you were travelling at the speed of light, the universe (including Earth) would age 1 Billion light years. Goddamn that's hard to explain. You get what I'm trying to say though?

[silentC]

I read somewhere that someone has claimed recently to slow a photon down. There's also a theory about a type of glass that could trap the light and slowly release it out the other side, so you could have a window that let you look back in time.

All a bit much for a Friday and it's not even beer o'clock yet :(

[silentC]

You want weirdness? How about the idea that light is only a particle when you are observing it. When nobody is looking, it is a wave.

Oh, and if you take a pair of those little particles that make up a photon, one is always positive and the other is always negative - but only when you look at them. Until then, they can be one or the other. And as soon one turns positive, simultaneously the other goes negative. Theoretically, this can take place across any distance, so if you could unravel them and seperate them by a billion light years, if you could make one go positive, the other would instantly go negative. Trouble is no-one knows how to influence which state they take.

Mind bending....

[Kris.Parker1]

I read somewhere that someone has claimed recently to slow a photon down. There's also a theory about a type of glass that could trap the light and slowly release it out the other side, so you could have a window that let you look back in time.
I recall the item you are talking about. I think that it is called a photon accelerator. They have measured speeds up to almost the speed of light.

[kiwigeo]

Okay time for the Geoscientists to move in with some brain teasers...


What is a coprolite and where would you find one?

[Ivan in Oz]

C'Mon,
, I Do [n't] know........................ ;)
A couisn to a Troglodite or Luddite;
Oh!! :o :o
That's right, I'm a Luddite.

Count

[Bob Willson]

Some sort of a stone formation

[duckman]

1) Its a fancy name for a hole.
2) In the ground. :D :D :D

[Driver]

I thought it meant fossilised dinosaur crap. In which case you'd find it wherever the dinosaur decided to leave it. Possibly next to a piece of fossilised dinosaur dunny roll?

[Kris.Parker1]

Coprolite is the scientific name for the fossilised excrement, feces or droppings of ancient animals.

It can also be the definition of a copper lamp ha ha ha a h ROFL ha ha ha
And continuing with the "ite" type questions. What is a Theolodite?

[Ivan in Oz]

Coprolite is the scientific name for the fossilised excrement, feces or droppings of ancient animals.

That's what I said :mad:
.... or somfink like that :p :p :p


It can also be the definition of a copper lamp ha ha ha a h ROFL ha ha ha
And continuing with the "ite" type questions. What is a Theolodite?

That wasn't THAT funny :rolleyes:


KP1 I was going to answer to Theodolite, but Nah! That's to easy..............
have a 2nd look.....................
Theolodite...........looking at something :eek: :eek:
What are we looking at :confused:

Count

[Driver]

Bit of confusion here. (Now that makes a change! ;) )

kiwigeo, you asked the question. Time for you to step in and decide who gets the next go.

[outback]

Surely any confusion needs to settled by Crabtree! :eek:

[kiwigeo]

I thought it meant fossilised dinosaur crap. In which case you'd find it wherever the dinosaur decided to leave it. Possibly next to a piece of fossilised dinosaur dunny roll?
Correct...a fossilised . Found in sedimentary rocks.

Dont know if the dinosaurs had access to toilet paper..I imagine if they needed to wipe theyd just use the nearest furry mammal.

[kiwigeo]

Coprolite is the scientific name for the fossilised excrement, feces or droppings of ancient animals.

It can also be the definition of a copper lamp ha ha ha a h ROFL ha ha ha
And continuing with the "ite" type questions. What is a Theolodite?Kris,

Ive been following your posts with interest and Ive come to the conclusion that you either A. have a brain the size of a planet and know absolutely everything and about anything (in which case you should be banned from this forum) or B. you live next door a library.

I guess its also possible that youre a geologist.

[kiwigeo]

Bit of confusion here. (Now that makes a change! ;) )

kiwigeo, you asked the question. Time for you to step in and decide who gets the next go.
Driver,

Youre answer was the first correct one.

[Ivan in Oz]

All right!
OK, the gloves are orf.
I shall be a little..........nah! I'll be a LOT less cryptic in my Answers.
SO THERE!!

Oh!! I'm no good at asking appropriate questions anyway.
Just good at giving answers; be they incorrect,
OR
far to vaugue.

OK!! Where's the next question?

Count

[kiwigeo]

OK!! Where's the next question?

Count
Okay...

Spell "ïngenuity"

[Driver]

OK - looks like it's my go.

Back to the important stuff - trivia!

In one of Hemingway's books, he writes about a character known as El Sordo. What does the name mean and what is the title of the book?

[silentC]

Was it the name of the swordfish in Old Man and the Sea?

:D No, I didn't think so....

[Driver]

Was it the name of the swordfish in Old Man and the Sea?

:D No, I didn't think so....

No it wasn't. So you're right when you say that you didn't think so but that's still not a right answer. Right? :p

[HappyHammer]

"Esmerelda" What?

HH

[Driver]

"Esmerelda" What?

HH

¿Que?

[HappyHammer]

Cryptic reply

Esmerelda = Book
What!? = El Sordo

Non?

HH

[silentC]

el sordo means 'the deaf person' in Spanish....

[HappyHammer]

That's what I said cryptically above and the name of the book?

HH

[HappyHammer]

BTW I realise my cryptic answers are very crude....

HH

[silentC]

Here's a cryptic answer:

A deaf man knows not if the bells ring for him

[HappyHammer]

Yep!

Is it my go?

HH

[Driver]

Earlier in this thread, someone accused Crabtree of being confused. Compared to this stuff, he's a model of crystalline lucidity!

[HappyHammer]

Earlier in this thread, someone accused Crabtree of being confused. Compared to this stuff, he's a model of crystalline lucidity!
So are we right?

HH

[Driver]

So are we right?

HH

Yes. Of course. But why don't you spell it out for the benefit of those amongst our members who are not cryptic crossword solvers. ;)

[HappyHammer]

Esmerelda = Book = For whom the bell tolls
What!? = El Sordo = A Deaf Person

HH.

[bitingmidge]

We haven't had a cricket question in a long time!!
:mad:



:D
P

[HappyHammer]

OK here we go...

What was 12ft 2in long and constituted a world record for an American?

HH.

[Driver]

Rodney Marsh!

[HappyHammer]

Rodney Marsh!
Close.

[Driver]

Close.

That can't be right either, Brian Close was English - not American.

[silentC]

What was 12ft 2in long and constituted a world record for an American
Shortest thing that an American tourist ever exclaimed "our's back home are much bigger than that!" in reference to?

[HappyHammer]

No, but could have been if he were a Texan.

[bitingmidge]

The furthest distance a cricket ball has been thrown to an American and caught WITHOUT THE AID OF A GLOVE.

P

[hexbaz]

OK here we go...

What was 12ft 2in long and constituted a world record for an American?

HH.Longest ?

[HappyHammer]

Correct.

The longest dump ever verified was produced by an American, who produced a 'staggering ' over a period of 2 hr 12 minutes which was officially measured at 12 ft 2in. The offender is banned from 134 washrooms in his state.

Your go hexbax...

HH.

[bitingmidge]

So that's where the expression "pooping through the eye of a needle" came from.

:eek:

What was he eating, string beans, or just string?
P

[HappyHammer]

What's amazing is that he stopped his sphincter closing for over 2 hours!!

HH.

[bitingmidge]

I s'pose there was a cricketing link after all...

I bet when he finished it he stood looking at it for a bit, then shouted:

ohhh .... OWZAT?

Cheers,

P

[HappyHammer]

I was wondering where he did it.....and who measured and verified it!!

"Hang on mate I'll need to get my measuring wheel for that one"

HH.

[RETIRED]

Toilet Humour??? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[HappyHammer]

Toilet Humour??? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Funny you should say that I found this on a site containing weird toilet facts. All I typed into Google was weird facts...there were some that were much worse that I wouldn't have put on the board..:D

[Whisper] Anyone who's interested send me a PM..;)

HH.

[hexbaz]

Your go hexbax...My '' answer was a guess derived from you saying that Rodney Marsh was close! :rolleyes:

OK - this is probably relatively easy to find with Google, but here goes....

What will Prince Charles call himself when he becomes king (assuming he lasts long enough for mumsy to leave the post)? Full name please - as in Queen Elizabeth II

[Ivan in Oz]

Who :confused: :confused:

Uh!! Oh!!
Take cover; incomming.

Count...............watching his flank :eek:

[HappyHammer]

King Charles Spaniel III?

HH.

[Honest Gaza]

1) Its a fancy name for a hole.
2) In the ground. :D :D :D

Enough already !!!!
No more holes !!!!

[Honest Gaza]

Here's a cryptic answer:

A deaf man knows not if the bells ring for him

.....and if he did, he wouldn't know what was said when he answered the door anyway.

[HappyHammer]

Enough already !!!!
No more holes !!!!
Que?

[Honest Gaza]

Toilet Humour??? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

NO....just going through the motions....carrying on undeterred....I wonder if his mummy let him lick the bowl....was he feeling flushed afterwards ?....

[Honest Gaza]

My '' answer was a guess derived from you saying that Rodney Marsh was close! :rolleyes:

OK - this is probably relatively easy to find with Google, but here goes....

What will Prince Charles call himself when he becomes king (assuming he lasts long enough for mumsy to leave the post)? Full name please - as in Queen Elizabeth II

Well, he once referred to himself as a tampon, so I suppose the answer is anybody's guess. But I'll have a go......WINGNUT

[Bob Willson]

Well, he once referred to himself as a tampon

Nah, he just thought that he was a bloody cotton wool brain.

[hexbaz]

Sorry - this is obviously more difficult than I had envisaged. The answer is along the lines of King Charles III and there is no trick. He does not want to use Charles due to bad press with the previous Charlies.

I will be unavailable for a day, so feel free to post another question - let me know if you have given up on the royalty question and I'll post the answer on my return to this hallowed board.

[HappyHammer]

King Chas III ?

[Bob Willson]

He wants to be a Georgie Porgie.

[HappyHammer]

Pudding and Pie?

[duckman]

Umm..this is a longshot because of all the French kings with the same name but my guess is King Louis I, named after his favourite uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten.

[Bob Willson]

Pudding'n'pie number VII

[hexbaz]

Pudding'n'pie number VIIYep - Bob has it right. King George VII.... Over to you!

[simon c]

I know it's not my turn but a question came to me while I was reading the forum and watching the Simpsons at the same time.

Lisa asks her father:

Name three words where y is the vowel.
But we're better than that, we have to name 4!

[Ivan in Oz]

Any 4?
Lynx.....Meow
Sythe........which I can still use
Type.............what I'm doing now

Steak and Kidney….whoops;
Sydney where we have both vowel and constonant

Count

[outback]

Not my question but, lynx seems ok. The "e" in sythe, type and Sydney seem to make them null and void.

I came up with
1. why
2, fry
3. sky
4. supercallifragilisticexpeallidocious (not sure of the spellin)

[simon c]

hhmm, seems a bit mabiguous the way I wrote it.

OK, lets change it to:
Name three words where y is the ONLY vowel

So Lynx is a goer, but not the others

[simon c]

yes, was a bit easy

I had rhythm, crypt, tryst and the lynx

[simon c]

Obviously I was lulled in to a false sense of intelligence because Homer couldn't get any

[outback]

OOOOOH OOOOHHH Mr Kotter, Mr Kotter I got another one

fly :D

Then theres sty, dry, cry, spy

[Ivan in Oz]

Permission to spit the Dummy
where's the judge/adjudicator?

I read the Q as words with "Y" as a vowel.
Nothing about NOT having other vowels..........

Who's a laywer...........hey, there's a "Y"

Dummy spit over; time to sulk ;)

Count

[outback]

Ok, assuming its my turn, if not please ignore my question.

Wev'e all heard of murphys law, that is, anyhting that can go wrong, will go wrong.

BUT.

Was there a mr murphy?
AND
who was he what did he do and why did his law or laws come around?

[simon c]

I think I can manage the first one:

Yes there was a Mr Murphy ;)

[hexbaz]

http://www.murphys-laws.com/murphy/murphy-true.html

[duckman]

Yes there was a Murphy, but the law wasn't named after him. It was named after another bloke of the same name. :confused:

That's my contribution. A 'hot toddy' and an early night to try to shake off this cold.

'night all. :D

[Bob Willson]

Who's a laywer...........hey, there's a "Y"
Count
Doesn't count (pun), misspelt

Gum has been chewed for some time now, how old is the oldest piece of chewing gum

[AlexS]

Maybe a bit late, but how about syzygy - the conjunction or opposition of two heavenly bodies (Marilyn Monroe & Jayne Mansfield?)

[duckman]

Doesn't count (pun), misspelt

Gum has been chewed for some time now, how old is the oldest piece of chewing gum

Dunno, but I'm betting that its lost its flavour.:D

Hang on, and I'll check my bedpost. :D

[hexbaz]

OK, it's been too quiet here for a couple of weeks!.....

Who's going to be the first to solve the riddle below? Try to do it without google!
(Hint: The answer is mathematical)

Sir, I bear a rhyme excelling
In mystic force and magic spelling
Celestial sprites elucidate
All my own striving can't relate

[Ivan in Oz]

Eight,
NOT ate as in consume.
Though I'm on the fang at the moment.

Ivan in Oz
Home 'Poota up and running next week
WHEN I GET A POWER SUPPLY :mad:

[hexbaz]

Eight,
NOT ate as in consume.
Though I'm on the fang at the moment.

Ivan in Oz
Home 'Poota up and running next week
WHEN I GET A POWER SUPPLY :mad:Sorry - no. Interestingly, 8 is the same answer that my brother gave (great minds think alike). I see why that might be a reasonable answer, but the answer is more complex than that. It will be obvious when you do get it - and it does have a very vague connection with woodwork!

[simon c]

Maybe Ivan's "consume" is more relevant to the real answer than he thinks?

[hexbaz]

Maybe Ivan's "consume" is more relevant to the real answer than he thinks?:D ... Sounds like you know the answer, Mr. C!

[simon c]

yep, I remember learning them from school. although I'm a bit of a mathematician so I actually found it easier to remember the real thing rather than the mnemonic!

Simon

PS I'm trying not to get it right so I don't have to come up with another one as I'm going away for the weekend

[hexbaz]

yep, I remember learning them from school. although I'm a bit of a mathematician so I actually found it easier to remember the real thing rather than the mnemonic!Yeah me too!

I loved your construction sign by the way (saves me replying to that thread!). It is doing the rounds in UK now.

Have a great weekend.

[simon c]

OK i'll "bite"

The answer is that it is a mnemonic for pi. Where the number of letters in each word signify the digits (ie 3.14159 etc). The one I learned at school was Now, I wish I could recollect pi. But that would have been no good for the quiz as the answer was in the question.

So my turn

[simon c]

This is quite famous but a good one as it is so counter-intuitive. It took me a day of thinking about it before I could get the emotional side of the brain to accept what the logical side was telling me. I even had to try it a few times.

You are a contestant on a game show. You are shown three doors. Behind one door is a car, and behind each of the other two is a goat (the goal is to get the car!). You get to pick one of the doors. Then the host (who knows what is behind the doors) opens one of the doors that you did not pick and shows you a goat. The host then gives you the option to stick with your current door or switch to the other door. Do you stick or switch and what difference to your chance of winning does it make?

Simon

[duckman]

Ok I'll take a swing at this.

Personally, I'd take the goat and run but that's not one of the options. :D

Your odds are reduced from 1 in 3 to 1 in 2 by the removal of one door.
From that point the chances of winning are the same ( 1 in 2) whether you stay with your current choice or change. :confused:

[simon c]

Hi duckman, that's the intuitive answer but isn't actually the right one. Set up a little experiment and try it.

[duckman]

If I've selected a 'goat door' then the host will select the second 'goat door' leaving the car door unselected. Naturally I would want to change my selection, but, I don't know that I've selected a 'goat door', so I'm no better off.

OTOH, if I've selected the car door then the host can select either of the two 'goat doors' leaving just one 'goat door'. In this case I would want to keep my currrent selection, but again, I don't know that I've selected the car door.

I'm going to have to think about this some more. :)

Hooroo for now...

[hexbaz]

You say that the host knows what is behind the doors. This has a big bearing on the answer, I think - he will avoid opening the door with the car, for game show suspense purposes.

This really slews the probabilities - I am not great at mathematics, but I would say you have a better chance of winning, given the above facts, if you were to change your mind.

[simon c]

Just to clarify, the host knows what is behind the doors and always reveals a goat leaving one goat and the car remaining.