[Fwd: Bohr]

From: Wayne Shelton (wdshel@uswest.net)
Date: Fri Jun 09 2000 - 11:17:46 EDT

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    Is this it?

    > Hello folks,
    > anyone out there that knows whether this is a true story or
    > an "urban legend" ?
    >
    > Inge
    >
    > >Sir Ernest Rutherford, President of the Royal Academy, and recipient
    > >of the Nobel Prize in Physics, related the following story:
    > >Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to
    > >give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while
    > >the student claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student
    > >agreed to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected.
    > >I read the examination question: "Show how it is possible to
    > >determine the height of a tall building with the aid of a
    > >barometer." The student had answered: "Take the barometer to the top
    > >of the building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to the street,
    > >and then bring it up, measuring the length of the rope. The length
    > >of the rope is the height of the building."
    > >The student really had a strong case for full credit since he had
    > >really answered the question completely and correctly! On the other
    > >hand, if full credit were given, it could well contribute to a high
    > >grade in his physics course and certify competence in physics, but
    > >the answer did not confirm this.
    > >I suggested that the student have another try. I gave the student
    > >six minutes to answer the question with the warning that the answer
    > >should show some knowledge of physics. At the end of five minutes,
    > >he hadn't written anything. I asked if he wished to give up, but he said
    > he
    > >had many answers to this problem; he was just thinking of the best one.
    > >I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to please go on.
    > >In the next minute, he dashed off his answer, which read:
    > >"Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the
    > >edge of the roof. Drop the barometer, timing its fall with a stopwatch.
    > >Then, using the formula x=0.5*a*t^2, calculate the height of the
    > >building."
    > >At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He
    > >conceded, and gave the student almost full credit.
    > >While leaving my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had
    > >said that he had other answers to the problem, so I asked him what
    > >they were.
    > >"Well," said the student, "there are many ways of getting the height
    > >of a tall building with the aid of a barometer.
    > >For example, you could take the barometer out on a sunny day and
    > >measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and
    > >the length of the shadow of the building, and by the use of simple
    > >proportion, determine the height of the building."
    > >"Fine," I said, "and others?"
    > >"Yes," said the student, "there is a very basic measurement method
    > >you will like. In this method, you take the barometer and begin to walk
    > >up the stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the
    > >barometer along the wall. You then count the number of marks,
    > >and this will give you the height of the building in barometer
    > >units." "A very direct method."
    > >"Of course. If you want a more sophisticated method, you can tie the
    > >barometer to the end of a string, swing it as a pendulum, and
    > >determine the value of g [gravity] at the street level and at the
    > >top of the building. From the difference between the two values of
    > >g, the height of the building, in principle, can be calculated."
    > >"On this same tack, you could take the barometer to the top of the
    > >building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to just above the
    > >street, and then swing it as a pendulum. You could then calculate
    > > the height of the building by the period of the precession".
    > >"Finally," he concluded, "there are many other ways of solving the
    > >problem. Probably the best," he said, "is to take the barometer to
    > >the basement and knock on the superintendent's door. When the
    > >superintendent answers, you speak to him as follows:
    > >'Mr. Superintendent, here is a fine barometer. If you will tell me
    > >the height of the building, I will give you this barometer."
    > >At this point, I asked the student if he really did not know the
    > >conventional answer to this question. He admitted that he did, but
    > >said that he was fed up with high school and college instructors
    > >trying to teach him how to think.
    > >The name of the student was Niels Bohr." (1885-1962) Danish
    > >Physicist; Nobel Prize 1922; best known for proposing the first 'model'
    > >of the atom with protons & neutrons, and various energy state of the
    > >surrounding electrons -- the familiar icon of the small nucleus circled by
    > >three elliptical orbits ... but more significantly, an innovator in
    > >Quantum Theory.
    >
    > ************************************************************************
    > Inge Frette
    > GEOLOGICA AS Phone : +47 51 87 58 15
    > P.O.Box 8034 Fax : +47 51 87 58 01
    > N-4003 STAVANGER E-mail: inge.frette@geologica.no
    > NORWAY Web : http://www.geologica.no
    > ***************************



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