Random Scientific Questions

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
What is anti-life? Do you mean something that would kill you?

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
remember the guy that said the world was round? and they called him silly and killed him?

No they didn't. When Democritus suggested that the world was round he did so with proof of his claim in hand and people believed him.

Originally posted by King Castle
here you go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Life_Equation

"The Anti-Life Equation is the fictional equation for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid..."

The answer is NO! 🙄

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
for all you could know our universe could just be an experiment by some being of a higher plane of existance
there equations probably are unconcievable to us

just look at mxy from the 5th dimension, his 5d tech gives him reality warping powers in the 3d

Originally posted by King Kandy
Mxy is a fictional character. Get a grip.

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
how do you know there isnt something like him?

The question should be, why do you think there is?

If we go with "anything is possible" then we can ignore Myx anyway because it exactly as possible that something exists that undoes everything he tries to do.

its always so weird to see what constitutes "science" to the layperson

I get the same thing whenever I follow science news stories in the Economist on Facebook.

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
how do you know there isnt something like him?

why is heavy water the performed liquid for nuclear reactors?

stop feeding the troll poeple

Originally posted by King Castle
why is heavy water the performed liquid for nuclear reactors?

slows down neutrons better than normal water, allowing them to cause the desired nuclear reaction more easily

Originally posted by King Castle
why is heavy water the performed liquid for nuclear reactors?

It's a "neutron moderator". Basically a nuclear power plant work by generating neutrons which break apart atoms and release more neutrons. In order for this to happen you need to slow down the neutrons, deuterium is very good at that.

Because it's toxic (and you can use the tremendously cheaper substance of normal water) heavy water isn't very popular these days.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
It's a "neutron moderator". Basically a nuclear power plant work by generating neutrons which break apart atoms and release more neutrons. In order for this to happen you need to slow down the neutrons, deuterium is very good at that.

Because it's toxic (and you can use the tremendously cheaper substance of normal water) heavy water isn't very popular these days.

Originally posted by King Castle
what's being used now?

Normal water. It not quite as good but it's way cheaper and won't poison the environment if you spill it.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Normal water. It not quite as good but it's way cheaper and won't poison the environment if you spill it.

plus wouldnt the water become toxic radioactive once its bn used in cooling the radioactive rods?

which makes me ask does the water vapor that non hazardous that it is put back into the atmosphere?

Originally posted by King Castle
interesting that heavy water is toxic, isnt it found in the antarctic or somewhere along those lines?

Atoms of deuterium are found in all water, unless you take the time to remove them, at a harmless concentration. I guess "toxic" isn't the right word, but most animals become sterile if they have to live for long on a 50% concentration or more and die not to much above that.

You could probably dump it most places safely but unless you were cartoonishly evil why would spend money to produce the stuff at all when the material you use to make it is also pretty effective?

Originally posted by King Castle
plus wouldnt the water become toxic radioactive once its bn used in cooling the radioactive rods?

I was thinking more about during shipping.

I'm not sure how well water stays irradiated. There was a craze for irradiated water at one point that was completely harmless because the water shed its radiation before it reached the consumers. But that's probably on the order of days or weeks after making it.

Originally posted by King Castle
which makes me ask does the water vapor that non hazardous that it is put back into the atmosphere?

I'm not sure what you're asking. The steam that comes from the cooling towers of nuclear plants certainly isn't irradiated to a harmful degree.

k, thx for the explanation. i am content. now back to my cold fusion experiment ..*whistle as i walk*

the toxicity of heavy water is generally exagerated though, not pointing fingers or anything, lol

for instance, you could drink a glass of it with no ill effects

Not sure if this is the thread for it but, how would I calculate the Pounds per square inch of force across a surface?

For example, smaller surfaces such as the point of a sharp needle exerting different force than that of a blunt object over a surface area?

Originally posted by Burning thought
Not sure if this is the thread for it but, how would I calculate the Pounds per square inch of force across a surface?

For example, smaller surfaces such as the point of a sharp needle exerting different force than that of a blunt object over a surface area?

If you know the force and the area it's pretty easy. Divide the force by the area and you get the answer in (units of force) per (units of area).

1lb of force across 1in^2 is 1psi
1lb of force across .002in^2 is 500psi

The word "per" can always be read as "divided by", just like "of" can always be read as "multiplied by".