Gravity

This is very much like the orbital mechanics poll in that the 'correct' answer is different depending on how much scrutiny you put it under. I think I might agree with SawSS1Jun21, given the question wasn't very precise it doesn't seem to justify a very precise answer. There is a point where the question looks just as wrong as most of the available answers. Perhaps there should be another poll for a refined version of the question. Maybe we could argue over that instead.

Well, from the simplest perspective, with the assumption of no air resistance, and the accuracy being limited to a reasonable degree, the answer would be that they would reach the ground at the same time.

But, isn't it fun to think of all the underlying mechanics of the problem?

This reminds me of a problem I had in my 7th grade science class. The cooking directions for some noodles say that they need to be boiled for 10 minutes. Would the noodles take longer to cook at sea level, or at 3500 feet?

Most of the class answered that they would take longer at 3500 feet. I and a friend of mine were the only two to answer that they would take longer at sea level.

Our logic was simple. With a lower boiling point, you can bring your pot of water to a boil faster at 3500 feet. Then you cook for 10 minutes. Done.

The teacher then pointed out that at the lower temperature, the noodles would need to be boiled longer, perhaps 11 or 12 minutes.

But wait, I contended. The instructions said to boil for 10 minutes. They didn't say to cook in 373K water for 10 minutes, in which case, I'd agree that you could argue they should be cooked longer at higher elevations. The instructions clearly said "boil" for 10 minutes. Water boiling at 3500 feet is still boiling, even if it's several degrees less than 100C.

The teacher didn't buy it.

The cooking direction have been based on the standard situation which is cooking near sea level and cooking until the noodles are soft enought - a broader and wider context had to be applied (similar to the question how some of Ritan's issues at the House have to be understood in a thread in the Regulations section).

In your fist post here yesterday, Daemanuhr you simply brought up the three-objects-problem which is valid if the hammer and the feather are not at the same side of Earth or another body and not close to each other too. That problem isn't solved yet and probably never will - and it seems to be differnet to what was the original question of this poll.



Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)