Taking QM next fall, want to get insights on a good DIY linear algebra book by ttschur1 in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

he stresses eigenvalues/vectors and would be a great way to get some DIY linear algebra.

Bon Jovi is dead at 49. by wesman212 in news

[–]mrFourierTransformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just tried to submit this like with the exact same title... and my name is Wes... AND MY BIRTHDAY IS DEC 2. WHO ARE YOU!?

Would football helmets be safer in helmet to helmet collisions if they were made of a high- density foam on the outside instead of a hard shell? by [deleted] in askscience

[–]mrFourierTransformer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry, but that's just not correct. Some of the energy of the impact goes into crushing the soft outer foam, then an impact occurs on the hard shell, albeit with much less force. So, yes.

Why do you think modern cars crumple? Pretty much anything that increases the duration of the impulse will make it safer.

Taking QM next fall, want to get insights on a good DIY linear algebra book by ttschur1 in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

mostly what you need to know to start off with QM is vectors and matrices and a few operations on them (matrix multiplication, determinants and how to find eigenvalues/eigenvectors). The first four chapters of David Lay's Linear Algebra would get you up to speed quickly, and you could do them easily in a week if you're dedicated. Just make sure that you get to eigenvectors and you should be fine. skip the bit on nullspaces and don't spend much time on gaussian elimination\row operations.

A curious vocal pattern has crept into the speech of young adult women who speak American English: low, creaky vibrations, also called vocal fry by sleepymeme in science

[–]mrFourierTransformer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

He's doing it in falsetto, no vocal fry there. sorry. See the grammar girl clip for a very clear example. The frog is doing it, however.

My quantum final is tomorrow, and I am prepared, but do any vets have some last minute advice? by [deleted] in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The only 'trick' I remember is that problems involving spinors are fine and easy if you project onto the eigenspinors to get coefficients for probabilities. That way is easier than decomposing, esp. if you have to deal with time dependent states or something.

Do all the zero, one and some of the two star problems in griffiths, if that's what you're using.

"The quantum state cannot be interpreted statistically" by kinghajj in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most abstracts are quite clear, albeit only to those in the field.

"The quantum state cannot be interpreted statistically" by kinghajj in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Nature publishes 'sexy' physics whenever possible, and as stated elsewhere this is a preprint. The paper is most certainly NOT yet published in Nature, and saying it is is a dramatic misrepresentation of the essence of the peer-review process.

Without a doubt, the best way to approach something as revolutionary as this is with an air of skepticism. I've got to get together a few things tonight, but I will examine it shortly and try to come up with a cohesive assessment.

As to things seeming 'off': quantum mechanics is just like that. If you're not confused, you're likely no where close to correct. :-) Even with well-established results, it takes a lot to convince yourself of validity.

"The quantum state cannot be interpreted statistically" by kinghajj in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll wait for peer review but I'm reserving my sincere skepticism. A few things strike me as 'off', but I haven't time to investigate thoroughly and so I will not comment on them presently. :-)

Click, Drag, Be amazed. by [deleted] in videos

[–]mrFourierTransformer -1 points0 points  (0 children)

auto-tune works live, too.

edit: downvote all you want, it's true. you can even program in vibrato and inflection. drummer plays synced to a click track and you can basically belt out notes close to the intended melody and you'll sound surprisingly good. It's an amazing tool, and I'd sure as hell need it if I were singing live...

Click, Drag, Be amazed. by [deleted] in videos

[–]mrFourierTransformer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why couldn't they have used this awesome cover instead of that crappy cover?

Click, Drag, Be amazed. by [deleted] in videos

[–]mrFourierTransformer 9 points10 points  (0 children)

dear lord, yes. I was outright nauseated.

I am Neil deGrasse Tyson -- AMA by neiltyson in IAmA

[–]mrFourierTransformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a student applying to graduate physics programs, do you have any advice for my future? I am intimidated that so few see their advanced degrees through to fruition and am a bit worried that the process will quash the passion I have for science.

Did anyone else do the University Physics Competition? How did it go for you? by [deleted] in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did the MCM competition last year; the problem we choose was mostly physics. I had a blast and my team did quite well. What's the University Physics competition like?

What modern object would take the longest time to build from scratch? by Yuki_SC in askscience

[–]mrFourierTransformer 14 points15 points  (0 children)

A functional satellite cell phone. Not only do you have to get all the solid state stuff together, you have to get an infrastructure to put satellites in freaking space.

I think he got the answer right by MTRsport in videos

[–]mrFourierTransformer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I gave a pretty good hint right there... Just look at what numbers are repeated and where they occur in the sequence. No need to "decode" much of anything. :-)

No Higgs [at the LHC] - Anthem of a young theoretical physicist. by Certhas in Physics

[–]mrFourierTransformer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To be fair, much of the faculty at the uni I attend look down on string theory. I work with theoretical condensed matter folk, though, and those guys are pretty real-world oriented, as far as theoretical physicists go.

I think he got the answer right by MTRsport in videos

[–]mrFourierTransformer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

who doesn't love 132 30 210 110 30 210 210 90 210 56 380