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 October 27, 2007
 ASK THE EXPERTS :  PHYSICS
Browse Subjects:  
Could the International Space Station (ISS) serve as a base, way station or repair hangar for satellites and craft from complex missions beyond its orbit?

Do corked bats allow baseball players to hit farther?

What is a "fictitious force"?

Is it possible for a tennis ball that is "heavy" with topspin--like those hit by Rafael Nadal--to increase its forward velocity after it hits the ground?

Why can an opera singer be heard over the much louder orchestra?

Does the length of a baseball player's arm affect the distance of his throw? If so, how?

Occasionally the ice cubes in my freezer's ice trays will develop a stalagmitelike shape without any obvious, unusual interference. Can you please explain what causes this?

What is the significance of E = mc2? And what does it mean?

Does temperature affect the sound of a musical instrument?

Why is a minute divided into 60 seconds, an hour into 60 minutes, yet there are only 24 hours in a day?

Where is the universe expanding to?

Are virtual particles really constantly popping in and out of existence? Or are they merely a mathematical bookkeeping device for quantum mechanics?

Why don't magnets work on some stainless steels?

How do mirrors reflect photons?

What happens when lightning strikes an airplane?

Does the Moon have a tidal effect on the atmosphere as well as the oceans?

How do neon lights work?

Extra dimensional theories are claimed to work in 10 or 11 dimensions. Why these numbers and not, say, 42?

How do scientists measure or calculate the weight of a planet?

Why does a shaken soda fizz more than an unshaken one?


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