Science & Mathematics - 11 January 2007

The Motionless Runner

A runner wants to run a certain distance - let us say 100 meters - in a finite time. But to reach the 100-meter mark, the runner must first reach the 50-meter mark, and to reach that, the runner must first run 25 meters. But to do that, he or she must first run 12.5 meters.

Since space is infinitely divisible, we can repeat these 'requirements' forever. Thus the runner has to reach an infinite number of 'midpoints' in a finite time. This is impossible, so the runner can never reach his goal. In general, anyone who wants to move from one point to another must meet these requirements, and so motion is impossible, and what we perceive as motion is merely an illusion.

Where does the argument break down? Why?

2007-01-11 06:27:06 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mathematics

2007-01-11 06:26:52 · 6 answers · asked by jim 1 in Physics

2007-01-11 06:24:42 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Engineering

2007-01-11 06:20:22 · 9 answers · asked by Dr. Jan 2 in Physics

can some one tell me why the big bang isnt excepted by religions?! It has been proven right by people who have picked up the reminants of its sound. Dont tell me that that isnt possible because today we can pick up signals from radio stations that broadcasted back in the 1930's & 40's.....
it can be picked up also because of the infinante room out in space, so the sound has nothing to do but float around......
I will prove any other thoughts on the situation when i pick best answer, so those people out there who think they have a big & complex scientific theory, that really doesnt state anything, will be proved wrong. Also, people of the religious answers, dont deny that the Big Bang has been heard.

2007-01-11 06:20:03 · 9 answers · asked by . 2 in Astronomy & Space

2007-01-11 06:19:53 · 8 answers · asked by root_beer54 1 in Astronomy & Space

2007-01-11 06:19:22 · 4 answers · asked by cwilcox6 1 in Astronomy & Space

I just need to know.

2007-01-11 06:19:20 · 2 answers · asked by Becca 2 in Mathematics

i recently had a conversation about buying a house with my dad, and he asked me does the sun still come up in the east and go down in the west, in Asia? what is the difference, if any, between, say Ireland and Singapore?

2007-01-11 06:19:04 · 3 answers · asked by nill 1 in Weather

Hard time with 2 ln's

2007-01-11 06:15:08 · 1 answers · asked by burkehud 2 in Mathematics

0 in this case equals theta (I believe that's how it's pronounced)

2007-01-11 06:14:19 · 1 answers · asked by burkehud 2 in Mathematics

2007-01-11 06:13:21 · 10 answers · asked by mahesh d 1 in Other - Alternative

Dad's age is equal to the sum of Laura's, Jeri's and Theresa's ages. If Jeri is 4 years older than Theresa and 3 years younger than Laura, and Dad's age is 38 years, how old is Jeri?

2007-01-11 06:11:41 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mathematics

In a triangle, the measure of the second angle is twice the measure of the first angle. The third angle is equal to the sum of the other angles. What is the measure of the third angle?

2007-01-11 06:10:59 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mathematics

2007-01-11 06:09:34 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mathematics

At the annual turtle races, Poindexter, the previous year's winner, is trying to retain his title. As the race begins Poindexter starts off moving with a speed of 0.025 m/s. He retains this speed for 0.5 meters at which time he speeds up to 0.10 m/s. He continues at this rate for 0.75 meters. Tiring, he slows to 0.07 m/s and continues for another half of a meter. Applying all his concentration and effort for the last bit of the race he increases his speed to a swift 0.085 m/s. An exhausted Wood Turtle, Poindexter completes his two meter race beating his closest competitor by a nose.

In what amount time did Poindexter run the race?

2007-01-11 06:09:03 · 2 answers · asked by star wars freak 2 in Physics

it seems like since amniotic cells are, for all intents and purposes, undefined. some small natural stimulation could be used to give it direction - that is, could growing naturally into the desired cell for whom the stimulus was designed. teaching the cells from their "undefined" point would then be key. bodily chemicals, neurotransmitters

2007-01-11 06:08:32 · 14 answers · asked by Kristen 1 in Biology

I'm just curious..

I don't want rubbish answers like "i dunno" =]

2007-01-11 06:08:18 · 43 answers · asked by CrispyBacon 1 in Astronomy & Space

Snow started falling about noon Eastern Standard time in WV

2007-01-11 06:07:47 · 8 answers · asked by delmiller1954 1 in Weather

they say the speed of light is aprox.186,000 miles/sec.Lets say that the speed of light is exactly 186,000miles/sec.Why can't it be 186,001miles/sec. I'm familiar with E=mc2,and the speed of light is a constant,BUT, why can't the speed of light be faster?

2007-01-11 06:07:13 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Physics

2007-01-11 06:05:36 · 26 answers · asked by georgeygirl 5 in Mathematics

1. what is -17 1/2 convereted into
a.-35/4
b.35/4
c.-35/2
d.35/2

2. a^2-7a + 6 / 2a^3 - 3a^2 multipied by 4a^3 -9a/ a^2-10a+24

3.4a^2 -b^2 / 4c^2 -d^2 multipied by (2c-d/2a+b)^2

Thanks So mucho!!!

2007-01-11 06:04:44 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mathematics

having a robot maid, flying cars, camping on the moon, making dinner by pressing buttons, can life be as simple!???

2007-01-11 06:03:49 · 7 answers · asked by samina m 3 in Astronomy & Space

A the so called real proof is just a bunch of grainy photo's of old hub caps hanging from strings and wires.

2007-01-11 06:03:06 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Astronomy & Space

2007-01-11 06:03:04 · 5 answers · asked by Strim 1 in Astronomy & Space

day??........Its just that now a days you hear about a lot of theories in physics and that, but as theories arise so do people who are against them.......so in the end which group can have the last word on whether a theory is plausible or not............ive seen that in the past they would all get together and discuss about physiscs......reknown physicist like einstein and bohm and all those others would go.....is that still going on??? and who goes there?

2007-01-11 06:02:30 · 2 answers · asked by feelingtherain 2 in Physics

As I understand it, dark matter is presumed to be there because there needs to be more mass in the galaxy to hold it all together. And with black holes being hard to detect especially a supermassive one at the centre of the galaxy, could dark matter just be black holes?

2007-01-11 06:02:27 · 10 answers · asked by coolman9999uk 2 in Physics

2007-01-11 06:01:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Astronomy & Space

Like, where does it come from? Obviously there is salt in the ocean water by California but I am very confused as to why it is there!

2007-01-11 06:01:39 · 8 answers · asked by JEB 2 in Earth Sciences & Geology

2007-01-11 06:01:39 · 11 answers · asked by n1c_uk 2 in Weather