2007-10-21 13:33:44 · 3 answers · asked by wow 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
more specific please
2007-10-21 13:43:39 · update #1
Assuming a "true" coin - one that is uniform in density and not bent. I'm also assuming you are letting them drop on a hard surface that has some bounce and not in sand or something else that has significant viscocity (like jello - very interesting!)
So, with those qualifiers:
49.9% heads
49.9% tails
0.2% edge
You can actually increase the edge probability dramatically - glue two coins together. In my test with 2 US half dollars. I got 2 edges in 100 flips. With 2 Euro 1s, I got 4 (they are slightly wider)
If your coin is bent, you get a very interesting result that scales to the "bend" radius of the coin. It is a very nice fluid dynamics problem. You actually get a bouyant boundary layer.
Happy Flipping!
2007-10-21 13:46:04 · answer #1 · answered by R R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
50%/50%
each side has a 50% chance of occuring. 1 result/ 2 events= .5 chance for each event to occur.
2007-10-21 20:37:55 · answer #2 · answered by dfreeman321 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
49% heads, 49% tails, 2% edge.
2007-10-21 20:37:57 · answer #3 · answered by Robert S 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋