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Question 1: Plowing Snow; Question 2: Wasted Food, Larry Weinstein Jan 2020

Question 1: Plowing Snow; Question 2: Wasted Food, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

[Extracted from the article] How much snow is shoveled or plowed in the U.S. in a typical winter? How much food is wasted at school cafeterias every year in the U.S.? For more Fermi questions and answers, see Guesstimation 2.0: Solving Today's Problems on the Back of a Napkin, by Lawrence Weinstein (Princeton University Press, 2012).


Question 1: Losing Weight; Question 2: Artificial Moon, Larry Weinstein Jan 2019

Question 1: Losing Weight; Question 2: Artificial Moon, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions related to Fermi which include mass lost by Sun over its lifetime; and size of artificial satellite needed to provide as much illumination as a full moon.


Spectroscopy Of Neon For The Advanced Undergraduate Laboratory, H. C. Busch, M. B. Cooper, C. I. Sukenik Jan 2019

Spectroscopy Of Neon For The Advanced Undergraduate Laboratory, H. C. Busch, M. B. Cooper, C. I. Sukenik

Physics Faculty Publications

We describe a spectroscopy experiment, suitable for upper-division laboratory courses, that investigates saturated absorption spectroscopy and polarization spectroscopy in a neon discharge. Both experiments use nearly identical components, allowing students to explore both techniques in a single apparatus. Furthermore, because the wavelength of the laser is in the visible part of the spectrum (640 nm), the experiment is well-suited for students with limited experience in optical alignment. The labs nicely complement a course in atomic or plasma physics, provide students with the opportunity to gain important technical skills in the area of optics and lasers, and can provide an introduction …


Question 1: Clock Variation; Question 2: Recycling Coffee Pods, Larry Weinstein Dec 2018

Question 1: Clock Variation; Question 2: Recycling Coffee Pods, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions and answers regarding the impact of gravity on pendulum clocks and the recycling of coffee pods.


Question 1: Kale; Question 2: Hurricane Angular Momentum, Larry Weinstein Nov 2018

Question 1: Kale; Question 2: Hurricane Angular Momentum, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

A quiz concerning the amount of kale needed to provide calories for a person in a year and the angular momentum of Hurricane Florence when it made landfall.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, November 2018: Question 1: Kale; Question 2: Hurricane Angular Momentum, Larry Weinstein Nov 2018

Solutions For Fermi Questions, November 2018: Question 1: Kale; Question 2: Hurricane Angular Momentum, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions and answers related to physics estimations including the amount of kale needed to provide the right amount of calories in a year, and the angular momentum of Hurricane Florence.


Question 1: Automobile Air Conditioning; Question 2: Falling Leaves, Larry Weinstein Oct 2018

Question 1: Automobile Air Conditioning; Question 2: Falling Leaves, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article focuses on the questions on physics regarding automobile air conditioning and calculating the number of leaves to fall in U.S.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, October 2018: Question 1: Automobile Air Conditioning; Question 2: Falling Leaves, Larry Weinstein Oct 2018

Solutions For Fermi Questions, October 2018: Question 1: Automobile Air Conditioning; Question 2: Falling Leaves, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions and answers related to topics including automobile air conditioning and falling leaves.


Question 1: Plastic Straws; Question 2: Casino Sevens, Larry Weinstein Sep 2018

Question 1: Plastic Straws; Question 2: Casino Sevens, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article offers questions on 1) the impact that American plastic straws have on the environment, and 2) the probable longest streak of consecutive sevens in casino craps games in the entire history of Las Vegas, Nevada.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, April 2018: Question 1: Automobile Air Use; Question 2: Personal Air Use, Larry Weinstein Apr 2018

Solutions For Fermi Questions, April 2018: Question 1: Automobile Air Use; Question 2: Personal Air Use, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions and answers regarding the use of oxygen by a person and an automobile which is produced by garbage.


Question 1: Automobile Air Use; Question 2: Personal Air Use, Larry Weinstein Apr 2018

Question 1: Automobile Air Use; Question 2: Personal Air Use, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions and answers regarding the usage of oxygen in a gasoline powered automobile and the time taken to use the amount of oxygen produced in a garbage by a single person.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, March 2018: Question 1: Air Pressure On Waves; Question 2: Weight Of Toner, Larry Weinstein Mar 2018

Solutions For Fermi Questions, March 2018: Question 1: Air Pressure On Waves; Question 2: Weight Of Toner, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions on the difference in air pressure at the crest and trough of ocean waves because of the Bernoulli effect and the difference in weight between a 100-page printed document and 100 blank pages.


Fermi Questions, Question 1: Air Pressure On Waves; Question 2: Weight Of Toner, Larry Weinstein Mar 2018

Fermi Questions, Question 1: Air Pressure On Waves; Question 2: Weight Of Toner, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions on the difference in air pressure at the crest and trough of ocean waves because of the Bernoulli effect and the difference in weight between a 100-page printed document and 100 blank pages.


Question 1: Throwing Out Energy; Question 2: Blood Pressure, Larry Weinstein Jan 2018

Question 1: Throwing Out Energy; Question 2: Blood Pressure, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents two questions on the amount of energy wasted by Americans whenever they throw out unused ice in their drinks, and why is blood pressure measured on the upper arm.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, May 2018: Question 1: Throwing Out Energy; Question 2: Blood Pressure, Larry Weinstein Jan 2018

Solutions For Fermi Questions, May 2018: Question 1: Throwing Out Energy; Question 2: Blood Pressure, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article provides answers to questions including the amount of energy wasted when Americans throw out unused ice from their drinks, and why blood pressure is measured on the upper arm.


Fermi Questions, Question 1: Trumpet Spit; Question 2: Tall Buildings, Larry Weinstein Oct 2017

Fermi Questions, Question 1: Trumpet Spit; Question 2: Tall Buildings, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

A quiz concerning physics is presented on topics such as the amount of saliva consumed by trumpeter Louis Armstrong during his career and the effect of buildings in the rotational inertia of the planet Earth.


Fermi Questions, Question 1: Too Many Mosquitoes; Question 2: Tug Of War, Larry Weinstein May 2017

Fermi Questions, Question 1: Too Many Mosquitoes; Question 2: Tug Of War, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

A quiz concerning the number of mosquitoes required to drain a human of blood and the amount of rope-tension in a tug of war contest.


Fermi Questions, Question 1: Penny Floors; Question 2: Secondhand Smoke, Larry Weinstein Apr 2017

Fermi Questions, Question 1: Penny Floors; Question 2: Secondhand Smoke, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

A quiz concerning the cost to tile the floor of a room and negative effect of secondhand smoke is presented.


Question 1: Trash To Fuel; Question 2: Planes From Cans, Larry Weinstein Jan 2014

Question 1: Trash To Fuel; Question 2: Planes From Cans, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article presents questions concerning trash used as fuel and building airplanes from recycled soda cans.


Solutions For Fermi Questions, October 2014: Question 1: Accelerating The Flash; Question 2: Flashing Through The Air, Larry Weinstein Jan 2014

Solutions For Fermi Questions, October 2014: Question 1: Accelerating The Flash; Question 2: Flashing Through The Air, Larry Weinstein

Physics Faculty Publications

The article provides answers to questions including the amount of force needed by The Flash as he accelerates and amount of force needed by The Flash to run at constant velocity near the Earth's surface.