Royston

Well I'm not setting up the experiment till next week, been very busy with an assignment, but I thought I'd share some pics (literally after unpacking and dashing to my room armed with the rainbow specs, and my mobile phone...hence the poor resolution) Nothing to write home about I know, but an uber-cheap experiment (thanks to Swansont's suggestion) plus a pic of the laser reflecting off a curve beneath my bedroom mirror. These things have been quite a distraction to my course work

Snail....to...Enterprise, damn....I wish.... I.... read....Padren's.... post.......yesterday. What fun....I could of....had, talking....like....the........legend.....that is......William..............................................................Shat....ner.

Not that odd, if you go through the integers 1 to 9, you'll notice the number of hits reduces (as a general rule)... 1 = 21,550,000,000 2 = 17,670,000,000 3 = 15,210,000,000 4 = 12,860,000,000 5 = 12,750,000,000 6 = 10,590,000,000 the only exception being 0 = 11,160,000,000 Of course much larger integers (providing they're a combination e.g not 1,000) will give even less hits... 123 = 424,000,000 246 = 185,000,000 1,000 = 1,070,000,000 I guess it's just a result of how much an integer is used, or is useful, though I'd of thought zero should be the top hit, with that reasoning...anyone know any better ? If Sysco doesn't mind, anyone want to have a crack at coming up with a number,that has the least results, with the smallest value ? EDIT: I'm pretty sure mrburns2012 won the original challenge.

Not meaning to be a nitpick, but the poll is comparing a particular chocolate, with a chocolate company. It doesn't make sense.

Here's an overview from wiki...QG, as a starting place.

Thanks amiya, but I already have software for that particular application, which is a damn sight better, and isn't free, unsurprisingly. It's possible I could modify any changes via a MIDI for instance, but I'm trying to keep things simple, for the point of the experiment. I've been using MIDI equipment for the last 17 years, so that's one of the first things that popped into my mind when deciding to undertake this...but what you suggested is for audio applications (I don't need the diversion) You guess wrong with the microscope suggestion, but thanks anyway. I've been looking a this http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardDiecimila, which was a suggestion, plus the input voltage, is variable, despite what I'll be plugging into it will be very small...they're just 5 mW lasers. In any case, once the basic set up is complete, that's when I can start getting fancy, as it were.

I was more worried about the input, i.e how would the oscilloscope interpret the data from a diffraction experiment, but that's just a failing from me, not fully understanding the maths. Thanks again, I'll just need to go over this, but the equipment is all there now, which should be easy to set up. Merged post follows: Consecutive posts mergedWell I've just been discussing this with the guy I mentioned earlier over a pint, and rather than forking out £150 for Picoscope 2200, he's going to knock up something basic for a few quid, and build a simple app through Max 5, to record the data. If I get more serious later, then I may get something like the Picoscope interface. As per my last post, I just need to wrap my head around the equations that relate a change in potential difference, with the diffraction equations...which would obviously be over distance. Just so I know the data is legitimate. One question came up, is what type of photodiode to use for this, plus I thought of whether an array of photodiodes would work...this will avoid any movement, which may affect the data. Once I have the basic setup, later on I'm thinking of getting parts for a cage, which will be reasonably pricey, but I'll have the luxury of fine tuning in micrometers.

Again, thanks...I thought it would be something more complicated than a 'wire' for some reason, despite being my initial thought. I guess I had reservations about how the change in charge would be interpreted by the interface/software, but that helps a lot.

So as a USB interface, this seems to fit the bill, and is also very reasonably priced...PicoScope 2200 plus you get free software with PicoScope. This will be more than sufficient for a diffraction experiment, and future experiments. My only remaining problem is what to use between the above, and the photodiode. I just can't seem to find any information on this part of the set-up. Any ideas ?

Neat, I'll be dusting off my optics module which I studied last year, and once the parts arrive, and I've built the case (I'm going for something quite robust), then I'm sure there's a lot of experiments which I havn't even considered yet. I'm thinking of experimenting with crystals for instance. The main hurdle, is recording data, i.e an interface of some sort from the photodiode output, into possibly a USB, from a signal converter though I know somebody quite savvy in that area. I will be posting pics in a few weeks, of some of the results I come up with.

I would like to hope, that it's not so much a preservation of natural beauty, than survival, although the two are intertwined as it were. The main problem is, that technology is swamped by a consumer market, and so there isn't enough interest let alone funding into technologies that are beneficial in the long run. Though I think, I'm probably just reiterating your point. My housemate and ex-housemate have both been there, and they agree, travel around the city is second to none, and the general infrastructure is, as you said 'well planned', which is impressive considering it's history. I would of thought transport of waste, and then constructing something that came even close to dumping it into a subduction zone would be very costly. Surely, to be effective, you'd have to dig a couple of hundred kilometeres, to stop most of the waste spewing out into the atmosphere. I vote fusion personally.

I have two 5 mW pointer lasers on their way, (green and red) and I had to settle for two commercial diffraction gratings 200/mm and 600/mm, (I found some reasonably priced ruled gratings, but annoyingly, they didn't accept Switch.) I'm going to experiment with some simple prisms, and make a simple two slit...razor blade method I've contacted a small company that make photodiodes for home use (and are very reasonably priced), and have provided them with a link to here. I just need to construct the casing, which won't be a problem at all, and buy a few colour filters. So my humble lab, is underway. I now need to find a way of converting the charge produced by the photodiode into data on my pc...so I need to give that some thought. Merged post follows: Consecutive posts merged Sorry swansont, I missed your post, they're on their way. I remember donning these things a few years ago

Thanks Klaynos, that's all the info I need.

It was a very hasty post, so sorry about that (I was just leaving work.) I should of mentioned, I want the option to shield light (my pc is in the lounge, if I want to record data.) I'm not sure what I was thinking when I asked that, but most probably the most suitable material, I guess I could use anything (within reason). However, I was also thinking of an ideal material for projecting on to, I must stress, that this is for taking measurements, not just to awe at the wave nature of light I wanted to get something decent (though obviously nothing as expensive as a lab laser), as well as a few laser pens to experiment with different wavelengths. EDIT: Though having said that, I've just found a pointer laser that fits the bill. I just don't want to construct something using razor blades, I need to know I have exact measurements...but you're right, they're not cheap. The majority of places I've looked, sell solely for schools et.c

I think this is the latest...but no mention of a GUI, look under fixes and enhancements...'enhanced features', well thanks for that, very helpful. Another option is joining the Dell forums and asking (you might be able to get away with a driver for a different model...though I'm guessing that's unlikely), or switching it off through the BIOS, and using a mouse instead. I'm not a fan of touchpads, so I'd accidentally drop a brick on it.

Well yesterday was 'what monumental repeated brain farts were being released when I did my last maths assignment day.' I achieved well over a pass, (redeeming myself in front of my SFN peers) but it's the mistakes you dwell on, which is kinda productive if you want to make progress.

I can't seem to find the right information for a home built double slit experiment (using a laser.) Which, as you've probably guessed, I want to build...on the cheap. So here's a few questions, if anyone can help... What's the most suitable casing, plus material for projecting the light on ? What's the most affordable laser that would suit this experiment ? Where can I get cheap slides and gratings ? I'm pretty sure I saw some on ebay, but I'll have another look. Thanks awfully

Have you had a look for driver updates for your touchpad, I know newer models (Dell laptops) have a GUI (available with the driver) where you could probably turn the double click off.

I know full well the messages it was trying to get across, it was how these messages were executed that I had a problem with. You can have a great idea for a film, doesn't mean the film is going to be any good. I guess saying the characters were one dimensional was too sweeping of a statement...but I certainly didn't care about any of the characters, which is important (well I think it is), and there was just no emphasis on the most important part of the film...why Klaatus changed his mind...'errr ok, we won't wipe you out, as I see your affectionate to the kid, because of his Dad'. I'm sorry...what ? A bit more explanation was needed there, and why that was such a tipping point, I kind of get it, but why was that enough to balance against all the harm we're causing, there should've been a lot more emphasis on that bit, it just didn't conclude properly, when it should have.

I've recommended this book before, but I'd get 'The Backyard Astronomers Guide', by Dickinson and Dyer, pretty much everything you need to know to get started is covered. Also, give some thought as to what you want out of your telescope...e.g do you want to get hands on, and use setting circles, or do you want a motorized mount. What type of objects are you really interested in, deep sky objects, or planets et.c When you've given this some thought, then it'll be time to start recommending a telescope.

They spelt dessert wrong. However, I like the way he/she keeps name dropping Richard, as though he had something to do with it.

But that would be everyday...arrr, cunning iNow, cunning. How about, 'Wearing a silly hat, whislt posting on a forum, talking to iNow day', I like this day...so I'll exercise my right, to celebrate this day.

There are extreme physical conditions (e.g a black hole) where such things do break down....but like I said, it would be worth your time, wrapping your head around the basics, then you'll start appreciating what you're asking.

It's an independent variable in Newtonian mechanics, a dependant one in relativistic physics, that has just the same significance as speed...i.e you can't have one without the other (with the latter).

Is it possible that speed doesn't exist ? What conclusions have you come to, thinking if time doesn't exist ? I'd suggest you wrap your head round vectors, they're not hard. You start with a simple diagram, an arrow pointing up, and one perpendicular to that arrow. You label them, then you can apply models around this ideal situation. What's the point in asking big questions, if you don't have the basics to begin answering those questions ? I realize that can sound incredibly rude, but your just throwing the question 'out there', that's not too hard to do.