Phileas Fogg Learns Physics - The Planck Constant - Not Just a Scale Factor (J-s)

What is the Planck constant (definitionally)?

The Planck constant is a physical constant, summarised thus: "A photon's energy is its frequency multiplied by the Planck constant"

This is summarised by the formula, E = hf.

The above is sometimes called the Planck-Einstein (or just the Planck) relation.  This is considered part of quantum mechanics.

Planck calculated the value of h from experimental data on black-body radiation.

What this helps us understand phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and black-body radiation.

How is frequency of a photon measured?

For low-frequency photons, you can directly measure the oscillation frequency of the EM field using electronic frequency counters.

What are the relevant units? (Hint: go from the known, to the unknown)

E is energy, measured in Joules.  

Frequency has units hertz, which means "per second" or "cycles (scalar, dimensionless quantity) per second". The Planck constant, therefore, by implication, must have the units J-s (Joule-seconds).

OK. So the Planck constant is not just a scaling factor on frequency - to level it up to the energy level of the photon - it is something more meaningful. 

Planck introduced it as a "quantum of action" - the smallest possible unit of physical action. Its dimension of energy x time represents action.

Phileas Fogg Learns Design Thinking

Design thinking in an approach to problem solving formed around human-centred design. It was given wings when Tim Brown, CEO and president of design company IDEO, published an article on it in HBR.  It differs from other approaches in that rather than focus on the problem it focuses on the 

Bulwark

A bulwark refers to a defensive wall, or the side of a ship that separates the deck from the open sea. "Every soul aboard stood at the bulwarks or on the seats of the steamer" (The War of the Worlds, Chapter 17, The Thunder Child).

Fishing-smacks

A smack (fishing-smack) is a traditional fishing boat used off the coast of Britain and the Atlantic coast of North America for the most of the 1800s; and in smaller numbers up to the Second World War. Fleets operated off the coast of Lowestoft, Brixham and Grimsby.

Chaffering

Chaffering means haggling about the terms of an agreement or the price of something. Example: "a dense swarm of boats chaffering with the people on the beach"(The War of the Worlds, Chapter 17, The Thunder Child).

Panegyric

A panegyric is a public speech or published text in praise of something (example use: "panegyric of the Roman Empire").

The Sword of Damocles and its Appearance in Literature

Both Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales, and Horace in The Third Book of Odes, alluded to the Sword of Damocles.

It was popularized by the Roman orator Cicero who may have read it in texts of the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus.

The Sword of Damocles alludes to the ever-present peril to those in positions of power.

Quinine and the Quecha People

Quinine was used as a muscle relaxant by the Quecha people of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, to halt shivering.  It was brought to Europe by Spanish Jesuit missionaries.

The Capital of Canada

The capital of Canada is Ottawa which was chosen by Queen Victoria as Canada's capital due to its remote, defensible inland location.

It boasts an established Aviation and Space Museum, Gothic revival Parliament buildings and the Rideau Canal - the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America

Restive versus Restless

"Restless" means unable to stay still or calm, "restive" means resisting control or becoming difficult to manage. Both adjectives are used frequently in the literature on training of horses.

Example usage of the former:

"he annoyed me excessively by his restless dancing and fretting" - Horsemanship for Women, by Theodore Hoe Mead, 1887

Example usage of the latter:

"It is better not to fight a restive horse" - Horsemanship for Women, by Theodore Hoe Mead, 1887, "unless you have reason to be sure of victory".

Crude Oil and the Art of Oil Refining

Crude oil is a complex mix of hydrocarbons.

These are compounds consisting only of hydrogen and carbon.

Refining crude oil creates a plethora of products which can be broadly classified as light distillates, middle distillates, heavy distillates and other products.

Light ends/light distillates include:

• Fuel gases - methane, also propane and butane
• Naptha - a flammable liquid hydrocarbon mixture
• Gasoline (or petrol) - a high-volume, profitable product

Middle distillates include:

• Kerosene - widely used in aviation (formerly used profusely in lamp-lighting)
• Specific Fuel oils - e.g. diesel

Heavy distillates include:

• Heavy fuel oil - also known as bunker fuel or residual fuel oil, significantly more viscous than diesel
• Motor oil /engine oil
• Paraffin wax
• Tar
• Bitumen - an extremely viscous constituent of petroleum. In American English it is commonly called asphalt. Bitumen is also naturally occurring e.g. in the Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago (bitumen is also known as pitch)

Juniper

Juniper is an ingredient of gin - it is the "dominant botanical" of gin.

Juniper "berries" (actually seed cones of the Juniperus communis) contain essential oils dominated by alpha-pinene, giving gin its piney, resinous aroma. On top of this, distillers layer other botanicals like coriander, citrus peel, angelica or orris.

The Upside Down Triangle Road Sign

An upside down triangle is the internationally used sign for "Yield" or "Give Way" as it is known in many countries. It means assess the situation and see if it is safe.  You are legally required to slow down and prepare to stop if needed. They sometimes have an additional box below e.g. Stop 100 yards to indicate where the Yield/Stop applies.