| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Mike Speed" |
| Date: |
28 Aug 2006 11:48:44 AM |
| Object: |
The fine structure constant |
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
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| User: "Sorcerer" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 11:58:25 AM |
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"Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
| Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
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| What would be all the consequences of that?
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The universe would instantaneously collapse into
a black hole with twice the mass of the top quark,
bright green flying elephants would stop laying eggs..
it would be a general disaster, all of physics would have
to be rewritten.
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| User: "Dirk Van de moortel" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 11:50:54 AM |
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"Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Numerology would boom.
Dirk Vdm
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| User: "Sorcerer" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 01:52:35 PM |
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"Dirk Van de moortel" <dirkvandemoortel@ThankS-NO-SperM.hotmail.com> wrote
in message news:O9FIg.46331$AP5.661561@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
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| "Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
| > Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
| >
| > What would be all the consequences of that?
|
| Numerology would boom.
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| Dirk Vdm
1) What is this?
2) Some kind of quote of some post?
Clarification:
Something you want us to believe you invented?
Something you found somewhere?
Something you want to tell us?
Something you want to tell us something about?
Something you forgot to delete when you started
with the beginning of your message "Dear Al,"?
3) An introduction to the ***** you produce later on?
4) ***** that you expect someone will bother reading?
Clarification:
The '*****' in question 4 is a reprise of the '*****' in
question 3. This is what we call a 'style figure'.
Didn't they teach you to write English in Belgium?
How old are you?
Androcles
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| User: "Llanzlan Klazmon" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 05:45:22 PM |
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"Sorcerer" <Headmaster@hogwarts.physics_a> wrote in
news:TXGIg.180492$9d4.35422@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
"Dirk Van de moortel" <dirkvandemoortel@ThankS-NO-SperM.hotmail.com>
wrote in message news:O9FIg.46331$AP5.661561@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
|
| "Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
| > Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
| >
| > What would be all the consequences of that?
|
| Numerology would boom.
|
| Dirk Vdm
1) What is this?
2) Some kind of quote of some post?
Clarification:
Something you want us to believe you invented?
Something you found somewhere?
Something you want to tell us?
Something you want to tell us something about?
Something you forgot to delete when you started
with the beginning of your message "Dear Al,"?
3) An introduction to the ***** you produce later on?
4) ***** that you expect someone will bother reading?
Clarification:
The '*****' in question 4 is a reprise of the '*****' in
question 3. This is what we call a 'style figure'.
Didn't they teach you to write English in Belgium?
How old are you?
Androcles
Humour impaired as well as a crank Mr Androcles.
Klazmon
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| User: "Sorcerer" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 06:17:53 PM |
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"Llanzlan Klazmon" <Klazmon@llurdiaxorb.govt> wrote in message
news:Xns982E6D6B038DBKlazmonllurdiaxorbgo@203.97.37.6...
| "Sorcerer" <Headmaster@hogwarts.physics_a> wrote in
| news:TXGIg.180492$9d4.35422@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
|
| >
| > "Dirk Van de moortel" <dirkvandemoortel@ThankS-NO-SperM.hotmail.com>
| > wrote in message news:O9FIg.46331$AP5.661561@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
| >|
| >| "Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
| > news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
| >| > Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
| >| >
| >| > What would be all the consequences of that?
| >|
| >| Numerology would boom.
| >|
| >| Dirk Vdm
| >
| > 1) What is this?
| > 2) Some kind of quote of some post?
| > Clarification:
| > Something you want us to believe you invented?
| > Something you found somewhere?
| > Something you want to tell us?
| > Something you want to tell us something about?
| > Something you forgot to delete when you started
| > with the beginning of your message "Dear Al,"?
| >
| >
| > 3) An introduction to the ***** you produce later on?
| > 4) ***** that you expect someone will bother reading?
| > Clarification:
| > The '*****' in question 4 is a reprise of the '*****' in
| > question 3. This is what we call a 'style figure'.
| >
| >
| > Didn't they teach you to write English in Belgium?
| > How old are you?
| >
| > Androcles
| >
| >
|
| Humour impaired as well as a crank Mr Androcles.
|
| Klazmon
You back again? I thought I had you plonked.
Do you object to me repeating the *****'s own words?
Good.
*****.
*plonk*.
Androcles
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| User: "Llanzlan Klazmon" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 09:37:44 PM |
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"Sorcerer" <Headmaster@hogwarts.physics_a> wrote in news:BQKIg.183558
$F8.30847@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
"Llanzlan Klazmon" <Klazmon@llurdiaxorb.govt> wrote in message
news:Xns982E6D6B038DBKlazmonllurdiaxorbgo@203.97.37.6...
| "Sorcerer" <Headmaster@hogwarts.physics_a> wrote in
| news:TXGIg.180492$9d4.35422@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk:
|
| >
| > "Dirk Van de moortel" <dirkvandemoortel@ThankS-NO-SperM.hotmail.com>
| > wrote in message news:O9FIg.46331$AP5.661561@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
| >|
| >| "Mike Speed" <mike8s2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
| > news:1156783723.954098.143870@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
| >| > Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
| >| >
| >| > What would be all the consequences of that?
| >|
| >| Numerology would boom.
| >|
| >| Dirk Vdm
| >
| > 1) What is this?
| > 2) Some kind of quote of some post?
| > Clarification:
| > Something you want us to believe you invented?
| > Something you found somewhere?
| > Something you want to tell us?
| > Something you want to tell us something about?
| > Something you forgot to delete when you started
| > with the beginning of your message "Dear Al,"?
| >
| >
| > 3) An introduction to the ***** you produce later on?
| > 4) ***** that you expect someone will bother reading?
| > Clarification:
| > The '*****' in question 4 is a reprise of the '*****' in
| > question 3. This is what we call a 'style figure'.
| >
| >
| > Didn't they teach you to write English in Belgium?
| > How old are you?
| >
| > Androcles
| >
| >
|
| Humour impaired as well as a crank Mr Androcles.
|
| Klazmon
You back again? I thought I had you plonked.
Incompetent too it seems.
Klazmon.
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| User: "David Chapman" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
29 Aug 2006 11:47:41 AM |
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Be seeing you Jarred W Wallace and illustrated by Heather
Hudson. We think that Lovecraft himself would approve, well we
would hope.
Miskatonic University Athletic Department T-shirts.
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| User: "Greg Hansen" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
29 Aug 2006 11:27:38 AM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Electromagnetism would be weaker, atoms a little bigger, chemical
reactions a little less energetic. Cosmological implications left for
others.
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:17:18 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Global warming.
Could change the number of dimes in a dollar to 11, too, and that would
ALSO result in global warming.
Everything results in global warming.
PD
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
29 Aug 2006 12:29:51 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Mike, it could never happen. The fine structure constant is a
dimensionless ratio, much like pi. Could pi change? Both the fine
structure and pi are irrational numbers that can be calculated out to a
infinite number of places.
The fine structure is, by definition, the ratio between the electron
electric (or magnetic) potential energy and the electron rest mass
energy.
Regards: Tom.
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
29 Aug 2006 05:07:02 PM |
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wrote:
Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Mike, it could never happen. The fine structure constant is a
dimensionless ratio, much like pi.
The fact that it is dimensionless is the *only* thing it shares with
pi. Pi is calculable from an infinite series to arbitrary precision,
not so for the fine structure constant. It is possible to assemble a
fair number of dimensionless constants from *empirically* measured
constants. This in no way makes those dimensionless constants any less
empirical.
Could pi change? Both the fine
structure and pi are irrational numbers that can be calculated out to a
infinite number of places.
The fine structure is, by definition, the ratio between the electron
electric (or magnetic) potential energy and the electron rest mass
energy.
Regards: Tom.
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| User: "Henning Makholm" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
29 Aug 2006 04:41:15 PM |
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Scripsit "tnlockyer@aol.com" <tnlockyer@aol.com>
Mike, it could never happen. The fine structure constant is a
dimensionless ratio, much like pi. Could pi change? Both the fine
structure and pi are irrational numbers that can be calculated out to a
infinite number of places.
This is true for pi: it has an exact mathematical definition.
On the other hand, the fine structure constant has no exact
mathematical definition that we know of: with the presently
available theories it can only be determined by experiment.
There is no theory that explains how to calculate the fine structure
constant to arbitrary precision, and it is an open question whether
such a theory can possibly exist.
The fine structure is, by definition, the ratio between the electron
electric (or magnetic) potential energy and the electron rest mass
energy.
But neither of these are mathematically exact quantities either.
--
Henning Makholm "Amanda, I'm a mad scientist!
Testing crazy things on myself and those
who are close to me is my job. It's what I do!"
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:23:31 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Since 137 is prime, and 138 is not, the fine structure constant would
instantly factorize. The implications of the factorization are
complicated, but it involves blood-colored moons and dogs and cats
sleeping together.
PD
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:26:55 PM |
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PD wrote:
Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
Since 137 is prime, and 138 is not, the fine structure constant would
instantly factorize. The implications of the factorization are
complicated, but it involves blood-colored moons and dogs and cats
sleeping together.
PD
I forgot to mention that several websites would have to be updated:
http://primes.utm.edu/curios/page.php/137.html
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:25:37 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
The name would have to be changed to the bodacious structure constant.
PD
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| User: "Dirk Van de moortel" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:46:56 PM |
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"PD" <TheDraperFamily@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1156796737.198442.180360@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
The name would have to be changed to the bodacious structure constant.
If you had in mind what I think you have in mind... good one :-))
Dirk Vdm
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| User: "Sorcerer" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 06:05:27 PM |
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"Dirk Van de moortel" <dirkvandemoortel@ThankS-NO-SperM.hotmail.com> wrote
in message news:4DIIg.46678$qQ5.682127@phobos.telenet-ops.be...
|
| "PD" <TheDraperFamily@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1156796737.198442.180360@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
| >
| > Mike Speed wrote:
| >> Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
| >>
| >> What would be all the consequences of that?
| >
| > The name would have to be changed to the bodacious structure constant.
|
| If you had in mind what I think you have in mind... good one :-))
|
| Dirk Vdm
1) What is this?
2) Some kind of quote of some post?
Clarification:
Something you want us to believe you invented?
Something you found somewhere?
Something you want to tell us?
Something you want to tell us something about?
Something you forgot to delete when you started?
3) An introduction to the ***** you produce later on?
4) ***** that you expect someone will bother reading?
Clarification:
The '*****' in question 4 is a reprise of the '*****' in
question 3. This is what we call a 'style figure'.
Didn't they teach you to write English in Belgium?
How old are you?
Androcles
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 04:30:06 PM |
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PD wrote:
Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
The name would have to be changed to the bodacious structure constant.
PD
Better you should post the Gus Richter subjunctive:
What if a dog ***** square bricks?
Well, we could bake them and build a nice little house from them.
But a dog don't ***** square bricks.
See "Contrafactus", Douglas R. Hofstader, "Godel, Escher, Bach: An
Eternal Golden Braid."
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:24:34 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
The price of gas at the gas pump would increase proportionately. A tax
on cigarettes to match would follow by a month or so.
PD
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| User: "PD" |
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| Title: Re: The fine structure constant |
28 Aug 2006 03:16:05 PM |
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Mike Speed wrote:
Suppose the fine structure constant was equal to 1/138 .
What would be all the consequences of that?
You wouldn't be writing a question asking about it.
PD
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