How?? Why?? What??

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Oct 21, 2024

Oct 21, 2024

1.1K

Hi,
This is a nice little game I wish to initiate. It's a regular event in all our college's tech fests. It's called How stuff works quiz. Questions will be from any field. Mostly the mechanisms and working of anything.. But that is an on the stage quiz. I dunno how I'm gonna bring it to a forum like structure.
Here are some rules I would like to impose:

1) No instant Googling.
2) Other CE'ans can also post questions, but if one question is active(unanswered), then wait until it's answered.
3) Mostly try to answer the questions based on your own guess rather than with the help of internet.
4) Quiz master's decision is final and binding.
5) Kindly suggest any other rules or conditions we may impose to make this more interesting.

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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 21, 2009

well then, here goes my first question. guess what, it's from biology😎😎

Why do we feel difficult to keep our balance when both our eyes and ears are closed? Experience this yourselves. Close your eyes, as well as ears. Walk in a straight line, just ten steps is enough. You'll find it's difficult to balance yourself. Why is it so?
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Feb 21, 2009

I guess I'll answer this one.

See, to make decisions; the brain needs some data to analyze. Eyes and Ears are the most important data feeders to human brain. If you jam those -it becomes difficult for us to walk in a straight line.
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durga ch

@durga-TpX3gO • Feb 22, 2009

If some one is visually impaired since birth, they body mechanism is gets habitauted to take inputs from next source available and they do go around in aproper way
I guess the explanation would be same as askign some one to switch hands . ie asking a left hander to do soem thign with right hand, would first land him in troulbe but slowly the body gets accustomed.
may be the audio sensory part of brain is programmed such that it expects inputs about the surroundings from eyes, when you close your eyes, brain really has no place to approach for inputs

any other reasons?
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raj87verma88

@raj87verma88-ZpL2Wn • Feb 22, 2009

We have 5 senses. We can move around using 3 of our 5 senses. They are sight, sound and by feeling through our hands. The other two senses though important are not used for moving and keeping balance. You can close your eyes without using your hands, but you can't close your ears without using the hands. You have two cup the hands over the ears. By doing this you are cutting your 3 senses. That is why you were finding difficult to maintain balance.
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 22, 2009

yep, Raj has come very close to the answer.

Our body is balanced by the vestibular system. It is located inside the inner ear and has three semicircular canals. It's filled with the same fluid that's in the inner ear(cochlea et all..).
Now, the three canals take care of three axes of our motion. ie, up and down, sideways and forward. Info about each direction is fed by three sensory systems, namely, eyes, ears and the muscular system in general. The vestibular system needs info about at least two axes to keep it's balance. So, when we shut off both our eyes and ears, it cant keep it's balance.

Now dont ask me how do those who are blind and deaf keep their balance. I have no idea..
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 22, 2009

Who is giving the next question?
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 23, 2009

I guess I forgot to mention one important rule. It is,

"Quiz master's decision is final and binding"

he he he..
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 23, 2009

ok, here goes the next question.

You use a digital camera with autofocus to capture a picture of a birthday cake.The picture comes out blurry and noisy. Why is that happening?

PS - You need to assume certain things to anser this question.
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Feb 23, 2009

i guess because of the candles on the cake 😎
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durga ch

@durga-TpX3gO • Feb 23, 2009

is it related to motive photography?
any photo wetake of moving objects blurrs even if the camera shakes .

the flame keeps moving and the frame in which the camera captures is different from what is in actual

i guess i have now completly messed up the answer 😁
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 24, 2009

Expecting more crazy answers for this one..
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 24, 2009

No takers for this? This is truly interesting guys..

Let me give you some clues for this. I told you have to assume something in the question. The assumptions are,

1) The birthday cake has candles in it.
2) The camera has active autofocus enabled in it.

Now tell me why is this problem arising.
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Feb 24, 2009

@Scorpion

If you are searching for crazy answers then here goes one from my side.

Everyone was continuously moving because they all were busy in dancing 😁Ha ha ha 😁
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Feb 25, 2009

one more answer here ,
On the birthday the room is dark except the light from the candles ( assumed)
but the birthday guy blowed the candles and the photograph was taken at that moment 😉😉
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 25, 2009

ha ha, pretty crazy answers indeed..
But as per the question, you are photographing the cake and not the dancers. And I'm sure you are not suggesting the cake is dancing too..😁

shalini_goel14
@Scorpion

If you are searching for crazy answers then here goes one from my side.

Everyone was continuously moving because they all were busy in dancing 😁Ha ha ha 😁

The answer is related to the autofocus of the camera. Try now.. It's not too difficult.
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Feb 25, 2009

One more crazy answer cake was not at its proper place. It was spread entirely on B'day person's face. Ha ha ha 😁

Other one Camera was damaged simple 😁
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 25, 2009

ok, seems like everyone is joking..
I'll give the answer tomorrow. Till then, suspense..
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 26, 2009

well now, time for the answer.
I told you the answer is with the autofocus of the camera.
Basically, digital cameras have two modes of autofocus, with which they focus on a scene.One is active mode and the other is passive mode.
In passive mode, the focussing is done by selecting the area where the light intensity is maximum. the camer calcuates the intensity of light it receives on every pixel, and focusses on the brightest spot.
In active mode, the focussing is done based on the distance between the subject and the camera. Cameras usually use infra red rays or ultrasonic sound to determine the distance of the subject. Most commonly used is infrared.
That's why, when such a camera with active autofocus is focussed on a candle flame, the infra red light from the candle flame itself, confuses the camera and it cannot focus properly. That's why the image is blurry. Am i clear?
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Feb 26, 2009

Anyone have any interesting questions, now?
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Feb 26, 2009

the answer is clear .!!! learnt today something about Camera 😁
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 3, 2009

next question : How come wrong numbers are never busy? 😛
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Mar 3, 2009

electron1212
next question : How come wrong numbers are never busy? 😛
Good question. 😀
Because they are wrong numbers 😁 I guess if wrong numbers are busy then they become right numbers.😉
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zia.sepsis

@ziasepsis-0NGPzn • Mar 3, 2009

NEXT QUESTION: which is the strongest human "muscle"?
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 3, 2009

The strongest human muscle is the tongue.
Am I correct??
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 3, 2009

Answer is really simple : Tongue 😛
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 3, 2009

Its a well known fact.
Next Question : Which is the weakest human "muscle" and why?
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 3, 2009

ok then, next question.

When you are operating a desktop computer, and if a call comes to your cell phone, if
you take the cell phone near the speaker, there'll be some crackling sound from the speaker.
But, if you do the same in a laptop computer, it'll not be coming.
Question is, why is this sound coming? And why is it not produced in laptops??
Enjoy..
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 3, 2009

Blame it on Magnets😁
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zia.sepsis

@ziasepsis-0NGPzn • Mar 3, 2009

electron1212
Its a well known fact.
Next Question : Which is the weakest human "muscle" and why?
it must be brain
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 3, 2009

Zia, you did not answer the why part
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zia.sepsis

@ziasepsis-0NGPzn • Mar 3, 2009

silverscorpion
ok then, next question.

When you are operating a desktop computer, and if a call comes to your cell phone, if
you take the cell phone near the speaker, there'll be some crackling sound from the speaker.
But, if you do the same in a laptop computer, it'll not be coming.
Question is, why is this sound coming? And why is it not produced in laptops??
Enjoy..
The power supply to your speakers acts as an aerial, the signal (or more accurately parts of the signal) picked up then propagate through to the cones causing the noise you can hear.This is why speakers produce sounds.
Such kind of this happens even in CRT monitor. when you put your mobile on the top, a similar thing will happen as the electromagnetic waves alter the paths of the electrons inside the CRT. You get a kind of fuzzy colour distortions. I dont have any idea about laptops.
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zia.sepsis

@ziasepsis-0NGPzn • Mar 3, 2009

electron1212
Zia, you did not answer the why part
i said it because it is the sensitive muscle.
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 3, 2009

ok, you answered the first part of the question.
The cell phone signal interferes with the power supply and causes the speaker to vibrate, producing the sound.

Now, why doesn't it hold good for laptops?
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electron1212

@electron1212-rPS8hF • Mar 4, 2009

Bonus Question :😁
Look at her/his legs and explain the phenomena ?😕
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Mar 4, 2009

@electron11

Which is the weakest muscle? What is its answer?
As far as i know it is not brain right? Weakest muscle is one which cannot bear even simple strains right
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Mar 4, 2009

The weakest muscle is the Ear muscle i think.
i dont know why?
😎
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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Mar 4, 2009

Back up. Why is the answer to the "strongest muscle" the tongue? Apparently there are many ways to measure strength, and the tongue is not even a single muscle anyway.
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zia.sepsis

@ziasepsis-0NGPzn • Mar 5, 2009

It may be stapedius, which is a tiny muscle
that pulls on the stapes to stabilize it and prevent it from excessive
movement. It contracts to protect our hearing when we are in a very noisy
environment.Stapes is which is one of the three auditory ossicles that form a connected chain in the human middle ear.
I read it last nite. This may be the answer.

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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 10, 2009

ok, answer for my question.

Why does a ps speaker produce a crackling sound when an active mobile phone is brought near it while a laptop speaker does not??

The answer is really simple. It's because, in PC, the speaker works on a different power supply than the main supply, so when the phone is brought near the speaker, it produces unequal disturbances in both the supplies. So, the noise is produced.

In laptop, the speaker works on the same supply as the rest of the system, and so, no interference is produced even when some radio signals are intercepted. That's why no sound is produced in laptop speakers.
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 11, 2009

Here comes my next question. Interesting...

How is the brick suspended? What is happening here??😁
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 15, 2009

No answers here? I thought this would be easy.. At least take a wild guess..

The aswer is, the mysterious looking mist over which the brick rests is called Aerogel.

Aerogel is a low-density <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Solid</a> material derived from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gel" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Gel</a> in which the liquid component of the gel has been replaced with gas. The result is an extremely low density solid with several remarkable properties, one of which is the ability to support weights several times it's own weight. It has many other interesting properties.

For example, in the given picture, a 2.5 kg brick is supported by a 2.5 gram block of aerogel.

Look here : <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Aerogel</a>

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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Mar 16, 2009

Good info SS.
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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 21, 2009

Time for the next question. This time you get a video..
Watch it and enjoy..

[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/fwuSJ5RMcUw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/fwuSJ5RMcUw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Question: What is happening and how does it happen? Explain..
Clue : There's a clue in the video itself. Look at the packet containing the fluid.
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Mar 21, 2009

I guess that packet contains a fluid which if heated turns its transparency to some white colour or rather gets evaporated and vapours make that packet to show the user contents written on that packet. 😕 Which fluid it can be? Don't know 😔
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durga ch

@durga-TpX3gO • Mar 21, 2009

hey SS,

Not sure if I can refer to internet sights as i am not a chemical student I could not do it on my own! Sorry about that.
It relates to super cooled substances after a little search about heat packs i found the below information
<a href="https://www.sfu.ca/phys/demos/demoindex/thermal/th4c/heatpack.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Heat pack</a>

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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 22, 2009

@Durga: Nice. If you have extended your search a small bit extra, you would have found out how it works.
Yep, it's a heat pack. And the fluid inside the pack is nothing but water with a small quantity of sodium acetate.
So, how does this mixture crystallize so quickly and why does it give out heat??
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raj87verma88

@raj87verma88-ZpL2Wn • Mar 22, 2009

Here is a link to its working
#-Link-Snipped-#

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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Mar 22, 2009

Yep, beautifully explained. Here's the text..

What is happening here is strange, but the process can be understood if you think about water freezing. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees C). If you were to stick a #-Link-Snipped-# in a cup of water and put the cup in the freezer, you would find that the temperature of the water falls to 32 degrees F and then hangs there until all of the water is completely frozen. Then the temperature of the solid water falls to the temperature of the freezer.
What if you could somehow supercool the water? That is, say that you could get the water's temperature to 10 degrees below the freezing point without it crystallizing into a solid -- you can sometimes do this using a very clean glass and distilled water so there are no points for the water to begin crystallizing. In this condition, if you tap the glass the temperature of the water will jump up to 32 degrees F (0 degrees C), and the water will solidify quickly.
A heat pack like the one you are describing contains sodium acetate and water. It turns out that sodium acetate is very good at supercooling. It "freezes" at 130 degrees F (54 degrees C), but it is happy to exist as a liquid at a much lower temperature and is extremely stable. Clicking the disk, however, has the ability to force a few molecules to flip to the solid state, and the rest of the liquid then rushes to solidify as well. The temperature of the solidifying liquid jumps up to 130 degrees F in the process.
When you boil the solid, you melt it back to the liquid state. You have to completely melt every crystal, by the way, or the liquid will quickly re-solidify. You can repeat this cycle forever, theoretically, just as you can freeze and melt water as many times as you like. The plastic pouch eventually wears out and leaks, though (since sodium acetate is a food additive, it is non-toxic).
Source : 'www.howstuffworks.com'

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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Mar 22, 2009

Interesting 😀
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