Why, What if, How did someone came up with that idea?

[Trikenstein]

How did you find PF?

Internet search, I typed phys in Firefox address bar and www.physicsforums.com came up

I am an IT guy having ... a mechanical engineering background. I have no training in science. But from time to time, a question of the type "Why?" or "What if?" poped up in my head. For example: Why the electron doesn't crash onto the nucleus? What if we repeat the electron double-slits experiment but with a physical wall between the slits, would there still be interference?

I don't know why these questions came up like that b/c my work and life have nothing to do with science. But once it's there in the mind, it itches like hell.

Most of the time I find the answers by searching the internet. Now it get much easier than when there was no internet. The hard part is still to understand the answer.

Once a while I post a science question in reddit Science forum. But my questions got ignored, I hope this forum will be more responsive. Thanks in advance to everyone.

 

[jedishrfu]

Welcome to PF!

Sometimes questions get ignored when its obvious one can use google to find a suitable answer. Other times, a question may be ignored if no one has any in depth experience in that area. The third reason for a question getting ignored is that it may take far too long to provide an answer.

There are other less likely reasons like no one around to respond. We usually have folks signed on at all hours.

Wrt to why the electron doesn't crash into the nucleus gets into the Bohr atom and foundations of quantum mechanics. You can learn more by reading a book on the subject.

I found this book surprizingly good at covering the history in graphical form:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1840468505/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Beyond that the next level of physics books are the Susskind books called The Theoretical Minimum series. He has three books so far covering Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics and Special Theory of Relativity with a fourth on the way on General Relativity. They are especially good for former physics undergrads wanting to go back and relearn physics.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1840468505/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[phinds]

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to get your questions answered but I do suggest that you read the rules. They actually matter here. Also, you might find this interesting:

https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/how-to-avoid-breaking-physics-with-your-what-if-question/

 

[Trikenstein]

Hi @jedishrfu

At the rate of responsiveness of this forum, it's like 100x time faster than reddit. For example, you even gave me hints on questions I didn't formally ask yet on the forum board.

Thanks for the book you suggested, thanks but let me save that for retirement time. For now, I am too busy with work.

 

[jedishrfu]

Too bad, I'm retired but it feels like work.

 

[Trikenstein]

@phinds Thanks, I think (hope?) if ever I asked a question, it would not violate the rules. On the other hand, if someone asks a question, that is likely b/c that person doesn't know the answer.

When a kid asks me a naive question which sometimes is absurd they got from social network. I try to answer, give examples to support my answer, and orient the kid towards the reasoning. I don't hand down rules, nor brush off the question because of some kind of non-conventional way to ask.

 

[jedishrfu]

Please just go and read the PF guidelines.

Short Summary:

Most of the guidelines are common sense and basic courtesy. Other special guidelines are the following:

- We wish to discuss mainstream science. That means only topics that can be found in textbooks or that have been published in reputable journals.

- Homework must be posted in the homework forums, and an attempt must always be provided. Furthermore, one must use the homework template.

- Full solutions to a homework problem should never be given until after the questioner has arrived at a correct solution. Only hints and explanations are allowed.

- Be civil, and productive, and aim for a high quality of participation.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/physics-forums-global-guidelines.414380/