This was a question in a physics degree exam at the university of Copenhagen:
"Describe how to determine the height of a sky-scraper with a barometer."
One student replied: "You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the barometer from the top of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string
plus the length of the barometer gives the height of the building."
This highly original answer so incensed the examiner that the student was failed immediately.
The student appealed on the grounds that his answer was in-disputably correct and the University appointed an independent arbiter to decide the case.
The arbiter judged that the answer was indeed correct but did not display any noticeable knowledge of physics. To resolve the problem, it was decided to call the student in and allow him six minutes to provide a verbal answer that showed at least a minimal familiarity with the basic principles of physics.
For five minutes, the student sat silent, forehead creased in thought.
The arbiter reminded him that time was running out, to which the student replied that he had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn't make up his mind which to use. On being advised to hurry up the student replied: "Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper, drop it over the edge and measure the time(in t sec) it takes to reach the ground.
The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H=0.5g*t^2(g is gravity). But bad luck on the barometer."
"Or if the sun is shining, you cound measure the height of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then measure the length of the skyscraper. But if you want highly scientific about it, you can tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum(length=l), first at ground level and then on the roof . The height is worked out by the difference in gravitational restoring force T=2*pi*root over(l/g)."
"Or if the skyscraper has an emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscrapers in barometer lengths, then add up."
"If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course you could use the barometer to measure the airpressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground and convert the difference in millibars into metres to give the height of the building."
"But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to
knock on the janitor's door and say to him,'If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper'."
(That student was indeed Neils Bohr, the only dane to win the Nobel prize for Physics)
"Describe how to determine the height of a sky-scraper with a barometer."
One student replied: "You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the barometer from the top of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string
plus the length of the barometer gives the height of the building."
This highly original answer so incensed the examiner that the student was failed immediately.
The student appealed on the grounds that his answer was in-disputably correct and the University appointed an independent arbiter to decide the case.
The arbiter judged that the answer was indeed correct but did not display any noticeable knowledge of physics. To resolve the problem, it was decided to call the student in and allow him six minutes to provide a verbal answer that showed at least a minimal familiarity with the basic principles of physics.
For five minutes, the student sat silent, forehead creased in thought.
The arbiter reminded him that time was running out, to which the student replied that he had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn't make up his mind which to use. On being advised to hurry up the student replied: "Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper, drop it over the edge and measure the time(in t sec) it takes to reach the ground.
The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H=0.5g*t^2(g is gravity). But bad luck on the barometer."
"Or if the sun is shining, you cound measure the height of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then measure the length of the skyscraper. But if you want highly scientific about it, you can tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum(length=l), first at ground level and then on the roof . The height is worked out by the difference in gravitational restoring force T=2*pi*root over(l/g)."
"Or if the skyscraper has an emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscrapers in barometer lengths, then add up."
"If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course you could use the barometer to measure the airpressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground and convert the difference in millibars into metres to give the height of the building."
"But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to
knock on the janitor's door and say to him,'If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper'."
(That student was indeed Neils Bohr, the only dane to win the Nobel prize for Physics)
