Reading Journal 6 - Behavior

In this section of Six Easy Pieces, Feynman proves the uncertainty principle and the reason sub-atomic particles act as both waves and particles. Feynman first uses a theoretical experiment of bullets (particles) being shot randomly at a wall with two wholes in it. Behind the wall there is a detector that recognizes when bullets make it through. In the experiment there is a chance that the bullet will go through the top hole, P1, and a probability that the bullet will go through the bottom hole, P2. These two probabilities are graphed. Now when a bullet is allowed to go through either hole 1 or hole 2, there is a P12, which is graphed. It is determined that P12 = P1 + P2 due to interference both through probability and the graph. The experiment is then done exactly the same except for with waves. For waves P12 ≠ P1 + P2 because when waves interfere they cancel each other out. Now when this same apparatus is used with an electron gun, it is found that the electrons with the ability to move through both holes independently have an average probability that acts like the particle experiment, but the rate of electrons found is inconsistent. However, when an apparatus is designed that allows us to know which hole an electron goes through there is interference and P12 ≠ P1 + P2, like waves. There is no apparatus that allows us to know which hole and electron goes through without interference because of this electrons, a sub-atomic particle, are considered to act as both waves and particles. When the experiment is done with other sub-atomic particles, results are similar. Because electrons and all sub-atomic particles are unpredictable in both speed and location, we are always uncertain of where these sub-atomic particles will be.

Reading Journal 5 - The Theory of Gravitation

In this section of Six Easy Pieces, Feynman discusses the theory of gravitation. Despite gravities simplicity and the obvious presence of this seemingly strong force, it is a rather weak force when compared to nuclear forces (force binding the nucleus of atoms together), and electrical forces (positive and negative repulsion and attraction). By far the strongest of the three being nuclear forces and electrical forces are far still stronger than gravity. Gravity is only “inversely proportional to the mass of each and varies inversely as the square of the distance between them” (Feynman 89), (F=G(mm^1/r^2). In other words the bigger the two objects and the smaller the distance between them, the stronger the force will be. Feynman also discusses that the reason the Earth and other planets are circular is that gravity is pulling them as close together as they can be. The planets are not circles, however, they are ellipsis. They are ellipsis because the planet’s rotations causes a centrifugal effects which tend to oppose gravity around the equator spreading the middle of the planets farther out than the rest of it. Other than the brief background on gravitation and the explanation of the planets’ ellipsis shape, Feynman discusses the effects of gravity on moving objects. He states that because something is moving while be pulled it results in a curved motion. As if the object is strafing around the pull. This motion describes the revolutions of the planets around the sun, and the moons around the planets. Gravity most helps us predict the motion and position of stars. This is the reason gravity is used so often in astronomy. It is likely that the reason gravity was discovered so early was human natures fractionation with space and the stars. Without gravity we would know very little because without gravity we would not notice very much scientific.

Reading Journal 4 - Conservation of Energy

In this section of Six Easy Pieces, Feynman discusses the law of conservation of energy and its applications. The law of conservation of energy says that no matter is lost or gained by processes. Without the law of conservation of energy we wouldn’t know very much. If the law of conservation of energy didn’t exist then we could not know the energy of a photon, the specific heat of any element, the amount of energy required to do anything. This is because without knowing where all of this energy went, you cannot know what the energy was used on. So if we didn’t know the law of conservation of energy, then every energy value would consist of kinetic energy, potential energy, heat energy, and all the different kinds of energy, however, the law of conservation of energy allows us to know that if we add up all of these energies before and after a use of energy, we will find the same value for energy. This allows us to figure out each component of the total energy and specifically identify one of the values. The law of conservation of energy does not have to be applied on a small scale we can apply the law to the amount of energy in existence now and in the past. If all of our energy is in chemical bonds, nuclear energy between protons and electrons, and gravity, and all the sources of these are constant (gravity’s being mass) then the amount of energy that exists today must be the same as the amount of energy when whatever happened to create everything happened. Feynman also strays from the topic of conservation and more about energy and the amounts of energy we have access to today. Feynman claims that “(w)ith 150 gallons of running water a minute, you have enough fuel to supply all the energy which is used in the United States today!” (86). This just shows how much energy there is still left in the world. All we need to do is find a way to harness this energy and then this energy crisis that the world is in now will not exist.