Boys and science

[Peter_1]

In Belgium we have a daily radio program which won now 2 or 3 times a special radio price as best radio program.

Principle is simple: you have a question and want's to know the answer.
Each day they handle a question from 09 till 10 and then the 2nd from 10 to 11.
You can call to the studio and give your explanation. sometimes very funny if you hear the reaction of the listeners. At the end of the hour, they call an expert in that specific field (mostly scientist or professors) to know teh exact answer (If they kow it themself)

They published now two books with many questons and answers.

So perhaps some good questions:
From where comes the expression OK, worldwide used?
What are tears good for?
Is the cat enjoying sex? (She always seems crying)
If you let disolve a compressed spring in an acid, where is the tension then going?
Why do you shake your theets when it's cold?
Why start an opened cola botlle freezing after it wa in a freezer after it is opened?
How lands a fly on the ceiling?
How much does the earth weight?

A good one I found was the next story: a couple will make a world trip for 2 months. Women cleans the house (what had you expect) completely and removes all the dust from the furnitures. They leave the house with completely closed windows, roll curtains, heating off. Nobody enters the house during 2 months. When they come back, everything is under a thick layer of dust. From where is that dust coming?

And also: is hot water faster freezing then cold water?

[Peter_1]

Originally posted by Marc O'Brien
All substances that expand when they freeze will have reduced freezing temperatures under increased pressures.

Well, that was one of teh explanations which was not completely correct.
I also thought that this was the only correct explantion but there happens als other things (according to the chemisty or Prof who did tests on this subject)

[Peter_1]

Originally posted by Marc O'Brien
Peter, who else also thought this was an only explanation?

You're right Marc. My mistake. Many listeners like I thought that this was thé answer.

[Prof Sporlan]

How much does the earth weight?

Actually it is more precise to ask what is the mass of the earth. "Weight" implies mass in a gravimetric field, which is not relevant to a mass the size of the earth. According the NIST, 5.972 sextillion metric tons...

[Prof Sporlan]

From where comes the expression OK, worldwide used?

A most American term! It is an abbreviation of "oll korrect", a slang respelling of "all correct". It was later used in President Martin Van Buren’s 1840 campaign for reelection. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed "Old Kinderhook".

[Prof Sporlan]

And also: is hot water faster freezing then cold water?

No, unless you subscribe to the Mpemba effect...

[Peter_1]

Twice correct.

It was the first time I heard of the Mpemba effect (read it in the book)

[benncool]

Originally posted by Prof Sporlan
A most American term! It is an abbreviation of "oll korrect", a slang respelling of "all correct". It was later used in President Martin Van Buren’s 1840 campaign for reelection. Because he was born in Kinderhook, New York, Van Buren was nicknamed "Old Kinderhook".

I used to live in Kinderhook. You, Prof. are of course right.

While Van Buren was in office he would often leave Washington to go back to Old Kinderhook. To alert his secretary that he wanted certain papers signed in his absence he would initial it with an "OK". Hence the expression, "He put his 'OK' on it."

Martin Van Buren was also the first person to become President of the United States that was born a citizen of the United States. All presidents before him were born as English subjects.

[Peter_1]

Recent studies which go back before Van Buren is probably more correct than the Old Kinderhook story.
It should come from Africa but before I can give you the correct explantion, I should re-read that specific section.