11. In a legendary and probably apocryphal story, a physics professor poses a qu
ID: 1949922 • Letter: 1
Question
11. In a legendary and probably apocryphal story, a physics professor poses a question on a test, "How would you use a barometer to determine the height of a tall building?" In the story, a brilliant but rebellious physics student artfully avoids giving the "correct" answer but gives instead a long list of plausible alternative answers, including the following...
The kinematic answer: I would drop the barometer from the top of the building and time its fall. The equation y = vit + (1/2)at2 would then tell me the building's height.
The pendulum answer: I would tie the barometer to a long string, lift it slightly above the ground, and swing it from the top of the building. The equation T= 2(L/g)^0.5 would then tell me the building's height.
The geometric answer: On a sunny day, I would measure the height of the barometer, the
length of its shadow, and the length of the building's shadow. I would then use similar triangles
to compute the building's height.
The human-engineering answer: I would go to the building manager and say, "I have here a
fine scientific instrument that I will give to you if you tell me the building's height!"
What answer was the professor really looking for?
Explanation / Answer
The geometric answer: On a sunny day, I would measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and the length of the building's shadow. I would then use similar triangles to compute the building's height. From this data, he can determine the building height
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