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Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2016 - BBC Four |
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#76 |
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Good luck to people if they want to read those (apart from the last) but I always think it ridiculous when people claim to learn more about conditions in Victorian Britain from reading Dickens then they would from reading a proper factual account of which there are many.
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#77 |
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That said, I am confused why a AAA battery holds less energy than a AA battery. You would expect it to hold 50% more?
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#78 |
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That's a very good point. As someone from an electronics background of course I know the difference between parallel and series and volts, amps, watts and ohms, but not a single thing was explained. It was like "Oh that isn't important. We don't need to explain how the lemons were wired up just that it was a 1000!!! whatever that was a 1000 of don't matter either."
How was this science in any way when science of any form is the meticulous study and recording of details. "It was 1000 somethings or other" doesn't cut it at all. Quote:
The highest voltage from a potato battery is 1,224 volts and was achieved by the Marie-Therese Gymnasium (Germany) in Erlangen, Germany, on 7 July 2012.
So looks as if they were in series and the output was over 1000v - I found the same figure on a US site so sure they are not doing the continental thing and using a comma as decimal point.
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#79 |
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Yes, knowing what I know I took it as volts, but it's just the way that they didn't think the unit of measurement needed to be mentioned is the problem. They are meant to be encouraging kids into science and thinking that leaving out a very important detail like what it is they are measuring is just wrong. It's very bad science.
It's rather like the dumbed down computing would of today: The kids now do "coding" and arrogantly think that that is all one and only one thing and makes sense to those of us who grew up at the start of the arrival of home computers and know that "coding" can and is done in many different computer languages and levels. Them: "I do coding now!". Me: "You do? What language or machine code level are you employing?". Them "What do you mean? What are you talking about? You know, I do coding with computers and stuff.". |
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#80 |
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Yes, knowing what I know I took it as volts, but it's just the way that they didn't think the unit of measurement needed to be mentioned is the problem. They are meant to be encouraging kids into science and thinking that leaving out a very important detail like what it is they are measuring is just wrong. It's very bad science.
It's rather like the dumbed down computing would of today: The kids now do "coding" and arrogantly think that that is all one and only one thing and makes sense to those of us who grew up at the start of the arrival of home computers and know that "coding" can and is done in many different computer languages and levels. Them: "I do coding now!". Me: "You do? What language or machine code level are you employing?". Them "What do you mean? What are you talking about? You know, I do coding with computers and stuff.". I suppose if they had said it was 1000 volts then someone would be worrying about the kids being electrocuted if they touched the wires though I suspect they would not come to any harm. Could explain why the Lemon Battery was not in the lecture theatre (I think). |
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#81 |
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I suppose if they had said it was 1000 volts then someone would be worrying about the kids being electrocuted if they touched the wires though I suspect they would not come to any harm. Could explain why the Lemon Battery was not in the lecture theatre (I think).
I assume that the reason it wasn't in the theatre was because it was a temperamental beast that didn't respond well to being moved. They were probably tweaking the connections up to the last minute. I agree with the people complaining about the lax attitude towards units of measurement throughout the lectures. I'm still quite cross about the whole AA battery as a unit of energy (or was it power?) thing... |
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#82 |
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I agree with the people complaining about the lax attitude towards units of measurement throughout the lectures. I'm still quite cross about the whole AA battery as a unit of energy (or was it power?) thing...
"Well, I don't understand all this Volts and Whats [sic] stuff, so I don't think you should subject the children to it." Whether the presenter or science writers would have been able to restrain themselves from the obvious retort, we will never know. But it could be that the programmes had to be dumbed-down to the level of an arts-graduated middle-manager who couldn't even wire a plug (if such a thing was allowed, any more). |
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#83 |
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But it could be that the programmes had to be dumbed-down to the level of an arts-graduated middle-manager who couldn't even wire a plug (if such a thing was allowed, any more).
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#84 |
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However the Guinness "highest voltage" citation didn't mention the achieved voltage
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#85 |
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Yes they did. I quite clearly heard the adjudicator say it and saw it for myself on the meter.
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#86 |
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Did they say the units, I thought they just gave a figure without saying what unit or even what they were measuring.
The lecturer stated "lets move over to the voltmeter" then they read off the value of the lemon battery. The certificate was awarded for "The highest voltage for a fruit battery" https://postimg.org/image/4egr1725f/ |
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#87 |
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That's a very good point. As someone from an electronics background of course I know the difference between parallel and series and volts, amps, watts and ohms, but not a single thing was explained. It was like "Oh that isn't important. We don't need to explain how the lemons were wired up just that it was a 1000!!! whatever that was a 1000 of don't matter either."
How was this science in any way when science of any form is the meticulous study and recording of details. "It was 1000 somethings or other" doesn't cut it at all. "5192?, 5192 WHAT?? spare wheels? jumpers? bottles of Lanry?" he would shout. The 'bottles of Lanry' always made me chuckle.
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#88 |
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Quote:
Yes they did. I quite clearly heard the adjudicator say it and saw it for myself on the meter.
Quote:
The certificate was awarded for "The highest voltage for a fruit battery"
https://postimg.org/image/4egr1725f/ |
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#89 |
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There is no reference to the actual voltage on the certificate, as you can see here:
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#90 |
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No I can't.
What is it? |
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#91 |
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No, I can't see the certificate.
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#92 |
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No, I can't see the certificate.
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#93 |
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Nope.
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#94 |
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As a former Guinness World record holder myself I can clear up a few things,
The lecturer stated "lets move over to the voltmeter" then they read off the value of the lemon battery. The certificate was awarded for "The highest voltage for a fruit battery" https://postimg.org/image/4egr1725f/
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#95 |
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As the certificate was presented immediately without actually knowing what the value would be then not unreasonable. The value could be added afterwards.
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#96 |
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I usually enjoy these, but the lecturer is really letting them down.
I've recorded them. I've watched the first 2 so far. The second one really dragged. He's just not holding my attention. Too much umming & erring. It's like he doesn't know what's next or he's very nervous. I can understand the nerves, but he knew what he was taking on & he must've had an audition & rehearsals later. He's not an interesting speaker. I'd like Johnny Ball to do it! |
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#97 |
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I usually enjoy these, but the lecturer is really letting them down.
Of all of the lecturers I ever had he is one of the last who I expected to turn up at the Royal Institution at Christmas. |
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#98 |
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Maybe that's a good idea. If the presenter doesn't understand what it is he/she is presenting, then they ask questions until they feel able to explain it to the viewing public.
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#99 |
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There are plenty of shows like that. I feel the RI lectures should be different. They should be given by an expert in the relevant field, and they should include some recent research that we won't have seen elsewhere.
I go to an archaeological conference most years and you get some speakers who just read out their thesis whilst others can get up and talk with no notes and leave the audience wanting more. |
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#100 |
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I had Saiful Islam as a lecturer in my undergrad days. He was incredibly boring when it comes to teaching University students so he probably wasn't the best choice to enthuse a room full of school kids.
Of all of the lecturers I ever had he is one of the last who I expected to turn up at the Royal Institution at Christmas. |
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