Science & Technology Quiz 2: The one with the catchy title.

[Zebra 9]

No it doesn't have anything to do with vision.

 

[Zebra 9]

Hate to leave like this but I'm gona go CFC inactive for a while so I'll post the wiki link [wiki=Occlusion_effect]here[/wiki] and if you want you can move onto a new Q.

 

[Mise]

God dammit I knew I should've done latin...

 

[peter grimes]

Well, I studied latin for many many years but that didn't help me guess the answer. After all, without knowing the context, something called an "occlusion effect" could conceivably pertain in hundreds of different situations.

I'll throw out a quickie, unless someone else wants to go:

Spoiler :

Why do clock faces represent the roman numeral 4 as IIII, rather than IV*, and for that matter, why do the hands of clocks go clockwise?

*having just done a little reading, I find that the answer I thought to be true may not be.... so I guess there will be more than one acceptable answer

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Science question?

 

[member66170]

It looks better as IIII because it balances the VII on the opposite side of the clockface - symmetry looks good. They go clockwise because thats the direction that the shadow on a sun dial moves (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway(.

 

[uppi]

and for that matter, why do the hands of clocks go clockwise?[/spoiler]

Hey! I have a clock that goes counter-clockwise!

 

[Perfection]

I've heard that the IIII was so that illiterate morons wouldn't get confused. In any case, I'm going to want to see some citations or something.

 

["Incognito"]

Well, I studied latin for many many years but that didn't help me guess the answer. After all, without knowing the context, something called an "occlusion effect" could conceivably pertain in hundreds of different situations.

I'll throw out a quickie, unless someone else wants to go:

Spoiler :

Why do clock faces represent the roman numeral 4 as IIII, rather than IV*, and for that matter, why do the hands of clocks go clockwise?

*having just done a little reading, I find that the answer I thought to be true may not be.... so I guess there will be more than one acceptable answer

Because the Earth spins clockwise basically and we are northern hemisphereists.

Sinister it's not.

And because if your clock didn't have IIII on it the reptillians would not know who has been replaced and who hasn't if your clock has IV then report it to the appropriate authority immed... Hold on someones banging on the door... WTH?F>"

 

[peter grimes]

I thought I was tossing out a nerf ball, and some people treated it like a hand grenade

Science question?

I point you to the title of the thread, good sir

It looks better as IIII because it balances the VII on the opposite side of the clockface - symmetry looks good. They go clockwise because thats the direction that the shadow on a sun dial moves (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway(.

Pretty much got the answer I wasn't aware of. Extra points for noting that cultures in the southern hemisphere would have (did?) develop sundials, and therefore clockfaces, that read anti-clockwise.

Hey! I have a clock that goes counter-clockwise!

Excellent! The exception that proves the rule

I've heard that the IIII was so that illiterate morons wouldn't get confused. In any case, I'm going to want to see some citations or something.

I hadn't heard that.... what I had understood was that the exigencies of casting meant that it made more sense for clockmakers to lose a the 'V' from the 4 character:
18 I, 5 V, 4 X; using IIII instead results in 20 I, 4 V, 4 X - a simpler quantity of each for ordering from the founder.

Here's a pretty good compilation of sources: http://www.ubr.com/clocks/frequently-asked-questions-faq/faq-roman-iiii-vs-iv-on-clock-dials.aspx

Because the Earth spins clockwise basically and we are northern hemisphereists.

Sinister it's not.

And because if your clock didn't have IIII on it the reptillians would not know who has been replaced and who hasn't if your clock has IV then report it to the appropriate authority immed... Hold on someones banging on the door... WTH?F>"

I knew this question would weed out those who stand against our new reptilian overlords

Good luck in the salt mines!


Lord Olleus is up!

 

[member66170]

How many different types of natural radioactive decays are there, and what are they?

 

[dutchfire]

Alpha (He-4)
Beta - (elektrons)
Gamma (photons)
Beta + (positrons)
Electron Capture

 

[uppi]

I'd add spontaneous fission to that list.

 

[member66170]

Thats some of them, but there are some others...

 

[Riffraff]

Double beta decay
proton/neutron emission also exist I think.

 

[peter grimes]

It's been 72 hours

I threw up the last open floor question, can someone else take it this time?

 

[Brighteye]

What is HPV (when it's not a virus)?

 

[Mise]

A vaccine?

 

[ori]

a chemical compound produced in high volumes

 

[GoodGame]

When Human Papilloma Virus is not a virus, it's a carcinogen.

I have to rule that the question is almost totally vauge. At least reveal one word of the acronym. So angry at this I googled---Human Powered Vehicle (e.g. bicycle) is the only other popular choice.