From a Former Physics TA
Asher and I routinely get into a debate over how many great blue whales could fit inside the pointy building (Asher's name for the tallest skyscraper downtown). I don't know how he draws me into this discussion over and over, but he is convinced that whales are so big that only 2 or three would fit in the building. I argue that it's closer to 2 or 3 per floor or so, so at least 50 whales should fit. We have this discussion at least once a week. Yesterday he got annoyed with my inability to grasp just how big whales are so changed the subject slightly.
"Mom, how long in minutes do you think it would take to get to the top of the pointy building?"
"I don't know Asher. If I had to walk all the way to the top it would take me a long time, over 100 minutes at least."
"Hmmm, well what if you used the elevator?"
"Ahh, that's more like it. That would probably take me less than 5 minutes."
"Well, what if you used a simple machine? Like an inclined plane?"
I had no answer for that. Other than to call his dad and grandma and revoke his science center privileges effective immediately.
"Mom, how long in minutes do you think it would take to get to the top of the pointy building?"
"I don't know Asher. If I had to walk all the way to the top it would take me a long time, over 100 minutes at least."
"Hmmm, well what if you used the elevator?"
"Ahh, that's more like it. That would probably take me less than 5 minutes."
"Well, what if you used a simple machine? Like an inclined plane?"
I had no answer for that. Other than to call his dad and grandma and revoke his science center privileges effective immediately.
