Brain teasers

[Richard Brown]

I'm starting this thread to encourage folk to add educational questions or memory joggers.

The idea is to challenge us, and hopefully to provide material which can be used in schools.

The subjects can be varied - from the sciences to geography, history and the arts. This why I have used such a general heading.

So for starters, do you remember this mnemonic?

.... Richard of York gained battles in vain.

Q What does it relate to?

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[Richard Brown]

Here's a UK themed one.

No plan like yours to study history wisely.

Q What does this relate to?

Q What is the interpretation of the sentence?

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[Richard Brown]

This one relates to Scotland. I am afraid I don't remember the answer - well it's 45 years or so since I heard it!

A long climb for me. That's the mnemonic.

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[TheRambler]

Richard of York........etc, is the reminder for colours of the rainbow.
Richard....R....Red
Of....O....Orange
York....Y....Yellow
Gave....G....Green
Battle....B....Blue
In....I....Indigo
Vain....V....Violet

 

[Richard Brown]

Richard of York........etc, is the reminder for colours of the rainbow.
Richard....R....Red
Of....O....Orange
York....Y....Yellow
Gave....G....Green
Battle....B....Blue
In....I....Indigo
Vain....V....Violet

Yup, that's what it means. It's interesting to see how the saying has changed slightly over the years

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[Richard Brown]

Kitchen sink physics.

There are some jobs which I have completed time and time again without thinking of the science behind certain phenomena. Do you know what I mean?

For example, you can float a plate on calm water in the washing up bowl. It can even be floated in soapy water. Isn't this a good demonstration of surface tension?

Then, plunge an empty glass or jar into water, draw it up slowly, open end down and see what happens. What happens when the item is taken slowly out of the water?

I'll post another Kitchen sink physics experiment. This one will go down well in a lab.

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[Richard Brown]

Try this experiment: -

Take an empty plastic 4 pint (2.27L) milk container. This size is best because it has a good handle, and can be held safely.
Part fill it with hot tap water. Screw on the top and shake the container.
Q.1 What happens?
Q.2 Why?

I have tried this experiment with a little boiled water from the kettle, but care needs to be exercised to avoid spillage. Also, when you shake the container, point the top away from you. The same thing happens, but with more drama.

Lastly, hopefully this experiment will encourage folk to recycle plastics. I love flattening the sof container after emptying it. The plastic doesn't have a memory, and less space is taken up in the recycling bin.

I am sure this experiment could be carried out in a Lab. I am thinking of trying to use a set quantity of water at different temperatures, and to take physical measurements to compare what happens.

I won't post the answers with this, just in case your children or students read these forums. However, lets see what replies arrive here, and I will then give my layman's take on what happens and why. I'm sure the physicists and engineers will put me straight.

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[Bob Maxey]

So for starters, do you remember this mnemonic?

.... Richard of York gained battles in vain.

Q What does it relate to?

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Colors of the rainbow. I Googled it. that is the problem, Google solves all riddles and clues.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Next number in the series and tell me/us why it is the next number:

1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3 . . .

Remember, anyone can guess and anyone can Google.

 

[twerppoet]

Next number in the series and tell me/us why it is the next number:

1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3 . . .

Remember, anyone can guess and anyone can Google.

I did Google, and while I don't know if this is the answer, it works. The next number is one, and the number after that is four.

Why, because each pair is a sequence of fractions, a normal whole number sequence, inverted: 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4. . .

 

[Bob Maxey]

Nope

 

[MrLuke]

Gonna take a stab in the dark and say its to do with the Fibonacci sequence. Just can't quite work out the exact relation :/. I'll get back to you.

I'll add one myself, while it isn't exactly educational, it's still quite good.
Riddle: I am full of holes, but can hold lots of water, what am I?

Proud owner of a 32GB wifi iPad2 iOS5.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Nope

 

[Bob Maxey]

I'll add one myself, while it isn't exactly educational, it's still quite good.
Riddle: I am full of holes, but can hold lots of water, what am I?

Proud owner of a 32GB wifi iPad2 iOS5.

Sponge

 

[MrLuke]

In that case I'm going to cheat and say it is somewhere on the search I have made of this website .
http://oeis.org/search?q=1,1,1,2,1,3&sort=&language=english&go=Search

. I was hoping you'd at least take a few mins to work that one out.
Proud owner of a 32GB wifi iPad2 iOS5.