🚀 go-pugleaf

lhom@nature.berkeley.edu (Louis Hom) wrote:
> So, I'm trying to collect posters' favorite Things in Math & Science.
>         For example, one of my favorite things is the solid that you get
> when you rotate y=1/(log x) about the x-axis -- it has finite volume but an
> infinite surface.  So if you had a container that shape, you could fill it
> up with some finite quantity of paint, but it would never be enough to
> actually paint the surface of the thing.
>         My interest in starting this collection grew out of a desire to
> write something about the Math/Science Aesthetic and realizing that I
> didn't have a lot of interesting examples readily at hand.  I don't know if
> I will ever write such an essay, but I think it would be fun to gather some
> examples at least.  Maybe I'll archive them on my web page or something.
>         Anyway, thanks for reading, and thanks for helping out. 
> -- 
Well, after reading the posts in this thread I think I might be thinking
on different lines.

Cesium.  The wavelength associated with one of its isotopes is divisable
by 60, making it ideal for timing accurate clocks.  I think that's cool,
also, it has the largest stable electron cloud, making it the largest
atom, this is cool when you think the heaviest atoms are nearly twice its
weight.  And of course, the clincher is that it can be made into a really
bad chemistry "joke" such as: What do you say when someone steals your
gold?  Ay you, cesium that robber, he stole my gold.

Keep your stick on the ice,
Mike Schneider     http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/g396/schne042/