Questions tagged [intuition]
The intuition tag has no usage guidance.
69
questions
0
votes
1
answer
39
views
Physical interpretation of the semilinear Dirichlet problem
As a non-physicist student, I’ve been trying to gain some intuition on the problem I’m studying, namely
\begin{equation}\begin{cases} -\Delta u + f(u) = h, \; \text{in } D \subset \mathbb{R}^n\\
u=0, \...
- 169
7
votes
1
answer
659
views
How can a scalar field have components and how do I interpret these components?
From lecture notes$^\zeta$ I've been reading that:
Consider a real three-component scalar field
$$\phi=\begin{pmatrix}\phi_1 \\\ \phi_2 \\\ \phi_3\end{pmatrix}\tag{a}$$
with Lagrangian
$$\mathcal{L}=\...
- 156
26
votes
7
answers
4k
views
Can spinors be explained or understood without group or representation theory?
Vectors, either as abstract mathematical elements of a vector space (in this case the definition of the vector is divorced from any notion of transformation), or as elements of tangent spaces on ...
- 14.4k
1
vote
2
answers
95
views
Intuitive charge distribution
I often see it stated that excess charge will appear on the surface or excess charge will appear on the outside surface and it is causing me some intuitive confusion in some situations if it is always ...
- 93
13
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What is an Intuitive example of a Gauge Symmetry?
Can anyone give an intuitive example of what a gauge symmetry is? I am new to this concept and would like to understand it better!
0
votes
2
answers
76
views
What is the intuition behind difference in tension In two block problem
Consider a system of two blocks having masses $m_1$ and $m_2$ lying on smooth floor, where $m_2>m_1.$ They are attached by an ideal inextensible string. There are two different situations $1$ and $...
- 452
1
vote
0
answers
82
views
Similar to how there's field lines that make equations in Newtonian Gravity more intuitive, is there something that makes GR equations more intuitive?
One way I know to get intuition for the derivation of the force equation $$F=\frac{GM_1M_2}{r^2}$$ in Newtonian Mechanics is to imagine gravitational field lines, in combination with certain ...
- 2,001
0
votes
0
answers
57
views
Interpret momentum applied on a rod when holding it from one end
Yesterday I started wondering exactly how much more effort it takes holding a rod from one of it's edged instead of from it's centre.
Picture a rod, held by your hand from under it's centre. The force ...
- 115
3
votes
0
answers
199
views
What weight does a scale show when you throw an object onto it?
Imagine you have a bucket (cross-sectional area $A$) on top of a scale. Into the bucket you begin to pour sand (density $\rho$) with a mass flow rate of $\dot{m}$. The total weight of the sand in the ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
324
views
Euler-Lagrange intuition
We know from euler-lagrange, that $S$ should be minimized, which in turn means (KE-PE) should be minimized at each smallest interval along the path.
I'm not trying to understand the math here, it's ...
- 525
1
vote
1
answer
85
views
Can we design an experiment or an intuitive way to demonstrate tidal locking?
I was explaining the tidal locking phenomenon to a friend. First I started with the formation of solar system and how at the beginning the planets were actually like balls of magma-esque rocks. And ...
- 165
-1
votes
3
answers
166
views
Temperature is discrete but not countable? [closed]
So I was reading a a question and top comment on math stack exchange that didn't make sense to me.
you can measure the temperature of something, but you can't count it. Incidentally, I claim ...
- 1,389
1
vote
3
answers
81
views
What do the units of entropy quantify? [closed]
Entropy has the units $J\cdot K^{-1}$. Velocity has the units $m \cdot s^{-1}$. In the latter example, I know what the units are quantifying across all applications of the quantity of velocity. ...
- 248
1
vote
0
answers
113
views
Resource for building "physical" intuition for mathematics [closed]
I stumbled across an intuition for the Laplace operator that suggests it can be considered "the difference between the value of a function at a point and the average value at "neighboring&...
0
votes
0
answers
68
views
Intuition and the reason behind rotation operators or angular momentum operators NOT commuting?
So I was thinking about the fundamental reason why rotation operators don't commute so I started thinking about Euler rotations. I tried the experiment of the rotating frame, first around the x-axis ...
- 153