Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 12 replies
  • Subscribers 15 subscribers
  • Views 2486 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

A mote is at the centre of a perfect sphere of glass. Where, if anywhere, do you see the mote?

John Beirne

One of my STEM Mentees proposed a question to look at and discuss with them:

'I would like to share an interesting physics puzzle I've stumbled across. Feel free to give it a go : A mote ( a small speck of something, a dust particle for example ) is at the centre of a perfect sphere of glass. Where, if anywhere, do you see the mote?'

Would anyone care to join in on the answer?

  • 0 in reply to OlympusMons

    I'd read the description as more like this, in which case it wouldn't move:

  • 0

    Sorry for the tardy response to providing an answer to the above question.  

    My mentee, who is currently studying wave forms at sixth form, infers that our answers to the mote question was pretty much spot on. Because the mote lies at the very centre of the sphere all emitted rays have an angle of incidence of 90 degrees with the glass interface meaning the rays are not diffracted and the mote appears exactly where it is.  

    Thank you all for your participation.  I think the question certainly got the grey matter moving.

    Kind regards,

    John

Join us to get the best from IET EngX.

Joining EngX lets you personalise your experience so you stay up to date on the topics that interest you, plus you’ll be able to make connections who are looking to collaborate, exchange ideas and more.

Join us Not now

Community Rules & Guidelines