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Date:         Sat, 16 Jan 1999 13:56:11 -0800
Reply-To:     YauMan Chan <YAUMAN@CCHEM.BERKELEY.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         YauMan Chan <YAUMAN@CCHEM.BERKELEY.EDU>
Subject:      Photon driven Vanagon?
Comments: To: lvlearn@MCI2000.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

>>> Blue Eyes <lvlearn@MCI2000.COM> 01/15 1:17 PM >>> I have this cute "Radiometer" which has a four blade vertical axis paddle wheel suspended on a needle bearing inside a clear decorative glass envelope, not unlike a light bulb. When exposed to the sun, it spins like crazy. Light gives No thrust you say? Or maybe the equal but opposite force rule doesn't apply to light? >>

At the risk of exceeding my b.s. quota for the year, have you taken a close look at that thing? Is one side of the paddle darker color than the other? And if so, which direction does it spin? Does it spin with the dark side trailing or the shinning side trailing ? (this is critical to the photon theory!)

This little radiometer was actually in a few Physics Ph.D. oral exam around the country when it first came out in the 70's! And the question is, if in fact photon really don't have mass, then what make this thing spin? Or does this proof photon have mass?

(Blue Eyes have to report back as to which direction it turns to get the answer!)

Yau-Man Chan 87 GL

"Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" - The Rock by T.S. Eliot


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