Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 63 (9162 total)
5 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 916,334 Year: 3,591/9,624 Month: 462/974 Week: 75/276 Day: 3/23 Hour: 0/2


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Avogadro's number vs. the Kofh Number
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1423 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 4 of 55 (103427)
04-28-2004 4:21 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Wounded King
04-28-2004 6:05 AM


An arbitrary number is just that.
We have Fahrenheit and Celsius as examples of two different arbitrary units that measure the same thing, and one could argue that Celsius is 'more elegant' than Fahrenheit, but it doesn't make it any cooler in the summer or hotter in the winter or change the cooking time of the thanksgiving turkey.
We also have degrees, radians and grads for measuring angles, all arbitrary as well.
Changing from one arbitrary unit to another does not change the reality.
When the number is based on how much {standard what} fits into a set {standard volume} then changing the number to something pretty affects the defining volume with calculation ramifications of disproportionate magnitude.
The only valid reason to change a number is when the value is calibrated to a higher degree of accuracy.

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmerican.Zen[Deist
{{{Buddha walks off laughing with joy}}}

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Wounded King, posted 04-28-2004 6:05 AM Wounded King has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 17 by kofh2u, posted 04-29-2004 12:44 PM RAZD has replied

  
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1423 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 21 of 55 (103776)
04-29-2004 2:00 PM
Reply to: Message 17 by kofh2u
04-29-2004 12:44 PM


Re: arb numbers
it is arbitrary because it is based on an arbitrary volume based on an arbitrary concept.
You could also say the the Avogadro number is 42 and from this generate an Avogadro volume. This just confuses things.
Redefining it does nothing to reality.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 17 by kofh2u, posted 04-29-2004 12:44 PM kofh2u has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024