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I have begun to notice that it's nearly impossible to get answers for queries on classical mechanics concepts on this website (despite them involving advanced ideas). While say a quantum mechanics question which asks a basic concept is buzzing in comparison. Why is this? Surely if people can answer advanced questions they should be able to answer the 'simple' ones as well? Why is the site so inactive except for when it comes to obscure (for most) professional physics? How do we allow it to accommodate people of all levels of understanding and knowledge?

Usually, where somebody has a fundamental misunderstanding, their question does not make much physical sense and subsequently gets removed or ignored. Where somebody has a good understanding their question pretty much boils down to a maths problem. Essentially, it's preventing people who will get the most out of it from learning anything. Can we change this?

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    $\begingroup$ If you look at many of our high-voted posts, you'll find that they neither got removed nor boil down to a math problem - your second paragraph is hyperbole that doesn't actually reflect what happens on the site. You should also recognize that being able to answer a question does not imply that one actually wants to invest the time to answer it. Also, the site is not inactive with respect to classical mechanics questions in my perception. Can you back up your impressions here with some data? $\endgroup$
    – ACuriousMind Mod
    Commented Feb 23, 2017 at 12:12
  • $\begingroup$ I've just looked at three of your questions. The first was an unrealistic scenario, the second was very mathematical, and the third was asking for interpretation. I'm afraid I didn't feel keen on trying to answer them. Sorry. $\endgroup$
    – John Duffield
    Commented Feb 23, 2017 at 13:43
  • $\begingroup$ that's alright, I'm not really that desperate with my own ones. I was wondering why they weren't being answered though, and compared the last page of the 'unanswered' with the first page. The stark contrast was apparent in that the most well received ones were highly advanced. For me that is... $\endgroup$
    – user86425
    Commented Feb 23, 2017 at 13:47

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This is not the first time someone has asked why simple physics questions are given less focus and/or ignored compared to more advanced material nor will this be the last. I will answer in the same way past and future incarnations of this question were and will be answered. This is not the case. Simply look at our most popular or highest voted posts or our most used tags and you'll find a great number of them are simple physics as opposed to complex topics.

In fact, our simple physics questions usually get more and quicker answers than the more complicated questions. Easy topics are well understood by more people and are easier to write an answer for; whereas complex topics require more specific knowledge that is known to fewer people and take more time to write an answer.

Here is the most recent incarnation of this question I can recall. Perhaps this and others like it will supplement my or others' answers.

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