Questions tagged [scope]

For discussions about the site's scope - what questions and topics should and should not be on-topic on the site.

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-8 votes
2 answers
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Why is the 'Physics' Stack Exchange site closing some interesting questions?

I came to the main site for searching an interesting question about a possible universe inside atoms. Here is a list of questions: Universe inside atom Does our Universe reside in the smallest ...
hanugm's user avatar
  • 101
-2 votes
2 answers
371 views

Deleting answers due to the Homework policy is not beneficial

The homework policy doesn't seems like a counter-productive policy on Stack Exchange. I understand Stack Exchange policing their questions, but policing removing answers to "homework like ...
johnny 5's user avatar
  • 391
2 votes
2 answers
153 views

Why would someone think this question NOT mainstream physics?

I've asked a question that's mostly about optics with a little touch of thermodynamics to it: Can you use an invisibility shield to insulate from infrared radiation? But I'm getting 2 close votes to ...
Sidharth Ghoshal's user avatar
20 votes
4 answers
732 views

Should we leave technical astronomy questions to Astronomy SE?

In 2012, when the first incarnation of Astronomy SE closed, the community at Physics SE felt compelled to give a home to astronomy questions and overwhelmingly voted to expand the scope of the site. ...
stafusa's user avatar
  • 12.3k
11 votes
2 answers
340 views

May I ask questions about physics lab equipments?

I'm looking for a specific lab equipment, but I don't know the exact English words to describe it, so my searches are useless. To give an idea, I'm interested in a gyroscope with gimbals and a motor ...
Mark's user avatar
  • 99
9 votes
1 answer
257 views

Are "check my understanding" questions permitted?

I know that "check my work" questions are off-topic, I understand the reasons behind that, but does this also apply to "check my understanding" questions? For example: My ...
Mauro Giliberti's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
158 views

Can we restrict what kinds of identification questions are on topic?

Recently there was a significant discussion about whether a question on the main site should be on topic. I very strongly believe that it is not a good question for the site and should not be on topic ...
David Z's user avatar
  • 75.8k
21 votes
5 answers
385 views

Are questions about the identification of physical phenomena on-topic?

This question was just closed as off-topic. It is a well presented question, which was well-received, and it got a good, canonical answer. The stated reason for closing was that "it doesn't ...
Yly's user avatar
  • 3,644
3 votes
0 answers
66 views

Is "here a problem and my solution with my reasoning for each step, where has my reasoning gone wrong?" question considered off-topic? [duplicate]

I specifically used the formulation in the title from here, the only place I found to deal with this. But I do not know, what to take from it. To elaborate: This question arose from comments on this ...
Umaxo's user avatar
  • 5,798
2 votes
1 answer
85 views

Is asking how to derive an expression in a paper on topic here?

Is asking how to derive an expression in a paper on topic here? If not where should I ask?
mattiav27's user avatar
  • 1,243
-5 votes
2 answers
222 views

Why is everyone so keen to answer physics questions by writing down tons of equations? [closed]

As a physicist, when you are tackling some new problem, shouldn't the first thing that comes to your mind be a rough idea? Why can't you answer questions with those rough ideas first? Math is just a ...
eliu's user avatar
  • 103
5 votes
1 answer
109 views

Are book/reference identification questions on topic?

While reading the general policy on resource recommendation, I was not able to answer if paper/book identification qualifies as an on-topic question. This is inspired by this Meta question that asks ...
Anton Menshov's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
153 views

Is it valid to ask for a brief translation for a paper in a foreign language?

I have been deterred to ask for a brief translation of an old physics Russian paper in the stack. Is it valid to ask such a question according to the policies of the site? If not, could it be worth to ...
user2820579's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
60 views

Are "Do this calculations for me" question allowed here? [duplicate]

I have a problem to be solved (here) and an answer that brings all the necessary calculation steps (here). I can't do the calculations myself because I don't have enough knowledge and skills. I went ...
trejder's user avatar
  • 252
-7 votes
1 answer
252 views

Asking if the following post could be suitable for the main site Physics Stack Exchange

I've cross-posted yesterday this on Meta of the site MathOverflow Asking if the following post could be suitable for the main site MathOverflow. I would like to ask if the following questions can be ...
user250478's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
104 views

Can I ask here a simple calculation-like questions that I can't solve myself?

I have a simple (?) calculation like question that I can't solve myself due to not enough knowledge. Nearly like homework question, but hopefully not. Can I ask this kind of questions here? For the ...
trejder's user avatar
  • 252
-8 votes
2 answers
122 views

Easing our policy for some topics

At Physics StackExchange, we discuss almost all types of physics topics. Some get more attention and some get less, but it depends upon various things, including our site policy. Our policy has been ...
आर्यभट्ट's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
189 views

Question closed. Anything I can do to reopen it?

Not sure why this was closed: How do you show that the Lorentz metric is preserved for $\zeta^{3,1}?$ I think it was closed because I bit off more than I could chew so to speak and should have just ...
geocalc33's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
546 views

Is error-analysis not a physics topic?

I have a question about my Physics Stack Exchange post: How to incorporate the uncertainty of the model coefficients in the prediction interval of a multiple linear regression I am dealing with a ...
DannyVanpoucke's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
142 views

Please help with alternative wording of question to conform with expectation of site

What changes would need to be made to the following question for it to be on-topic on this site? Is there an alternative number to the 100% miscommunicated and hard-to-comprehend “total number of ...
user1886419's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
59 views

Question closed because considered opinion-based. How to change it?

I asked the following question a couple of days ago: Difference in material covered between Zwiebach or Adams quant mech I on mit ocw? The original question was deemed opinion-based (which I in hind ...
user5744148's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
99 views

Thought experiment closed as off-topic and better suited for engineering. But that's a thought experiment

The question in consideration is: Could there theoretically exist a material so light, that it can levitate in the air just due to the in height decreasing air pressure? I think that's definitely a ...
J.Doe's user avatar
  • 131
1 vote
1 answer
77 views

Question closed as opinion based, that is unusual but clearly not opinion based

The question in consideration is Actual eletronic games (as in, games played using electrons)? I understand that this question is different from other questions on this site, but I think it can be ...
user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
135 views

Would this question be on-topic here? Might it be likely to receive an answer?

I'm writing a program and need a way to identify and enumerate the number of possible distinct crystallographic domains when depositing one 2D lattice on top of another. I've posed this as a question ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 6,768
2 votes
5 answers
374 views

Why was this Hot Network Question closed?

Why would this question be closed as Off-topic? How is a 25-year-old can of soda now empty without having been opened or poked? The topic seems to be suitable for this site, and the question was ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 395
11 votes
2 answers
344 views

Questions about physics teaching pedagogy

Are questions that relate to how physics is being presented in teaching on topic in this site?
joojaa's user avatar
  • 143
0 votes
0 answers
54 views

Can I ask about these shoes from Dr.Stone? [duplicate]

I'm watching Dr.Stone (an anime/manga) and have noticed the rather odd shoe design used by a people of a village (shown below). Can I ask about how those shoes would be of benefit to the environment ...
ChocolateOverflow's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
174 views

Are Questions about Unrealistic Physics Off Topic?

A few days ago a question was asked about how close one could safely approach a small non-radiating black hole. A comment was made that "Micro black holes do evaporate, so this question is fictional ...
James's user avatar
  • 1,871
0 votes
1 answer
73 views

Are questions of this sort allowed?

So I was tempted to ask this question (after some slight physics edits - see comment section) in physics stack exchange and would like the wisdom of the community if it would be closed or not? Why I'...
More Anonymous's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
102 views

Are negative mass questions on/off topic?

I searched for the question about negative mass and they aren't closed as off-topic. But recently I posted this question and somebody voted to close this as off-topic (non-mainstream). So I want to ...
user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
85 views

Would a site on the interdisciplinary topic of climate change in Stack Exchange be supported? [closed]

The topic of climate change is an exemplary case of an interdisciplinary topic. There is not one single scientific discipline of science working on it, but a wide spectrum. It primarily includes ...
Volker Siegel's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
78 views

Can I present an answer in the form of a leading question? [duplicate]

Like "Jeopardy" presents answers in the form of questions can I post a physics question and post my own answer to it? The presentation I want to make is a new type of math method to calculate and ...
ralfcis's user avatar
  • 462
2 votes
1 answer
69 views

Are all history questions now off-topic? [duplicate]

I saw that this question: Einstein's initial clue that spacetime is curved being flagged as off-topic, as it belongs on History of Science SE. However, there is a tag here for 'history' and it ...
Time4Tea's user avatar
  • 4,042
2 votes
3 answers
253 views

Can we consider MR Imaging questions as on-topic unless they ask for specific engineering solutions?

Context: This question on basic principles of image formation in medical MRI was asked in May 2014, received an accepted answer at the time, and was left unchallenged until August 2019, at which point ...
Antoni Parellada's user avatar
15 votes
8 answers
810 views

Why is this question not considered an off-topic homework problem?

This question currently has a bounty on it and is receiving a lot of attention. But to me it looks like a question that is normally closed for being off-topic. The question reads like a homework ...
BioPhysicist's user avatar
  • 55.8k
1 vote
0 answers
38 views

Can we ask about book for studying? [duplicate]

I'm starting to study a new topic (spinors) and I don't know where I can study it, is it possible to ask for studying material?
SimoBartz's user avatar
  • 1,750
3 votes
2 answers
140 views

What, really, is a good question?

So it seems like the general consensus of a "good" question is one that includes adequate research/reasoning to provide context for/justify the question being asked, and if applicable cites sources ...
user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
170 views

Why is this question asking about lectures closed as a duplicate?

This question is currently closed for being a duplicate of this question. The closed question asks about recommendations about video lectures for quantum lectures while the second question asks about ...
Apoorv Potnis's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
123 views

How does the reason for closing a question correspond to the actual question?

My most recent question, Why do we assume fundamental properties like charge or mass do not consume anything? (currently deleted while I rephrase it), was put on hold given the following reason: "We ...
Winston's user avatar
  • 3,216
8 votes
2 answers
186 views

Asking about the origin of an equation?

Some grad colleagues in a local forum were asking about a certain system of equations of unknown origin, and I was wondering if I would be allowed to ask about it in the Physics Stack Exchange. My ...
Charlie's user avatar
  • 1,142
2 votes
1 answer
76 views

Are questions about research topic considered to be on topic on Phys.SE?

I'm interested in working in a PhD research on a particular field. I've talked to a professor that despite his interest in supervising this work he would like me to come up with a few concrete ...
Gold's user avatar
  • 35.1k
3 votes
3 answers
447 views

How to handle references to literature in predatory journals

Are questions or answers that cite, refer to or are based on work published in predatory journals (in the sense discussed here, here, or here) to be tolerated? If no, how do we check if a journal is ...
ZeroTheHero's user avatar
  • 45.1k
2 votes
1 answer
74 views

Where am I supposed ask questions regarding Physics education/research?

I asked this as a soft question How to explore Physics research as an undergraduate, keeping in mind the ever increasing weightage on publications? I have explictly asked if this is the right place ...
Indigo1729's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
132 views

Where should I post a question about logic circuit minimisation?

I have a question about some logic circuits (I have the Boolean functions and truth tables) that I would like to minimise. Where would I post a question about this? I was thinking Physics firstly but ...
AustereTiger's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
264 views

Are partial answers to homework questions allowed?

I gave a partial answer to a homework questions here (now deleted; screenshots: question, answer) and was firmly told in comments that even partial answers to homework questions are not allowed. Is ...
gandalf61's user avatar
  • 47.6k
1 vote
2 answers
101 views

My question was put on hold

My question was put on hold because "homework-like". I would like some clarification on this please. I am not asking anybody to do a conversion of me, I am asking whether the conversion mol/mm3 <->...
DarioP's user avatar
  • 133
6 votes
1 answer
132 views

Are industry related questions acceptable?

I was looking at this question on Physics SE which looks very much like a "trying to find an easy solution by someone else and take the credit at work" kind of thing. I personally think that this kind ...
user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
89 views

The on-topic page in the help center does not mention engineering

It recently came up in a meta post that OP had checked out the on-topic page in the help center, and could not see anything about engineering. That does seem to be the case, and although the tour ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
95 views

Questions about statements in papers

I often read papers and am stuck on important statements/equations that are not satisfactorily explained to my understanding. Sometimes references are provided, but even then it's cumbersome to ...
Botond's user avatar
  • 974
7 votes
4 answers
597 views

Requests for Solutions Manuals

In a recent meta post, 20 most viewed questions that need answers, there was a discussion on whether a couple questions (specifically Cohen Tannoudji solutions to exercises and Is there any solution ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 17.1k

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