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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I need to know if I can ask some homework problems on here?
This is my first post. I need to know if I can ask some homework problems on here? Not full problems but after I provide my attempt at the problem.
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Engineering questions and answers that are closely related to Physics
I found an old question asked 5 years ago. How much power to keep surface of aluminum plate at given temperature?. How do I answer this in a physics kind of way?
This is my original answer:
By ...
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What does everyone mean by "insufficient research effort"?
Lately I've noticed a lot of close votes, down votes, and comments to the effect of "this question is too low level" or "the answer is on the internet if you search for it" or "you should already know ...
user10851
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Is this question too broad?
Can you deduce absolute motion through magnetism
I loved above question. All my doubts at one place.
But is it too broad?
It seems to ask a lot.
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Citing all your work
Many times I have answered questions only to be told to cite it. So I research and find somebody has already published it. With as much brains around here is it not possible to arrive at the same ...
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Is Physics SE a good place to ask for textbook references?
I sponsor a high school astronomy club. Most of my students have completed AP1 Calculus BC and are ready for a calculus-based discussion of astronomical physics. I am searching for a source-book to ...
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How is this question still open?
Usually people get mad because we close things too quickly without considering whether they are really on topic or not. But What are the next generation physics experiments? has been open for 2 days ...
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Why is this question about measurement off-topic?
The question Reliable length scales in nature has been received very poorly, for reasons I don't really understand. In the help center, it is stated that questions concerning "Experimental designs ...
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Replacing the homework policy 1: what existing questions should be on/off topic?
TL;DR: post examples of current questions which are edge cases for the new policy, look through the list, and
vote answers UP if you think they should be ON TOPIC
vote answers DOWN if you think they ...
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Poor reception of 'why' questions
Several times, I've seen 'why' questions dismissed unfairly when a better answer could be given, because of a kneejerk reaction that a 'why' question can never have an answer, because physics is built ...
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Why can't I ask hypothetical questions?
Why can't I ask hypothetical questions about situations that can't happen in the first place, if I'm interested in the resulting phenomena and/or said situation will cause?
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Questions regarding the proof of a physical identity
Is it really on topic to ask questions regarding an exact proof/how to approach the proof of a particular identity, or a physical equation?
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Why is this post against the guidelines and especially not about physics itself?
The context is the following question:
https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/242632/84895 (10K link only, partial screenshot here)
As the title stays, this got a lot of downvotes and got put on hold ...
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It is on-topic to ask about computer software useful to do some particular task?
I want to plot some phase diagrams that look professional (Example). I don't really know what tools are usually used to do this kind of diagrams, I've been looking around and found some alternative ...
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Is this question about the meaning of derivations on topic?
Are derivations of physical laws less important than the laws themselves?
This question is attracting a lot of attention, but there is a significant disagreement about whether it's on topic. I want ...
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Is it relevant to ask questions regarding careers in physics and not actually some physics concept?
I wanted to know something about the education in physics. For example:
I like so-and-so field of physics. Then which course would be better for me to pursue in future?
I want to study something ...
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How much mathematics is allowed to be the focus of questions? [duplicate]
Since there are mathematics and mathematical-physics tags, I was convinced that it is perfectly legitimate to ask for a mathematically rigourous proof, i.e. a methematically correct, once given the ...
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Is Physics SE an appropriate location for peer review?
What peer review style questions are acceptable to ask on Physics SE and what actions, if any, should be taken against unacceptable questions?
When I originally encountered this question and its ...
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Generalizing the homework policy
In our last chat session two weeks ago (sorry for the delay), we had a discussion about updating the homework policy and homework close reason. I'm making this post to summarize that discussion and ...
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Compensation for Full Time Moderators [duplicate]
Do moderators here get any kind of compensation for all their efforts and help?
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What are the boundaries of "biophysics" on Physics SE?
The question
Presumably, biophysics questions run a wide range from those that are primarily biology questions with a little physics input to those that are primarily physics questions applied to a ...
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Should "Biophysics" fork?
I see that in Area51 a proposal exists to create an independent Biophysics SE site.
I have mixed feelings, but I support the initiative (so far its popularity is low).
In any case, I think that in ...
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When is it appropriate on Phys.SE to ask the question: What other models would explain our universe?
The experiments at LUX and Xenon500 have all but ruled out particle form of dark matter. If DM exists in our galaxy and interacts with matter, we would have seen it by now. Also, there have been ...
user32023
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Questions with strictly no physics content
Recently, I had a question closed because it was, strictly, a maths difficulty. It occurred during my reading of a physics text named in the question. Admittedly, it was not a profound question, and ...
user97621
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Network science can be a branch of physics
I asked a question about some natural network and after about one hour the question came "On Hold". A similar thing happened here.
There is many physicists that work on this area, such as ecology ...
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Should "biased views and crackpottery" comments be deleted?
For example, the comments in this answer: Entropy and the principle of least action.
Original comment sequence:
There are many issues in this answer. For instance, it confounds the general concept ...
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Fabrication Discussion - Is Physics the place for it?
While Fabrication (usually referring to MEMS/NEMS1 technology) is a fundamental part of physics, somehow I feel the physics stack isn't the place for it. The physics stack seems most suitable for ...
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Why is Phys.SE so restrictive in the Q&A it is willing to accept?
There is already a Physics Overflow. Why then not being more lenient in the Q&A to be accepted in Phys.SE? Mathematics SE has 10 times as many questions. SO leads with +10M questions. Those other ...
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Ultimately, what will the Physics Stack Exchange Become? Are there long term goals?
It was sometime back that I realized what we are synthesizing here (possibly) is an archive for an expert system. Put the Physics Stack Exchange together with an AI machine and you have a super-...
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Can I ask this question? Is it possible to calculate the velocity of a surface to air missile?
I was wondering if it is possible to calculate the velocity of a surface to air missile like the THAAD missile system?
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Are questions about mathematics used in physics always off topic?
This question looks in imminent danger of being closed on the grounds that it's a pure mathematics question. This is something that happened a lot when I was more active on the site, and is one of the ...
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Would Q's that require reading a particular paper be useful to Physics SE?
It has become clear to me that the CPR idea redacted below is waaay too complex to succeed. The less ambitious "Journal Club" idea of 2 years ago was enthusiastically received, then fizzled. I feel ...
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Are sophisticated Astrophysics Q's better asked in the Physics SE or Astronomy SE?
My interests primarily pertain to Astrophysics (and Astrochemistry). This subject appears to have two masters: Physics SE and Astronomy SE. How do I decide where to post, and how would you ...
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Can I ask silly Fermi questions?
Can I ask a Fermi question on Physics Stack Exchange and looking for creative and plausible answers? Even that may sound silly? Such as: How much sea level will it rise if you pee at the sea?
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Is this a good question? - How come Land Speed Records for Cars get higher speeds than motorcycles? (Even though they're less aerodynamic?)
Is this a good question?
How come Land Speed Records for Cars get higher speeds than motorcycles? (Even though they're less aerodynamic?) Is it because more rocket can be packed onto a car, as ...
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Installing Geant4 alongside GEANT3: Question for Physics StackExchange?
I intend to ask the following question:
Can I install Geant4 (wiki) alongside GEANT-3 (wiki) on my Ubuntu 15.04? I have already installed GEANT3. How can I install Geant4 without making any problems?
...
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Can we ask time-travel questions?
I have an extremely curious question relating to time-travel paradoxes which I believe has not been thought of before. Can I ask it in the main site?
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Connections between interpretations of theories
I would like to ask if questions about connections between different interpretations of physical theories can be posted(let me be exact: an example of a question like that is "What are the connections ...
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Clarification regarding conceptual doubts
According to one of the answers to my post:
Physics.SE is not a homework help site, it is not meant to be a resource to teach people physics, and it is not a resource intended to help right ...
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About answering questions with pasting from other sources when not knowing the answer and have found might-helpful info in the web
The title is maybe in need of modification.
The question is this: If I have found a question I'm not in position to answer(because of lack of knowledge), but have found something interesting in the ...
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Quantum Brain Dynamics and brain-physics questions
Are questions concerning Quantum Brain Dynamics theories or questions regarding physics used for analysis of the brain (example: applications of classical EM field theory in brain or other areas of ...
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Can I ask a question that is supplementary to another's users question?
I have found this question about potential energy What is potential energy truly?. I can not make comments.
Can I ask a question supplementary to this question?
Thank you.
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About Physics and philosophy
I would like to ask if there is a room for questions regarding physics and philosophy:
1) On an epistemological basis
2) On a purely philosophical basis, that is, questions about the connection of ...
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Do pure math questions with physics notation belong on physics stack exchange? [duplicate]
I am learning quantum information/computation, and while reading my textbook, naturally some questions arise. Whenever I am stuck on an exercise or have a doubt I post my question on physics stack ...
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Revisiting history
I've been following the history tag for some time now, and it led me to this Phys.SE question, which was recently closed. While the cited reason was
This question does not appear to be about ...
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Are cold fusion questions on-topic?
I was reading 2-year old meta post here, and it seems most of the answers saying that it should be on-topic (as theoretical physics) as science should answer non-mainstream questions to avoid ...
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Off-topic question
I posted a question on Phys.SE and the question was closed as off-topic. As a matter of fact I did a mistake when selecting the tags, since I used the homework tag. When I realized that I did a ...
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Is this question about a recent paper on topic?
Is this question on topic? Or should it be?
How come some people are claiming that the Big Bang never happened?
I actually had the same question (namely how valid is the conclusion) but felt it ...
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Can we allow non-mainstream questions? [duplicate]
I recently asked a question about a theory proposed by someone I know. It is not a scientifically known one, but it is not so obviously true or false that one can avoid speculating on it, to reason ...
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Is this question still too broad?
https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/149004/ was put on hold as too broad, but edited the same day. Now it's been on hold for a few days. Is it still too broad?
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