CULTURAL QA 08-2023-17A Q1 Iffire needs oxygen, where does the sun get oxygen if there's no oxygen in space?
A1 Ala, Studied Science & Health at University of Sheffield(Graduated 2019)Wed Even though it might seemcounterintuitive, the Sun doesn't actually need oxygen toburn like a fire does. The Sun's energy comes from a process called nuclear fusion, whichtakes place in its core. In this process, hydrogen atoms fuse together to formhelium, releasing an enormous amount of energy in the form of light and heat. Thishappens at incredibly high temperatures and pressures that exist deep withinthe Sun. Unlike a fire on Earth that relies on the combustion ofmaterial with oxygen, the Sun's fusion process involves the intense pressureand temperature of its core, and it doesn't require any external oxygen source. As for the lack of oxygen inspace, you're right thatthe vacuum of space is practically devoid of oxygen and other gasesthat we're familiar with on Earth. Space is essentially a near-perfect vacuum,with only very sparse traces of matter spread out over vast distances. The Sun doesn't need to "breathe" in oxygen from spacebecause it's not relying on combustion for its energy production.Instead, it's all about the incredible forces at play within its core, where extreme heat and pressure allow those hydrogen atoms to come togetherand release energy in the form of light and heat. So, no need for oxygenin space for the Sun to shine. Q2 Whatis the difference between hard water and soft water? A2 Ananda Jogi,Sun The terms "hard water" and "soft water" refer tothe mineral content present in water, specifically the concentration of calciumand magnesium ions. The main difference between hard water and softwater lies in their mineral content and the effects they canhave: Hard Water: Hard water contains a relativelyhigh concentration of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium ions. These minerals are commonly found in groundwater as water passes throughlimestone, chalk, or other mineral-rich geological formations. When hard water is heated, it can lead tothe formation of mineral deposits, or "scale," on pipes, appliances,and surfaces. This scale can reduce the efficiency of water heaters and otherequipment. Soap and detergents do not lather as effectively in hard water, leadingto the need for larger amounts of cleaning agents to achieve the same results. My note- So Chandrikasoap containsthe cleaning agents in large scale. Chandrika became famous in Chennai andTamilnadu, because it produced more lather while using during bathing. Hard water can cause issues withplumbing and appliances over time due to mineral buildup. Soft Water: Soft water has a low concentration ofcalcium and magnesium ions. It is typically found in areaswith less mineral-rich geological formations or where water has been treated toremove minerals. Soft water does not lead to the formation of scale when heated, whichcan improve the efficiency and lifespan of water heaters and appliances. Soap and detergents lather more readily in soft water, requiring smalleramounts for effective cleaning. Soft water is generally considered more gentle on plumbing systems andappliances. In summary, the primarydifference between hard water and soft water is the mineral content,specifically the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions. The presence ofthese minerals in hard water can lead to scale build up and affect theperformance of plumbing, appliances, and cleaning products. Soft water, on theother hand, is less likely to cause scale and can provide benefits in terms ofcleaning efficiency and equipment longevity. My note-In Chennai many tried to soften hard water inthe water tank, most gave up due to the hugeexpenditure involved, mainly large quantity of salt 5-6 bagsin every quarter. Q3 Howcan the "big bang" origin of the universe be scientific, when sciencealready proved life can not come from non-life in the 1800s? A3 Claire Jordan, Degree in biology and folklore; programmer,shop owner, secretary on newspaper Sun 164 years ago, Pasteur demonstrated that*complex* life did not come from non-life under the specific circumstances of asingle experiment. It mayhave escaped your attention that this has nothing to do with theorigin of the first, very simple life; that was *164 years ago* and science advances with every weekthat passes; and that this has precisely zero to do with the origin of thecosmos itself. Q4 How far away from the Earth must anobject be to stay on the same spot above the Earth, like say above the US? A4 John McMahon,Studiedat School of Hard Knocks Sun About 900,000 miles out towards the Sun. This isthe area known as the L1 LaGrange point. It's a point in space where theEarth is pulling just as hard as the sun is. It's an unstable LaGrange pointso you can't park things there for very long but we do have things parked therelike the Halo solar Observatory. Anything parked in the L1 needs to have thrusters on it to keep itright at The Sweet Spot because it's an unstable LaGrange Point unlike theothers. L4 and L5 are so stable that things get stuck there. Q5 Whatif a human fell in a pool filled with mercury? A5 Loring Chien, Former Principal Engineer at Fortune 1000Company (2002–2016)Aug 8 Mercury is dense, very dense and liquid at roomtemperatures. It has a density more than 13 times that of water. A block of steel floats on mercury. Not just floats 50% submergedlike a piece of wood in water, but about 50% above the mercury. A human whose density is about the same as water will barely have any parts underthe surface. But its too soft to get up and walk. Iimagine you could doggie paddle easily or float on your back to a place you canclimb out. You can’t swim or even treadvertically, or tiptoe on the bottom. your body would pop up and be top heavy and fall over. Of course mercury is very toxic - you want to get out ASAP andlimit contact and don’t for gods sake swallow any. My note-I read elsewhere mercury is soscarce and a pool of mercury is imaginable- Q6 Howmany moons are there in all the planets? A6 Salwa Salah,Aug 8 There are a total of 219 known moons in oursolar system. Here is a breakdown of the number of moons each planet has: 1. Mercury: 0 moons 2. Venus: 0 moons 3. Earth: 1 moon (named "Moon") 4. Mars: 2 moons (Phobos and Deimos) 5. Jupiter: 79 moons (including four large moons: Io,Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) 6. Saturn: 82 moons (including the famous Titan andEnceladus) 7. Uranus: 27 moons (including Titania, Oberon, Umbriel,Ariel, and Miranda) 8. Neptune: 14 moons (including Triton and Nereid) 9. Pluto: 5 moons (including Charon, Styx, Nix,Kerberos, and Hydra) It's important to note that the number ofmoons can change over time as new discoveries are made, and it's possible that more moonsmay be discovered in the future. Q7 Whyis the Big Bang the most accepted theory if there was nothing before it tocause the explosion? A7 Carlos A, Former student in Astrophysics, UniversidadTécnica Federico Santa María Wed There are many interpretations/possible explanations: The universe had existed before the Big Bang, althoughin a somehow different state, and probably, different laws of physics. Some phenomenon caused it to collapseand then cause the Big Bang. The multiverse in some form may be real.New universes then can come from already existing ones, or by other mechanisms. There is no cause. To be a cause, you have to be a past event prior toanother one closely related. Since time itself didn’t exist before theBig Bang, there is, by definition, no cause. Similar to howthere isn’t any point more towards the north than the north pole. All the above QA are from Quora digest to me on 17-08- 2023. Quora answers need not be 100% correct answers . Compiled andposted by R. 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