bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Somewhat in the vein of a previous Professor's riddle, another physics Prof proffered this puzzle: Two cats sat on a tin roof. One slid off. Which one didn't? The answer is not "the other one." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Somewhat in the vein of a previous Professor's riddle, another physics Prof proffered this puzzle: Two cats sat on a tin roof. One slid off. Which one didn't? on the ridgeline? Or do we assume same slope for both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 on the ridgeline? Or do we assume same slope for both?that neither were on the ridgeline. That is, both began on sloping regions, of equal slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The one that did not fall is the one that slid down slower than the one that fell. So he just has'nt fallen..... yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 the one that bumped into the chimney midway (though since it's a physics puzzle im guessing the real answer has something to do with the properties of a specifically tin roof...too bad I don't do physics ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Good lateral thinking, but not the answer. Let's assume no impediments, and the cat we're looking for doesn't slide at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The cat that didn't slide is on the side of the roof that is facing the sun. On his side the snow/ice/frost that caused the other cat to fall has melted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Two cats sat on a tin roof. One slid off. Which one didn't? The answer is not "the other one." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) the one that pushed the other cat the one that couldnt overcome fur-iction(friction) the other one (not physics but alot of physics is logic) wow missed the hint and buddy u sure aint a reading major i wrote the above in the first edit and just realized i admitted not reading something while making fun of someone else for not reading Edited June 3, 2009 by final Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 "The other one" is ruled out in the Hint. Furrriction properties definitely are involved. Getting close. Let's assume the cats sit on physically identical roofs. It's something about the cats themselves that makes the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The one that did not fall was bald, thus sticking to the tin roof? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The one that did not fall was bald, thus sticking to the tin roof? That could be why. But can you phrase it in cat-physics terms? The physics majors have an advantage here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 easy the other one got abducted by aliens!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Me + physics = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Many properties of a cat effects it's friction, mainly it's feathers and kind. To make sense we must assume that they are twin cats. the one who licked himself more than the other one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 the one didnt fall off lost all of his fur in a tragic lawnmowing incident and went ot sit on the tin roof to drown his sorrows with a bottle of vodka, where he found his friend. because the first cat had no fur he had lotss of furrr-iction and didnt fall off the roof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Many properties of a cat effects it's friction, mainly it's feathers and kind. To make sense we must assume that they are twin cats. the one who licked himself more than the other one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The other one (the one that didnt slide off) was a sphynx cat, they have no fur and therfor have alot of furiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 That could be the reason as well. But can you state the difference in physical terms? OK no more clues... OK one more We needn't assume the cats are twins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The one that fell off had extended his claws, reducing k (I think it is called k? ) He had less fur-riction. Claws are more slippery than pads on cat feet. The one that stayed on had better friction from the pads of his feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 random7 Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 That could be why. But can you phrase it in cat-physics terms? The physics majors have an advantage here. The one that didn't fall was a Sphynx, the other was a Persian. Unfortunately for the Persian cat, its coefficient of static-friction was not high enough to allow friction to overcome the gravitational forces present parallel to the roofs surface, causing it to slide down and eventually off the roof. There you go, a Physics 101 explanation for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The cats were sitting such that they both would have fallen at exactly the same place. The roof was just above the ground almost touching it. The first cat fell off and the body of the first cat was still above the roof level since there was not much of a drop. This prevented the second cat from fall off the roof. - Rahul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 so its something to do with the tin then huh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 the de-clawed one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 or the one that walked through tar before he jumped up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted June 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 The one that didn't fall was a Sphynx, the other was a Persian. Unfortunately for the Persian cat, its coefficient of static-friction was not high enough to allow friction to overcome the gravitational forces present parallel to the roofs surface, causing it to slide down and eventually off the roof. There you go, a Physics 101 explanation for you. Bravo. You gave a highly cogent, complete and lucid explanation. You did everything except give the [what now should be embarrassingly obvious] answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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bonanova
Somewhat in the vein of a previous Professor's riddle,
another physics Prof proffered this puzzle:
Two cats sat on a tin roof. One slid off.
Which one didn't?
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