In the midst of a challenging physics exam at the University of Copenhagen, the professor posed a peculiar question:
“Explain how you can determine the mass of an elephant using a bathroom scale.”
One brave student, channeling the spirit of Niels Bohr, confidently wrote:
“Firstly, you could place the bathroom scale in an elevator, take the elephant inside, and measure the change in weight as it goes up or down. Then, applying Newton’s laws, you can determine the mass. But beware of the disgruntled elephant!”
“Alternatively, on a sunny day, measure the weight of the elephant on the scale, then suspend the scale from a tree and measure the tension in the string. By considering the gravitational force and tension, you can deduce the mass. Just make sure the elephant is in a cooperative mood!”
“For a more dynamic approach, attach the scale to a seesaw, place the elephant on the other side, and measure the resulting torque. With the right calculations, you can find the mass, assuming the seesaw doesn’t become an amusement ride for the elephant.”
“Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, attempt to balance the scale on the elephant’s trunk and observe the tilt angle. Apply some angular momentum equations, and voila, you’ve got the mass of the pachyderm. Warning: May require exceptional balancing skills!”
“But, if all else fails, you can knock on the zookeeper’s door and propose a trade – a new bathroom scale for the information on the elephant’s mass. After all, sometimes the simplest solutions are just a knock away!”
The student, hailed as the “Bohr of the Bathroom,” left the professor in both amusement and bewilderment, proving once again that a touch of creativity can make even the weightiest problems light-hearted.
