>classical mechanics midterms

>prof gives shape of a water molecule

>take the bonds as springs with arbitrary k

>"Determine the boiling temperature of water as a function of k, assume p= 1 atm"

FFW two weeks

>faggot classmates complain

>prof tells them to keep trying their best, that the grades will be on a curve

>faggot classmates still complain because they don't believe him

>prof gives in and makes a new exam for those willing to take it

FFW midterm pt2

>exam is two questions long

>"Determine the deflection from coplanarity of a paper airplane thrown from earth's surface." (landau problem)

>"Find the equations of motion of a pendulum hanging from said paper airplane"

And the cherry on top

>Hint: Use the generalized lagrangian for non inertial reference frames

FFW one week

>Prof is out for a conference

>TA shows up

>Tells us he's gonna wait until prof comes back to grade because he doesn't know how to solve the problem sets

>>15391776 (OP)

that’s definitely a dick move…



but honestly in today’s world i respect that. zoomers expecting the world to be so fair and socially just and everyone gets an equitable position in the bureaucracy is such bullshit. he’s trying to give you a taste of real life 



just try your best on the exam even if it is impossible. likely you will be graded for effort, on a curve (this has been a thing for decades, its not just him) . it isn’t necessarily a fair assessment but i can guarantee it’s a better method for judging merit than a multiple-choice standardized test where miraculously the chinese foreign students somehow know the answer already

I think the problems sets are fun, but it's not something I would give to an undergrad. His solution for the boiling point of water was something like

>linearize the molecule

>assume heat results in force being applied from all directions, hence the molecules can do "work"

>assume the configurations of the molecules are random

>something something brownian motion

>give an upper and lower bound for the boiling point by checking when can 1/4 of the molecules counteract the atmospheric force (evenly distributed on the surface of the container)



The landau problem was shit, I've seen GRE problems he gave us as homework the first month. I don't really care anymore, what happens happens

>>15391776 (OP)

Accounting for Coriolis forces and the like? If not the problem is rather trivial.

Yeah, you basically just have to pick your new reference frame with the earth's center at its origin and keep going from there. The hard part is that the pendulum mounted on the airplane is foucault's pendulum so you can either get assfucked trying to get the lagrangian for the whole system or mix and match the solutions for the airplane and the pendulum individually.

Just solve for inertial coordinates and convert to rotating.

How would the coreolis force show up then?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_force#Acceleration

makes sense

They do sound fun, but giving them on an exam is just fucking greasy as hell, could have made them the last two problems if people are aiming at A+ or something

>>15391776 (OP)

I think you misrepresented what your professor told you. Unless he gives some kind of force between the 'water molecules' it is just in an ideal gas phase no matter what the temperature and pressure are.
