Friday, November 30, 2007
Mathematical Induction
Monday, November 26, 2007
Global Warming: A new approach
Almost everyone knows about global warming. And everyone thinks that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are the culprit. I have a different view of the scenario. My reasoning is based on the law of conservation of energy and the kinetic theory of gases.
Background:
Our present idea of global warming is based on the fact that heat radiations are trapped by the greenhouse gases and hence, the average temperature of the atmosphere is rising. If we look into this we are actually referring to the heat radiations from the sun being trapped. We are not considering any heat that is being generated on our planet or we are simply ignoring it; assuming that it is too less compared to what greenhouse gases trap (well I do not know how correct this is). I have a different view of the problem and it related to mainly the heat that is generated on earth.
Important Laws:
Following laws should be noted:
1. “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another” – law of conservation of energy
2. “Kinetic energy of a molecule is directly proportional to the absolute temperature” – from the kinetic theory of gases
My argument goes like this:
Any process that occurs on earth uses some energy. A part of the energy is used to do the work while the remaining part is lost in some unusable form. These unusable forms can be any form of energy. Consider for example the horn blown by an automobile; it is a conversion of electrical energy to sound energy, i.e. compression and rarefaction to the air. The sound would travel some distance and ultimately fade away. Now this energy which was sound energy earlier is lost into some form of energy. Well what is it? The sound energy is lost into the motion of the components of air (which are mostly gases and water vapor), hence the average kinetic energy of the molecules increases. From (2) we have that the temperature of the air has also increased. Other processes that occur might directly heat up the air resulting in the increase in the temperature.
I do not disagree with the fact that the amount of increase in the temperature would be really less (0+ for all practical purposes). But there is not just one process that is going on, there are infinite such processes. Hence, the temperature increase now becomes
Infinity x Zero = (which might be finite)
Our problem is now to determine what is this finite value and how well can this model predict rise in temperature.
I strongly believe that the heat generated by various processes occurring on earth is big reason for global warming and hence, less blame must be given to the greenhouse gases.
Background:
Our present idea of global warming is based on the fact that heat radiations are trapped by the greenhouse gases and hence, the average temperature of the atmosphere is rising. If we look into this we are actually referring to the heat radiations from the sun being trapped. We are not considering any heat that is being generated on our planet or we are simply ignoring it; assuming that it is too less compared to what greenhouse gases trap (well I do not know how correct this is). I have a different view of the problem and it related to mainly the heat that is generated on earth.
Important Laws:
Following laws should be noted:
1. “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another” – law of conservation of energy
2. “Kinetic energy of a molecule is directly proportional to the absolute temperature” – from the kinetic theory of gases
My argument goes like this:
Any process that occurs on earth uses some energy. A part of the energy is used to do the work while the remaining part is lost in some unusable form. These unusable forms can be any form of energy. Consider for example the horn blown by an automobile; it is a conversion of electrical energy to sound energy, i.e. compression and rarefaction to the air. The sound would travel some distance and ultimately fade away. Now this energy which was sound energy earlier is lost into some form of energy. Well what is it? The sound energy is lost into the motion of the components of air (which are mostly gases and water vapor), hence the average kinetic energy of the molecules increases. From (2) we have that the temperature of the air has also increased. Other processes that occur might directly heat up the air resulting in the increase in the temperature.
I do not disagree with the fact that the amount of increase in the temperature would be really less (0+ for all practical purposes). But there is not just one process that is going on, there are infinite such processes. Hence, the temperature increase now becomes
Infinity x Zero = (which might be finite)
Our problem is now to determine what is this finite value and how well can this model predict rise in temperature.
I strongly believe that the heat generated by various processes occurring on earth is big reason for global warming and hence, less blame must be given to the greenhouse gases.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Cambridge to launch scholarship in Manmohan Singh's name
In a unique honour to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his Cambridge alma mater St John's will launch a scholarship in his name in New Delhi next week to help spot and develop potential Indian leaders in the fields of science and technology, economics and the social sciences.
The privately funded Manmohan Singh Scholarship will send three deserving, means-tested scholars every year to St John's College, Cambridge University, where a young Singh read economics and won the Wright's Prize for distinguished performance in the mid-1950s.
"There has always been an important tradition at Cambridge University of identifying, developing and nurturing leaders," said Stephen Teal, Development Director of St John's.
"There have been leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Amartya Sen and Rajiv Gandhi and, of course, Manmohan Singh. We want to continue that tradition in the areas of science and technology, economics, and social sciences," Teal told IANS.
The scholarships, sponsored by private sector giants British Petroleum, Tata and Rolls Royce, will initially fund three PhD places beginning January 2008, but seek to take the number up to at least four by 2009. The closing date for the first year's applications is the end of January 2008.
The prime minister as well as St John's Master, Prof Christopher Dobson, will attend the Nov 27 launch.
"This scheme has been named after one of our most notable alumni -- and we are very proud of our association with Dr Singh and of what he has done for India," Teal added.
The idea of the scholarship came jointly from an ex-student and an ex-master of St John's. Both wanted to help bright young Indians who could not otherwise afford to study at Cambridge.
Indian-born student Abhijit Banerjee, CEO of Immediance, the world's first online stock exchange for shares in private companies, and former master Richard Perham wrote jointly to Singh in 2004 suggesting a scholarship in his name. The proposal was developed during a meeting of St John's alumni over dinner at the prime minister's residence last year.
Subsequently, Singh visited Cambridge in autumn 2006, where he spoke fondly of his years at St John's and of the "inclusive character" of Cambridge, which had welcomed both Nehru, who had had an exclusive schooling at Harrow, as well as him.
"Before the First World War, a young man from Allahabad came up to Trinity via Harrow. After the Second War, a simple young Indian came to St John's from an obscure university in Punjab. Cambridge University embraced both," he said in a moving speech on 'inclusive globalisation'.
"It was then that we realised just how fond Dr Singh was of the place," said Teal. "We knew that the university was trying to set up ties with India, and we came up with this scheme, which is the first of its kind for PhD students."
As possibly the most academically qualified head of government in the world, Manmohan Singh is thought to be a fitting candidate after whom a scholarship that seeks to spot and grow potential leaders from among academics should be named.
"We hope it's the first step in greatly increased cooperation and collaboration between India and the UK," Teal added.
Hindustan Times article
Official page of the scholarship
The privately funded Manmohan Singh Scholarship will send three deserving, means-tested scholars every year to St John's College, Cambridge University, where a young Singh read economics and won the Wright's Prize for distinguished performance in the mid-1950s.
"There has always been an important tradition at Cambridge University of identifying, developing and nurturing leaders," said Stephen Teal, Development Director of St John's.
"There have been leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Amartya Sen and Rajiv Gandhi and, of course, Manmohan Singh. We want to continue that tradition in the areas of science and technology, economics, and social sciences," Teal told IANS.
The scholarships, sponsored by private sector giants British Petroleum, Tata and Rolls Royce, will initially fund three PhD places beginning January 2008, but seek to take the number up to at least four by 2009. The closing date for the first year's applications is the end of January 2008.
The prime minister as well as St John's Master, Prof Christopher Dobson, will attend the Nov 27 launch.
"This scheme has been named after one of our most notable alumni -- and we are very proud of our association with Dr Singh and of what he has done for India," Teal added.
The idea of the scholarship came jointly from an ex-student and an ex-master of St John's. Both wanted to help bright young Indians who could not otherwise afford to study at Cambridge.
Indian-born student Abhijit Banerjee, CEO of Immediance, the world's first online stock exchange for shares in private companies, and former master Richard Perham wrote jointly to Singh in 2004 suggesting a scholarship in his name. The proposal was developed during a meeting of St John's alumni over dinner at the prime minister's residence last year.
Subsequently, Singh visited Cambridge in autumn 2006, where he spoke fondly of his years at St John's and of the "inclusive character" of Cambridge, which had welcomed both Nehru, who had had an exclusive schooling at Harrow, as well as him.
"Before the First World War, a young man from Allahabad came up to Trinity via Harrow. After the Second War, a simple young Indian came to St John's from an obscure university in Punjab. Cambridge University embraced both," he said in a moving speech on 'inclusive globalisation'.
"It was then that we realised just how fond Dr Singh was of the place," said Teal. "We knew that the university was trying to set up ties with India, and we came up with this scheme, which is the first of its kind for PhD students."
As possibly the most academically qualified head of government in the world, Manmohan Singh is thought to be a fitting candidate after whom a scholarship that seeks to spot and grow potential leaders from among academics should be named.
"We hope it's the first step in greatly increased cooperation and collaboration between India and the UK," Teal added.
Hindustan Times article
Official page of the scholarship
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