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How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem

Started bySam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com>
First post2016-01-27 12:27 -0600
Last post2016-01-28 14:38 -0600
Articles 4 — 3 participants

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  How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem Sam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com> - 2016-01-27 12:27 -0600
    Re: How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com - 2016-01-27 18:55 +0000
    Re: How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem Fabian Russell <fb@zen.info> - 2016-01-28 14:50 +0000
      Re: How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem Sam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com> - 2016-01-28 14:38 -0600

#548586 — How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem

FromSam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com>
Date2016-01-27 12:27 -0600
SubjectHow many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem
Message-ID<g6GdnSMq0LaEkTTLnZ2dnUU7-RudnZ2d@giganews.com>
How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an 
apparently impossible problem
> http://phys.org/news/2016-01-ways-tennis-balls-apparently-impossible.html


> Researchers have solved an apparently overwhelming physics problem
> involving some truly huge numbers. In summary, the problem asks you
> to imagine that you have 128 tennis balls, and can arrange them in
> any way you like. The challenge is to work out how many arrangements
> are possible and – according to the research – the answer is about
> 10^250, also known as ten unquadragintilliard: a number so big that it
> exceeds the total number of particles in the universe.
>
> Despite its complexity, this study also provides a working example of
> how "configurational entropy" might be calculated in granular
> physics. This basically means the issue of measuring how disordered
> the particles within a system or structure are. The research provides
> a model for the sort of maths that would be needed to solve bigger
> problems still, ranging from predicting avalanches, to creating
> efficient artificial intelligence systems.
>
> A bewildering *physics problem* has apparently been solved by
> researchers, in a study which provides a mathematical basis for
> understanding issues ranging from predicting the formation of
> deserts, to making artificial intelligence more efficient.


-- 

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#548609

Fromjimp@specsol.spam.sux.com
Date2016-01-27 18:55 +0000
Message-ID<qegnnc-mmd.ln1@mail.specsol.com>
In reply to#548586
Sam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com> wrote:
> How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an 
> apparently impossible problem
>> http://phys.org/news/2016-01-ways-tennis-balls-apparently-impossible.html

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?


-- 
Jim Pennino

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#548763

FromFabian Russell <fb@zen.info>
Date2016-01-28 14:50 +0000
Message-ID<n8d9rq016es@news4.newsguy.com>
In reply to#548586
On Wed, 27 Jan 2016 12:27:37 -0600, Sam Wormley wrote:

> How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an 
> apparently impossible problem
>> http://phys.org/news/2016-01-ways-tennis-balls-apparently-impossible.html
> 

Dumb-fsck Wormley does it again.

The phys.org "article" is so dummied down that it gives no sense whatsoever
to the original research.

It would be far better to consult the original source:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.012906

From there we can actually understand what is going on:

"... a numerical calculation of the total number of disordered jammed configurations
Ω of N repulsive, three-dimensional spheres in a fixed volume V ..."

This kind of computation could be very important to statistical physics.

We advise Wormley to cite only the original publications and keep
away from the fluff.

But brain-dead Wormley needs his dummified popular trash or he wouldn't
know physics at all.



We present a numerical calculation of the total number of disordered jammed configurations Ω of N repulsive, three-dimensional spheres in a fixed volume V.

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#548845

FromSam Wormley <swormley1@gmail.com>
Date2016-01-28 14:38 -0600
Message-ID<wM-dnYv0j6re4TfLnZ2dnUU7-csAAAAA@giganews.com>
In reply to#548763
On 1/28/16 8:50 AM, Fabian Russell wrote:
> http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.012906
>
>  From there we can actually understand what is going on:
>
> "... a numerical calculation of the total number of disordered jammed configurations
> Ω of N repulsive, three-dimensional spheres in a fixed volume V ..."
>
> This kind of computation could be very important to statistical physics.

   Thanks.

-- 

sci.physics is an unmoderated newsgroup dedicated
to the discussion of physics, news from the physics
community, and physics-related social issues.

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