Recent questions from my 4-year-old

[User]

 

[Globalti]

I remember as a kid sitting in the car and asking my Dad why the trees that were further away from the road moved much more slowly than the ones near the road. I also remember that he was stumped for a reply!

 

[02GF74]

Seeing as there are a couple of 'kids' threads knocking around-


Why does the moon follow us?
Because it is tied by a very long string to the earth.

Does it hurt when you die?
No.

What's water made of?
Two atoms of Hydrogen and one of Oxygen.

simples.

 

[Norm]

Why does the moon follow us?

Does it hurt when you die?

1. Earth sucks.
2. Too many answers, most of which are too sick to write in public.

simples.

OK, then, smarty pants, how come oxygen and hydrogen gases are extremely explosive when mixed, but chemically combine the two and you get something which puts fires out.

 

[XmisterIS]

Why does the moon follow us?
Give her a lecture on sub-atomic physics and the Graviton.

Does it hurt when you die?
Give her a lecture on the philosophy and metaphysics of life and death based on the classical concepts of Thanatos and Eros. As her to consider the boundary between life and death, the purpose of pain and the function of the soul.

What's water made of?
Another lecture on sub-atomic physics and the Weak Nuclear Force

She will never ask you another awkward question again! Guaranteed.

 

[Jane Smart]

I was gardening a few years ago, when a neighbours son came to me and pointed to a bee in the tree and said:-

"what is that?"

"it's a bee" I said

"why is it a bee"? he replied

I had no answer to that one

 

[XmisterIS]

"why is it a bee"? he replied

I had no answer to that one

Ah! An excellent opportunity for a lecture on metaphysics and the numinal existential qualities of a bee ... firstly, we must ask ourselves whether or not the bee actually exists ... etc.

 

[Kirstie]

Sounds like a good opportunity to introduce Foucault...

 

[Chamfus Flange]

You don't need to know about the weak force to explain water.

 

[XmisterIS]

You don't need to know about the weak force to explain water.

You do if you want to explain water starting from sub-atomic particles and going upwards from there!

 

[magnatom]

Why does the moon follow us?
Give her a lecture on sub-atomic physics and the Graviton.

Does it hurt when you die?
Give her a lecture on the philosophy and metaphysics of life and death based on the classical concepts of Thanatos and Eros. As her to consider the boundary between life and death, the purpose of pain and the function of the soul.

What's water made of?
Another lecture on sub-atomic physics and the Weak Nuclear Force

She will never ask you another awkward question again! Guaranteed.

When it comes to Santa Claus I actually call on some of my university physics to get me out of hot spots...

How does santa get in as we don't have a chimney?
He quantum tunnels his way through the door.

How can santa deliver all of the presents so quickly?
He actually does very little traveling. He once again uses his advanced control of quantum physics to be in more than one place at once, i.e. quantum particles can be in more than one state at once. It is only when they are measured that they take one particular state. That is why it is really important that children are in bed when santa comes. If they see him, santa can no longer deliver all the other boys and girls presents....

Actually my four year old asked a great question the other day...what is history? His face was a picture when I was telling him...in the past there was no internet/cars/trains/people etc!

 

[jonny jeez]

Actually my four year old asked a great question the other day...what is history? His face was a picture when I was telling him...in the past there was no internet/cars/trains/people etc!

Mrs Mag missed a golden opportunity there, she should have shouted out "Its when your Dad does the washing up!"

 

[magnatom]

Mrs Mag missed a golden opportunity there, she should have shouted out "Its when your Dad does the washing up!"

Nah! That's what a dishwasher's for. Amazing invention!

 

[Arch]

My sister went though a phase at about 3 or 4 of getting up in the small hours and waking my Mum to ask important questions. These included: "Is the Earth a planet" and "How old were you when you where my age?"

The water one is simple, it's tea, with the milk and tea taken out.

 

[ufkacbln]

Ah! An excellent opportunity for a lecture on metaphysics and the numinal existential qualities of a bee ... firstly, we must ask ourselves whether or not the bee actually exists ... etc.

Half a bee, philosophically, must, ipso facto, half not be.
But half the bee
has got to be,
vis a vis
its entity - do you see?

But can a bee
be said to be
or not to be
an entire bee
when half the bee
is not a bee
due to some ancient injury?


A classic Monty Python moment