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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2400556 No.2400556 [Reply] [Original]

You're in a room Without windows. How do you determine where the north is.

-you have no magnets.

>> No.2400567

north and south are relative concepts

>> No.2400569

I walk out the door, find someone with a compass, and ask him.

>> No.2400575

By watching your GPS.

>> No.2400572

1- start to fap
2- fap faster
3- penis turns into magnet
4- you can feel directions now

>> No.2400589

>>2400567
No, they are objective concepts. East and West are more relative, but true North and South have definite locations.

>> No.2400596

Spit on the floor and see which way it flows.

Water always flows south.

>> No.2400597

no windows? use Mac OS or linux

>> No.2400607
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2400607

>>2400589

nope

what you call south I call north

>> No.2400608

Will you give us the answer after a while?

What's in the room?

>> No.2400617

THE ROOM HAS NO WINDOWS?
I GUESS ILL JUST WALK OUT THE DOOR AND CHECK

>> No.2400628

>>2400608
No, I don't know. I ask the /sci/ master race.
You'll find anything in the room you desire, except a compass, a computer, phone etc.

>> No.2400663

I try to feel the walls at different times.

The warmest wall is probably the one facing the equator and the coldest wall is probably the one facing the nearest pole.

>> No.2400674

Look up at the sky and see where the sun is.

>> No.2400704

>>2400663
not if you're at the equator
and what if it's summer, or winter?

>> No.2400722

Gyrocompass might work. If there's a workshop in your non-window-appartment, that is.

>> No.2400721

You find 3 other people and ask them to do daily prayers with you, all in different directions. When you die, only the one who happened to be facing Mecca while you were praying will reach paradise, so assuming you know where the house is relative to Mecca, you will be able to determine what direction is north.

>> No.2400726

>>2400704
What if I'm not? And what if it's not?
HA-HAA!!

Then I'll make a hole in the roof, climb out, wait for the night and determine the directions from the stars.

>> No.2400733

>>2400704
>and what if it's summer, or winter?

breaking news: all walls are the same temperature during summer and winter

>> No.2400745

So, you have no access to the sky and no access to magnets?

Is North something other than directional and magnetic?

The only thing I can really think of is that pendulum experiment but I'm not sure if being in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere would affect the length of the marks at all.

>> No.2400755

>>2400704
What if I'm not on earth and the planet has three, or twelve, or a hundred poles?

>> No.2400769

I take a rock and wait for moss to grow on it.
moss always grows to the north.

>> No.2400775

>>2400755

Why would it have more than two poles?

>> No.2400803

>>2400775
Maybe it's an Outer god with alien geometries.

Also, I look through the transparent walls at the convenient notice board just outside with a good map on it which shows the location of the house and the direction of north. Then to double-check, I look at the huge laser-projection in the clouds which reads "North is this way".

It's all pretty easy if you think about it.

>> No.2400830

Problems:
Is there a roof?
Can I walk outside?
Do I have a COMPASS?

>> No.2400850

listen to miracles by ICP

>> No.2400851

>the room is in outer space
>there is no north
>then where is the floor?

>> No.2400862

I think we give up?

>> No.2400868

I Imagine a ball spinning in my head and use meditation to attribute nerve feeling to this ball so I actually feel it as an electrical impulse. I spin it around constantly and when I start to feel the ball pulse in a direction then I know that direction is north.

Yes, this actually works.

>> No.2400892

1.if you know at what place on Earth you are, take a ball and shoot/throw it very far in the room in a straight line.
2.see how much it deviates from this line due to the coriolis force.
3. repeat this in multiple directions. (probably not even necessary)
4. ??????
5. Profit

>> No.2400893

Quick question.

How many of the people who have posted in here are from /new/?

>> No.2400895

I give up and masturbate.

>> No.2400900

>>2400892

After a long enough time wouldn't the line just complete a circle?

>> No.2400905
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2400905

>>2400868

>> No.2400913

water cork needle... bam! you make your own compass

>> No.2400920

does a loop of wire and battery count as a magnet?
What materials do we have?
What do we know about our location? (north/south of the equator, building materials, above/below ground, door, other people, etc)

>> No.2400927

>>2400913

The needle needs to be magnetised for this to work.

>> No.2400930

>>2400913

Can't believe it took THIS long for someone to say that.

>> No.2400939

>>2400920

I thought a prerequisite for enlightenment was reading and thinking before talking.

He already mentioned materials here:

>>2400628

>> No.2400945

>>2400939
>>2400913
Buut.. how do you know which end points to north, which one to south?

>> No.2400956

>>2400945

Like I said the needle needs to be magnetised for this to work.

You take a magnet and rub the needle from base to tip. This orients the needle North.

>> No.2401092

>>2400956


that's still a compass, we are not allowed compasses.

>> No.2401110

>>2400956
Didn't answer my question but whatever.

I vaguely remember doing this in junior high physics. Can't remember any details, it's been years..

>> No.2401119

Pick any wall.

1/4 chance

It is north because I say its north.

>> No.2401128

>>2400628
I change the thermostat to really cold... and release 20 birds. They will fly south.

>> No.2401135

>>2401110

it means the tip is facing north

>> No.2401141

I really don't think OP is here anymore, but do you want True North or Magnetic North?

>> No.2401147
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2401147

Use electricity from the wall to magnetize metal, problem?

>> No.2401173

>>2400556
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault_pendulum
/thread

>> No.2401235

play rs and stop caring about trivial matters such as directions

>> No.2401261

>>2401173
That's what I thought, but then I was like "wait a minute... That would tell you what hemisphere you are on, but not which way is north."

So how could you use this? Sorry, I'm stupid today.

>> No.2401277

>>2401147
wait I missed this and it is pointless to /sci, but
can I get a reference on this kid really saying that shit?

>> No.2401318

>>2401261
take a look at the 4th image from the wiki