Three plus or minus five

https://mastodon.online/@ThreeSigma

Ex-professor, physicist, dad, gamer. I used to teach and do experimental particle physics; now I work on robotics software and deal with corporate culture shock. #exac #exacademic
Another birdsite refugee (@threesigma3).

Pronouns: He/him

Public Key

npub150t75r3dxdd0u0wepluzzdjx0va9fl0rxdm736vp8qxhe2x2acrssqdq4x

NIP-05 Address

threesigma_at_mastodon.online@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs284l2pcknxkh78hvsl7ppxer8kwj5lh3nxalgaxqnsrtu4r9wupc6azre6

Author Public Key

npub150t75r3dxdd0u0wepluzzdjx0va9fl0rxdm736vp8qxhe2x2acrssqdq4x

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Last Notes

2024-08-26 17:19:12

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So, I was primarily an educator. Most people who know, say, a Newton as a unit know it from high-school or first-year physics. Generally those courses don't get to Bq or Ci units, and most units are single letters. Two-letter symbols are easily confused with elements or look like compound units to first blush.
I'm in generally in favor of such a naming, I just wish we had something less confusing. Perhaps a lowercase eta? Or script N?

2024-08-26 12:10:15

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maybe a lowercase n?

2024-08-26 12:08:40

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I honestly didn’t even see the link to the paper, overshadowed as it was by Noether’s.
Two-letter unit names are not awesome. We use them in a few places in physics but not much in the intro series. This may sound nitpicks but anything that makes units or math more confusing for students is something I would want to avoid.
All that said, I’m still pro. We need a unit, and Noether is one who deserves recognition.

2024-08-26 11:06:59

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I’d be all over this.. except there’s no good abbreviation.