Fun With Fundamentals: Problem 223

Cold sweat
Problem 223 – This month's problem submitted by Gregory Smith of Oak Ridge, Tenn., has us wondering if these chemistry students will be left out in the cold. What do you think?

Professor Selceyus Kay Fayr-Inhyte, renowned for her acerbic comments and stinging rebukes, taught every section of first year chemistry at ICU. The course was uniformly dreaded by all students who were required to take it.

During one laboratory session, Professor Fayr-Inhyte lectured on the particulars of her favorite experiment--one nearly impossible to reproduce. She gave the students specific quantities of compounds to add to an Erlenmeyer flask and then stated the exact temperature to which the resulting mixture should be cooled to obtain the proper reaction.

Hands shot up around the room. "You didn't specify what temperature scale to use," the class pointed out.

"You may assume either of the two common scales and achieve exactly the same results; don't waste valuable class time with such inappropriate questions," Fayr-Inhyte shot back icily.

What temperature did the professor want the flask cooled to?

Solution to February's problem 222 – You know your torque if you answered no, anything over 0.65 in. would stop Louie cold. Here's why:

Taking the sum of the moments around the front tires, and solving for x: