Siméon Denis Poisson Moment

Optics Wave theory Poisson spot Scientific discovery History of science Diffraction Light Predictions

Physics Science Scientists

4 months ago 8,722 views 0 shares

Siméon Denis Poisson Moment

physics-memes, optics-memes, wave-theory-memes, poisson-spot-memes, scientific-discovery-memes | ScienceHumor.io

Physicist: "Wave theory of light implies there should be a bright spot at the center of a circular shadow? That's absurd!"

*Poisson's spot actually appears in experiments*

Physicist: *spits drink dramatically*

This is the historical physics equivalent of saying "I'll eat my hat if that happens" and then having to grab some ketchup. When Augustin Fresnel proposed his wave theory of light in 1818, Siméon Poisson thought he'd cleverly disproved it by showing the math predicted an impossible bright spot in the middle of a shadow. Then François Arago went and did the experiment... and found the spot. Oops! Nothing like the universe saying "actually, check THIS out" to humble a scientist.

More Like This

The Aerodynamic Showdown: Pig vs. Football

Physics Engineering

5 months ago 12.5K views 0 shares

The Aerodynamic Showdown: Pig vs. Football

The pig is bringing home the bacon in this aerodynamic showdown! In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (Cd) measures how much an object resists movement through a fluid. The football has a chunky Cd of 0.85, while our colorful porcine friend boasts a sleeker 0.5. Mother Nature engineered pigs better than humans engineered footballs! Next time someone calls you a pig, just remind them you're more aerodynamic than a football. Physics doesn't lie, people!

One-Sided Möbius Malicious Compliance

Physics Math Academia Science

7 months ago 16.3K views 0 shares

One-Sided Möbius Malicious Compliance

The student took "one-sided" a bit too literally! While the professor meant using only one side of the paper, our quantum mechanics genius folded the paper into a Möbius strip—the mathematical wonder with only ONE SIDE! It's the perfect malicious compliance for physics students. The best part? Technically, they're not wrong! A Möbius strip truly has only one surface, so good luck grading that, Professor! This is what happens when you give precise instructions to people who understand topology better than social cues.

Physics Gangster Sign

Physics Science

4 months ago 10.5K views 0 shares

Physics Gangster Sign

Throwing gang signs? Nah, we're throwing vector notations. The right-hand rule just got street cred. Your index finger points in the B-field direction, middle finger shows the F-force, and thumb indicates velocity. Next time someone asks about cross products, just flash this and walk away. Physics street smarts - where the only drive-bys are electrons moving through magnetic fields.

The Atomic Identity Crisis

Physics Chemistry Science Scientists

6 months ago 17.5K views 0 shares

The Atomic Identity Crisis

The atomic model went through more identity crises than a teenager with Instagram. First Dalton was like "atoms are solid balls" (1803). Then Thomson crashed the party with "actually they're plum puddings with electrons" (1897). Rutherford showed up and said "nah, it's a nucleus with orbiting electrons" (1911). Bohr strutted in with "electrons only orbit at specific energy levels" (1913). And just when everyone thought they had it figured out, quantum mechanics barged in screaming "ELECTRONS ARE PROBABILITY CLOUDS!" Scientists basically reinvented the atom every 5 years like it was the iPhone. No wonder the poor atom has trust issues.

Island Of Stability Where

Physics

13 days ago 25.2K views 0 shares

Island Of Stability Where

Content Physicists when they discover a new particle that lasts for 0.00000000371 seconds:

All My Homies Hate Ben Franklin

Physics Scientists Science Engineering

8 months ago 28.1K views 0 shares

All My Homies Hate Ben Franklin

Hunting down Franklin in the fiery depths because he got electricity completely backwards ! The dude decided electrons flow from positive to negative (conventional current), when they actually zoom the other way. Now generations of physics students suffer through circuit diagrams with arrows pointing in the wrong direction! The ultimate scientific bamboozle that still haunts our textbooks centuries later. Imagine being so brilliant yet leaving behind an electrical legacy that makes engineers twitch uncontrollably.