Physics 'mystery' cache anyone?

[+lee737]

I'm after some D rating opinions on a puzzle cache we have just had published. Rather than a mystery/code-breaking exercise, it is a physics problem to solve. The sort we used to do in high-school, fairly straight-forward ballistics/kinematics stuff.

Given this would meet the criteria of requiring 'special knowledge' I've made it D4, and haven't included any hints as yet.

 

The cache - https://coord.info/GC6ZVD8

 

As the working of these problems is no secret, feel free to discuss various parts of the working/calculations if desired, but don't just drop the answers please.... Certainly if you feel there is an error, let me know....

[+narcissa]

Around here I think this would be more of a 2.5, but in an area that's less puzzle-mad I don't think a 4 is inappropriate.

[+barefootjeff]

I'm after some D rating opinions on a puzzle cache we have just had published. Rather than a mystery/code-breaking exercise, it is a physics problem to solve. The sort we used to do in high-school, fairly straight-forward ballistics/kinematics stuff.

Given this would meet the criteria of requiring 'special knowledge' I've made it D4, and haven't included any hints as yet.

 

The cache - https://coord.info/GC6ZVD8

 

As the working of these problems is no secret, feel free to discuss various parts of the working/calculations if desired, but don't just drop the answers please.... Certainly if you feel there is an error, let me know....

As a retired engineer, this looks like a fun one! Without having gone through the machinations of solving it (yet), at first glance I'd say the D4 rating is about right.

 

It'll definitely be on my to-do list next time I'm heading up that way.

[+candlestick]

Here's another physics puzzle. Rating seems to be good with this one. https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6BKWX_e-mcache2

[+lee737]

Good to see a solve on geocheck.....

[+redsox_mark]

Difficulty rating seems about right. I've not solved it, but I don't think you need to have detailed knowledge of Physics, with research one could learn. But of course it would help.

 

One local to me, also a D4. https://coord.info/GC4P6PP

 

And one of mine I rated 3.5 https://coord.info/GC5VEB9

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Difficulty rating seems about right. I've not solved it, but I don't think you need to have detailed knowledge of Physics, with research one could learn. But of course it would help.

 

One local to me, also a D4. https://coord.info/GC4P6PP

 

And one of mine I rated 3.5 https://coord.info/GC5VEB9

 

I have done a lot of different puzzles which required obtaining knowledge that I did not already have in order to solve it. Just as an example, there was one that derived coordinates based on the jersey number for a list of professional hockey players. Even though I"m a season ticket holder for a collegiate hockey team I did not know all of those players numbers off the top of my head so I had to do a little research. I would not consider that special knowledge. I supposed that if the knowledge required was sufficiently complex the difficulty could be reflected in the D rating, but not an automatic D5 rating for special knowledge.

 

 

[elfre]

One local to me, also a D4. https://coord.info/GC4P6PP

 

And one of mine I rated 3.5 https://coord.info/GC5VEB9

 

I was thinking of another ? cache in the area which is also rated 4 difficulty:

 

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC537C2_university-of-boa-school-of-engineering

Edited February 15, 2017 by elfre

[+egroeg]

Most puzzles aren't going to have a "one size fits all" Difficulty rating.

 

A physicist might find your puzzle a mildly diverting exercise; current or recent physics students might know the equations and diligently slog through the calculations; someone who studied physics years ago and then forgot everything might be able to blow the dust off the right brain cells and work his way slowly through the appropriate calculations; someone who never had physics would mutter darkly then switch to another cache page. The range of D's they would propose could be 2 to 5. Since most cachers fall into the upper end of that range, a D4 is not unreasonable.

Not even all experienced puzzlers would find a science puzzle easy. Being able to solve complex ciphers, being able to strip stenographic data from a posted photo, being able to do sudokus or their relatives - none of these prepare you for determining which equations to use and how to use them correctly. Yes, some puzzlers would have the necessary mental agility to easily find the right pathway, but not all. Again, a D4 is not unreasonable for most solvers.

 

I worked out a method for solving your puzzle that required 9 separate calculations, using 4 different physics equations. D4 seems reasonable to me, also.

[+redsox_mark]

One local to me, also a D4. https://coord.info/GC4P6PP

 

And one of mine I rated 3.5 https://coord.info/GC5VEB9

 

I was thinking of another ? cache in the area which is also rated 4 difficulty:

 

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC537C2_university-of-boa-school-of-engineering

 

Yes, that's another. I've solved/found that one too, also a D=4.

[+fizzymagic]

I would probably rate it 3 stars.

 

Since I am a physicist, I have a few physics-based puzzles.

 

This one is 5 stars, and deserves it. It's the kind of problem a grad student would have to solve.

 

This one is more difficult than yours, but I gave it only 3 stars. Judging from the response, I probably under-rated it. Maybe it should be 3.5 stars.

 

I generally tend to like this kind of puzzle far more than the "guess where I hid the puzzle" type puzzles.

Edited February 15, 2017 by fizzymagic

[+lee737]

I would probably rate it 3 stars.

 

Since I am a physicist, I have a few physics-based puzzles.

 

This one is 5 stars, and deserves it. It's the kind of problem a grad student would have to solve.

 

This one is more difficult than yours, but I gave it only 3 stars. Judging from the response, I probably under-rated it. Maybe it should be 3.5 stars.

 

I generally tend to like this kind of puzzle far more than the "guess where I hid the puzzle" type puzzles.

 

I looked at Neutrino, will leave that.... I liked 'Relatively Easy', is actually very similar to the last phase of mine, just with one superimposed concept (which I had to look up, has been a long time!)....... I'll search for it if I'm ever in the area...

[+Blue_Ranger]

Just making sure I'm reading the problem correctly-- the motor produces 5.000N, as in "PRECISELY five Newtons," as opposed to 5,000N, "Five THOUSAND Newtons?" Here in the US, we sometimes see packaging, mainly French Canadian, where they reverse the usual usage of commas and periods when stating weight or volume.

[+lee737]

Yes, 5.000N - I think 5000N would propel it well out of the 2 mile radius, and maybe into space....

[+lee737]

Just for laughs, I calculated what 5000N might do on 194g..... in 7.9s we'd be 801km high, travelling at 203km/sec..... the cardboard rocket body might warp!