this post was submitted on 25 Jun 2025
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xkcd #3106: Farads (imgs.xkcd.com)
submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 

xkcd #3106: Farads

Title text:

'This HAZMAT container contains radioactive material with activity of one becquerel.' 'So, like, a single banana slice?'

Transcript:

[Cueball holds a stick while talking with Megan and White Hat.]
Cueball: This stick is one meter long.
Megan: Cool.
White Hat: That's a nice stick.

[Cueball holds a smallish rock.]
Cueball: This rock weighs one pound.
Megan: I'd believe it.
White Hat: Looks like a normal rock.

[Cueball holds a small battery.]
Cueball: This battery is one volt.
Megan: Seems fine.
White Hat: Might need a recharge.

[Cueball holds a capacitor while Megan and White Hat panic.]
Cueball: This capacitor is one farad.
Megan: Aaaaa! Be careful!!
White Hat: Put it down!!

Source: https://xkcd.com/3106/

explainxkcd for #3106

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[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I mean depends on the context, in the specific case which i was thinking of it is signal but usually its noise. I have mainly worked with ac and dc signal coupling so thats why both sre signals for me when i think if it.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

That makes sense. In distortions for music instruments all of it is signal for instance. It's just that sometimes you don't want all of it because you want a specific sound to be produced.

I'm most used to working with digital electronics with a crystal supplying the frequency, so for me anything that is above that frequency is noise.