Pancake Physics - Delicious Science

March 6, 2003 8:01 AM

The most important scientific discovery of our generation.
Okay, maybe not. But it is nice to know that a math degree can still have fun applications.
posted by grum@work (11 comments total)

And don't forget the second-most: Why the toast lands butter-side down.
posted by mattpfeff at 8:18 AM on March 6, 2003

Yummm.. pancakes!!

Hey, it's not Friday grum! :-)
posted by nofundy at 8:19 AM on March 6, 2003

I love the little pull out "facts" on pancake preferences:

• Scots like cheese
• West Country has sweet tooth
• 60% of UK likes lemon and sugar
posted by me3dia at 8:54 AM on March 6, 2003

Phooey on abstract maths. Take all that book learning and make something far more useful!
posted by mookieproof at 8:58 AM on March 6, 2003

But it is nice to know that a math degree can still have fun applications.

It is?
posted by maniactown at 9:24 AM on March 6, 2003

maniactown, for this, you'll need one.
posted by thomcatspike at 10:16 AM on March 6, 2003

Does Britain have spatulas? well, even if it do, they can throw both them and math away!

'Cause, ladies & gentlemen & others, I present, for your pancaking flipping amusement, as seen on TV THE PERFECT PANCAKE MAKER!

Just $14.88, and it comes with butter dispenser and fluffy recipe guide!

Who needs math when we have TV?
posted by Jos Bleau at 10:22 AM on March 6, 2003

The survey also found half of all those questioned north of the border like cheese in their pancakes.

We're going to war with the wrong country.
posted by ColdChef at 10:29 AM on March 6, 2003

Isn't that more a physics problem than a math problem?
posted by Veritron at 10:31 AM on March 6, 2003

What, a physics discussion with no formula in sight? It's

? = vp·g/4r

where ? is the angular flipping velocity of the (frictionless and very thin) pancake in radians per second (a radian is a full turn divided by p), g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 metres per second per second), and r is the elbow-pan distance (metres). So, the closer the pancake is to your elbow, the faster it has to be flipped - to flip the pancake properly for my r of about 0.7m, it has to be flipped at 6.2 rad s^-1, or about 2 flips per second. Makes sense, though I've found it's pretty intuitive to flip them properly after a few tries in any case...
posted by Bletch at 10:44 AM on March 6, 2003

Also, I'm never going to use non-ascii characters again.
posted by Bletch at 10:46 AM on March 6, 2003