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xkcd #3106: Farads (imgs.xkcd.com)
submitted 1 year ago by [B] to c/xkcd@lemmy.world
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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

'This HAZMAT container contains radioactive material with activity of one becquerel.' 'So, like, a single banana slice?'
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[–] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Thats literally exactly what it is. They aren't derived from the metric system like all units in the system, theyre a specialized edge case where a conversion was specifically written in because america sucks. There are no other conversions in the metric system, units are derived from constants based on a set of specific rules that the pound and yard do not adhere to.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    And I have to say, the chemistry math that resulted from the metric system is elegant. I've forgotten most of it by now, but at some point, I was able to envision the machinery behind it all, and it was beautiful.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    So, you don't understand the joke, but you detected an excuse to say America Bad. Your employer must be pleased.

    The joke of this comic is based around most units in both the metric and imperial system being fairly mundane quantities. A one meter long stick is about half the height of a man, a one pound rock is about the size of his fist, a one volt battery has the potential of a dead AA.

    The Ferad is the SI unit of capacitance, equal to 1 coulomb per volt. A one ferad capacitor can hold enough energy to do a number of exotically dangerous things.

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  • [–] -1 points 1 year ago*

    Lmao what makes you think i didnt understand the joke? We're talking about units of measurement. And yeah i dont need an excuse to say America Bad. It is bro, have you been paying attention?

    Edit* my comment was meant to be a reply to another comment about the metric system, not top level. Not sure how that happened aince i clicked reply right from my inbox. Stick by what i said about america

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