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7swi3g | Why is pausing a video represented by two vertical bars? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"It's probably derived from ceasura, a notation on music and poetry to pause. It's represented by double bars (||)",
"It all has to do with how tape moves past the tape head. Play is an arrow to the right because that's the direction the tape moves in ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7sy7rq | Can AIs really learn things? | I've been watching videos about AI Technology, like the debate between Sophia and Han. The whole thing seems so odd and scary to me. Can AIs really learn things? How do they do this? Are the researchers just feeding them certain information and then saying specific phrases to trigger a response they programmed? How do ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"You may be interested in Alan Turing's landmark 1950 paper [*Computing Machinery and Intelligence]( URL_0 ). It is not technical and is readily accessible to the layman. In it, he introduces the concept of the famous Turing Test, but often overlooked is h... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7sydme | difference between game engine and render engine | How exactly can a game engine churn out 60 FPS while it might take something like eevee or lux up to multiple minutes to render. I get that the latter are more realistic, but does this really make that big of a difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"Imagine a simple room in a video game with a glass of water on table and a lamp on a desk on the other side of the room. The video game is going to show you the basics of what I just described. A fully rendered scene would show: * realistic shadows * realistic reflectio... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7syi3j | How do smartphones know how to rotate correctly when "Auto-Rotate" is enabled? | It always interested me since I got my first smartphone years ago. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dt8gamh",
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"text": [
"There's a tiny weight suspended in springs inside your phone, it can measure where the weight is. This weight and measuring thingy is called an accelerometer, because it can only measure acceleration, gravity for example.",
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7syu8i | How do anti-virus scanners "quarantine" viruses to prevent them from working? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Details depend on the individual anti-virus software. Quarantine sounds very fancy/advanced but most AV use very simple techniques to \"quarantine\" viruses. I'd say following steps will be sufficient to \"quarantine\" malware * Tell operating system to s... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7syzst | When a clock is say, five minutes ahead of time and we reset it, why does it return to being five minutes ahead? | EDIT: To be more specific, I'm referring to how the clocks don't go further than that five minutes. I've had an analog clock in my kitchen that's ten minutes ahead for years and I gave up years ago resetting it because it always works its way back to being ten minutes ahead and remains there. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"The timing mechanisms(?) are off, so a minute or an hour on your clock is not the same as a minute or hour in real life, so gradually over time it begins to get further and further out of sync. Then someone notices it is out of time, resets... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7t096h | How can I run multiple programs simultaneously if I only have a single core processor? | I was browsing through some old computer specs, and this question just came up. How is it physically possible that one processor can do two or more things at once? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"text": [
"Your OS is able to give each program a slice of time on the CPU, and stop it once that time has passed, to pass control to a new program. So every program shares that CPU with every other program, and also with the OS itself. Run more progr... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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7t0oc3 | How is money transferred digitally from bank to bank? | I feel like this is one of those questions where the solution is obvious, but you end up thinking about it wrong and are unable to come to the right conclusion. Maybe I’m just an idiot, but nobody else has been able to answer this for me. Okay, so you take cash and deposit it into your bank account. You buy something o... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dt8xrjq",
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"text": [
"There is a special network, called SWIFTnet, that connects the banks. The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) uses a standard protocol (ISO 9362) to identify each bank and transmit encrypted payment orders. Each bank is par... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7t1c7s | How does one prove that data (such as text Messages) recovered forensically is actually the data it is purported to be? | Specifically, when data is "recovered" forensically (which I understand) how does an individual (or group) present that data to someone and remove any doubt that the "data" wasn't just planted, made up, or otherwise fabricated to serve whatever purpose they need it to serve? What mechanism is in place to say, for examp... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dt9450q",
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"text": [
"Like all evidence, any recovered electronics would follow a chain of custody - a legal document which records the sequence of custody of the piece of evidence. So long as the chain of custody is intact and the people on the chain are trustworthy, the evid... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7t76y3 | What happens when a program is installed on a computer? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtaiyx0",
"dtbv5tm"
],
"text": [
"Think of a program like hiring someone to work in your mansion. If it's your personal chef, they need to unpack their equipment (knives, pots, pans, etc.) so they can perform their function. These resources are indexed so the chef can remember where (what... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tbkee | When Windows first loads and everything is going extremely slowly for several minutes but task manager doesn't show anything taking up much CPU or RAM, what the hell is it doing? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtbcz9g"
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"text": [
"Look at your I/O (Disk usage), most of the time, that is what is slowing down your windows startup the most. That's why so many people buy SSDs, they are much faster than regular hard drives (but obviously more expensive)."
],
"score": [
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... | [
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7tci36 | How were wooden ships made waterproof in ancient times? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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... | [
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7tea2j | What is the process behind film and video game remasters? | Is it just an easy cash cow where minimal work needs to be done or is there a complex/delicate process to it? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtc51r2",
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"text": [
"The answer is: It depends, there is no general answer. * There are remasters or \"HD versions\" that are really low effort. Some just replace some textures, re-make some HUD-elements to work with modern resolutions/ratios and that was that. * On the other... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
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7tgaco | How do restaurants with trackers know where you sit with pinpoint precision? | I always wondered how those tracker badges with numbers worked. Not the ones that buzz and you pick up your food, but like in Panera for instance where a server finds your table and gives you your food after you ordered it at the front. It looks like they aren't looking around or anything, not like they wander, they co... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtcabar"
],
"text": [
"There is another device attached to the table that can tell it the table number through short range wireless (RFID). The system associates a tracker's ID with the order number. When the tracker is places on the table, it reads the table number from the RFID tags under t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7tmoh7 | The real-world problem Blockchain technology solves | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtdmyqj"
],
"text": [
"Transaction verification without a third-party. There are lots of transactions done in business/real estate/etc. that rely on cumbersome methods of verification, often involving manual effort by a person. Being able to skip that with something that's cryptographically t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tmurb | How does transparent TV work? | I'm talking about something like this: URL_0 | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtdv1ss",
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"text": [
"Short answer: The same as your black screen TV, just with transparent material instead of the black material. Less short: OLED displays have [a bit of space between the diodes]( URL_0 ) that make up the pixelsand while they need some of it for the circuit... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7tn1m1 | If a 3.5mm audio jack is also referred to as a 1/8" jack, why is a 1/4" audio jack also referred to as a 6.3mm jack? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtdotfs"
],
"text": [
"> [The outside diameter of the \"sleeve\" conductor is 1⁄4 inch (6.35 millimetres). The \"mini\" connector has a diameter of 3.5 mm (0.14 in)]( URL_0 ) The 1/4\" jack was defined as being a quarter inch because it's an old American invention dating back to the 19th cent... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tn671 | if you listen to music on your phone, does the loudness make a difference in battery life, while using headphones or speakers on your phone? And if yes, is this a significant difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtdpfkj"
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"text": [
"Yes it makes a difference: louder music means more energy to produce it, and that's gotta come from somewhere. Unless your speakers are powered (can't tell by your question), that power comes from your phone. No, it's not a significant difference, in that your wireless ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tnqyf | How come when you look at lights (I.e. phone, pc, tv) before you go to sleep it takes longer for you to fall asleep? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtdu6ko",
"dte6v2o",
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],
"text": [
"The blue light messes with your melatonin levels and makes your body think it’s daytime and shouldn’t be sleeping- that’s why night-mode on most devices is a red-orange tint, rather than blue",
"As others have said, light (especially bl... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tq601 | How did the gun from the Nintendo game Duck Hunt work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dteeskz",
"dteerv4"
],
"text": [
"IIRC the screen would flash every time you pulled the trigger. Based on reflective light bouncing off angled light gun, game could detect where on screen the gun was pointed.",
"URL_0 Basically the gun can sense if you're aimed at the right colors on ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7trxit | social engineering | Edit: in terms of computer science | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dteqio2",
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"text": [
"It's a euphemism for lying to and scamming people in order to bypass the security of a computer system (as opposed to finding exploits in the software that let you hack the system). When dealing with \"important\" systems, like on a corporate network, the... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7tshkm | How is nuclear Fallout removed? | For example in places like Fukushima or Chernobyl, which have been (at least by official stations) "cleared" of Fallout and made inhabitable again, how exactly is the nuclear fallout and the radiation there removed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtetb7r"
],
"text": [
"By removing whatever was contaminated. They usually go and remove some centimeters to meters of ground, put it in bags and then dispose these bags as radioactive waste (which means that there are warehouses and storage areas full of this shit that waits for science to f... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7tstgo | OLED burn in. We know how it happens, but why does it happen? Do pixels fade away over time or what? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtey0lt",
"dtf9ka6",
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],
"text": [
"Yes pretty much, over time (and over use) the pixels age and their properties degrade. As long as all pixels are getting roughly the same use, you will not notice this, but you are actually getting the same \"burn-in\" over the whole screen... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7tt7mg | Why is cell phone service non-existent in basements or certain buildings? | Why is it that most basements and some buildings have no good cell reception? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dteyyun"
],
"text": [
"Concrete can block cellphone signals. It is thick/dense enough to stop cell phone frequency waves from passing through it."
],
"score": [
8
],
"text_urls": [
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} | [
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7ttkp2 | Why do the colors on your computer screen become distorted when you apply pressure to the screen? And what determines what color these distorted pixels turn to? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtf5rpa"
],
"text": [
"You're using a liquid crystal display. This means that there's a sheet of liquid crystals in between a bunch of other screens and filters, and behind all of that is a light. When you apply an electrical charge to liquid crystals you can change their shape, and when that... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ttnim | How does one encode data into DNA? | There's a video floating around about our newfound capacity to encode data into DNA...but what does that process look like? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtf5ydp"
],
"text": [
"an inkjet printer embeds short fragments of chemically synthesized DNA onto the surface of a tiny glass chip. To encode a digital file, researchers divide it into tiny blocks of data and convert these data not into the 1s and 0s of typical digital storage media, but rat... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7tway5 | Why do washing machines have glass windows whereas the dishwashers don’t? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtfpv3h"
],
"text": [
"Washer machines has a load level, also, requires some supervision of the activity [i.e. Trying to open the door when water level is hight]. Dishwashers can't be \"overloaded\" neither visual inspection is needed."
],
"score": [
4
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"text_urls": [
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7typo4 | Why is there so much innovation & improvement with Cellular technologies & speed(3G, 4G, 4G LTE, 5g), but not with wired speeds? | Over the past 10 years, there has been tremendous improvement with cellular speeds. It used to be that cellular internet was good for text-based webpages, and that was about it. Nowadays, in many cases people have cellular internet that's faster than broadband available to them. What are some of the reasons why cellula... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtg9j7n",
"dtgaqt9",
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],
"text": [
"> What are some of the reasons why cellular internet makes such huge strides while wired internet speeds have hardly budged in most regions? Because with cellular internet, you have to wire a few cell towers with high-speed wired Internet, ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7u1sfg | why did older bikes have one large wheel in the front and a smaller one in the back | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"dtguro8",
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"dthns11",
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"dti7ku0",
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"text": [
"Before derailleur drive chains and geared hubs that allowed a varying ratio between the rider's legs' rotation and the wheel's rotation became common, the only way to change that ratio was to use... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7u4jbn | how medical students spent 1500 hours dissecting a nervous system without the cadaver just rotting before they could finish. | Yeah, that blows my mind. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dthi1ir",
"dthi021"
],
"text": [
"The cadaver is kept in formalin (a chemical that prevents rotting and other forms of degradation) for a few days to “conserve” the body. Once ready the cadaver can then be taken out of formalin tubs and used for dissecting.",
"Many anatomy classes hav... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7u4umz | How storage companies like Dropbox keep files safe if all of your files are stored in one gigantic cluster that other users use | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dthn5zh",
"dthtqdf",
"dthltts"
],
"text": [
"Imagine Dropbox is a giant storage facility, like the ones where you can rent a storage locker and put all of the things from your attic. To prevent people from trying to break into others' storage units, customers don't actually get to ent... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7u6ttl | why almost no smartphone protective case has a cover for the camera glass? | I mean it as a flap ([like dust covers]( URL_0 )), not a transparent layer. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dti1yx9"
],
"text": [
"A decent quality smartphone will have a hard protective layer (e.g. gorilla glass) over the lens so it doesn't get scratched. It will resist scratches pretty well. On the other hand, smartphone cases are made of cheaper materials, usually some kind of plastic, and are m... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7u6zke | why do news anchors/cameramen still use bulky shoulder mount cameras when camera technology has advanced so far with things like gopros and their video quality? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
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"d... | [
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7u8cp4 | How does a Virtual Private Network protect my data and computer on a public WiFi network? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtieavf"
],
"text": [
"Let's make an analogy. You have a postcard you want to send to your aunt. You write \"Greetings from sunny Alaska!\" on it, and put it in the mailbox. The USPS picks it up, and posts it to your aunt in Florida. But since it's just a postcard, anyone can pick it up, read... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7u8epd | Why does the Magic Eraser work better than a sponge? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtieatx"
],
"text": [
"Since my first response was deleted, a magic eraser is basically just a chunk of melamine foam. Melamine foam is abrasive. It's like a fine sandpaper. So when you are using the magic eraser, you are essentially scrubbing the surface, instead of just wiping the surface."... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7u8yjw | why does the Australian government fail to provide a sufficient upgrade to our broadband network even with the knowledge that the Internet will be as vital as the electricity grid was in the 19th century? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtihnia"
],
"text": [
"Most of the people that make the decisions in the Australian government are the kind of people that don't think the internet is important. They are the types of people that buy the newspaper every day. If it's not something they grew up with, they don't really care abou... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
7ub6u8 | Why do CG movies like Coco only get 2K upscaled releases on 4K Blu Ray? | If it’s all 3D rendering, can’t they just export the original content at 4K resolution? Is it because textures in the original render were only made to look good at 2K? Or because these projects are started so far in advance that they didn’t predict the industry was heading toward 4K? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtixdl4"
],
"text": [
"You can't \"just export it\". It's a massive undertaking. I found a quote that for Monsters University, the rendering time was 29 hours per frame. This is of course massively parallelized, so rather than working a frame at a time, they're going to do say, 5000 frames at... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ub9dj | How is brute forcing a password directly related to hashing? | As I understand hashing is an algorithm that produce a string of character and numbers based on input. However, unlike encryption, the algorithm isn't created with the intention of allowing the user to find the original input. I know that databases store passwords after they feed them through the hash algorithm because... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtixpj0",
"dtj1e4c"
],
"text": [
"So what you do step (1) Steal the hash data base so you have user names and the hashes for the passwords that go with them (2) Start hashing potential passwords and comparing them to the database. (3) if you get a match you found a password that works wit... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7ucnlq | How does steel affect a MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, while using it? | I'm curious since this article about a man who died a couple of days ago in Mumbai, after being sucked into an MRI machine. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtj9guu",
"dtjb8lo"
],
"text": [
"The key word is *magnetic* resonance imaging. There's a giant magnet spinning around the machine. If you bring a steel anything anywhere near an MRI machine, it'll get pulled towards the magnet, slamming into the machine's outer case with incredible force... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
7uebqv | How do people who specialize in computer forensics retrieve data on a hard drive that has been formatted or magnet wiped? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"dtjo11q",
"dtjn93p",
"dtjp9r0"
],
"text": [
"Reformatting can be as simple as deleting the file system and rewriting it. That won’t delete any of the data, just remove knowledge of where it is. Secure formatting will rewrite all the bits and is not recoverable. Magnets generally aren’... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kf1ry | How does a single speaker produce multiple frequencies simultaneously to play music? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e6ymiyu",
"e6yl1ts",
"e6yrogx"
],
"text": [
"Have you heard of the principle of wave superposition? If a speaker is producing 10 different pitch sounds, you could draw them out individually and “add” them together to get what the resultant wave looks like. That’s what the speaker is a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kga27 | How does my radio know which frequencies are stations? | When I hit the "seek" button on my car's radio, how does it know when to stop? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e6yuipl",
"e6ysy8m"
],
"text": [
"The electronics basically tune through every frequency, and listen a micro-second to see if there's a signal. When it comes through the antenna, the signal is a frequency of voltage, and \"no signal\" is basically a flat voltage; if you could hook it up t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9kjscm | The term 'overclocked'. If something can be over clocked, why isn't that just the new maximum speed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e6zkgmq",
"e6zn3z4",
"e6zk5s3",
"e6zkbaj"
],
"text": [
"There are always inpurities and small scale defects in silicon wafer chips. Usually these don't cause problems at slow speeds. But as you increase clock speed (the frequency / rate at which bits flow around your chip) the imp... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kotfu | how does a camera autofocus and know what to focus on ? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e70of7l",
"e70onjp"
],
"text": [
"There are two main autofocus types. Phase detect autofocus is used by SLRs when not using live view. The image coming through the lens is split and then the lens is moved until the image comes back together perfectly. This is also used in newer mirrorless... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kpbx8 | The difference beyween AMOLED and P-OLED? | For example, the Pixel 2 runs AMOLED screen while the Pixel 2 XL runs P-OLED? What's the difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e70rfu8",
"e70ux4l",
"e72cdpj",
"e71tc1a"
],
"text": [
"AMOLED stands for \"active-matrix organic light-emitting diode\", where the AM part means that each LED has an individual transistor driving it, hence \"active\". Practically all graphical displays these days are active-matri... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9kphql | How do solar panels work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e70rs00",
"e70ti3g"
],
"text": [
"Well, light is made up of a thing called ~~protons~~ photons. Some materials, like silicon, out there have a photoelectric effect, which means they can take these photons and use them to bump off electrons, which can then be picked up by a magnetic field,... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kqbrq | How does my “Maps” app know where traffic is and how congested it is? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e70xazc"
],
"text": [
"They get it from ZipDash. In 2004, Google acquired ZipDash, a company specializing in realtime traffic analysis. It feeds their realtime map data, and is used by Waze and others. Apple maps doesn't disclose their sources, but it's probably one of them."
],
"score": ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9krpqy | How do car horns make sound | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7189vd"
],
"text": [
"When you shake a thin piece of metal it makes a noise as it pops back and forth. Car horns shake a diaphragm (often metal) usually with a solenoid that switches very fast, to make the constant buzzing instead of just one or two pops."
],
"score": [
6
],
"tex... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9ktyvf | How do mics on phones not pick up everything that plays through speakers? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e71qjbe"
],
"text": [
"The phone knows what it's playing it out the speaker and is able to subtract that from what comes in the mic"
],
"score": [
14
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kwk5j | How can glass be cut using a laser? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e72bm9s"
],
"text": [
"Glass absorbs some of the energy from the light that passes through it. Look through a piece edgewise and it will look green or blue as a result. With a laser you can put a huge amount of energy into the beam. Even if the glass only absorbs 1%, a good CO2 laser can add ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9kwkp2 | The relationship between a wifi router's signal strength, and the speed/throughput of your connected devices. | For example, if you're subscribed to a 100Gbps internet connection, but your wifi routers' signal strength is just 60%, does it mean your connection can only go as fast as 60Gbps? Overly simplified example, but you get the idea. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e72c7sp"
],
"text": [
"Okay, so, imagine you and a friend are sitting alone in a room. They say \"hello Crow, fine evening isn't it?\" You probably heard them just fine didn't you? Good signal strength. Now you and your friend go to opposite ends of a gym. He says that again but without sayin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9l1283 | wireless cellphone battery charging | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e738p7g"
],
"text": [
"Current flowing through a wire generates a magnetic field. Conversely, if a moving magnetic field encounters a wire, current is induced. Alternating current flowing though a coil of wire in the charger creates a constantly moving magnetic field surrounding it. The phone... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l22e4 | how does a fit bit know when you are asleep and what stage of sleep you are in? How accurate is it? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73kc0p",
"e74b2sp",
"e7474c6",
"e74a1q2",
"e745sqk",
"e74aapm",
"e7426bi",
"e7461b0",
"e748vgi",
"e7438or",
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],
"text": [
"it tracks your movement while you sleep. If the wearable has a heart rate monitor, it uses that as well to further it's ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l35dp | Why is Apple's spellcheck so much worse then any other spell check? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73q5p0"
],
"text": [
"What makes you think it's so much worse than the alternatives? Samsung's autocorrect is also legendarily awful. Unfortunately we're not very good at making these systems be both lightweight and smart enough not to get in our way."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_ur... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l3j89 | How do MRI machines work? | I've tried reading the Wikipedia article and get lost having to read a separate article on _every_ term used in the info. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73rr9w",
"e73xrir",
"e74elr6",
"e744yzj",
"e73ric3",
"e74bgww",
"e73qyhf",
"e742q0q",
"e742uh2"
],
"text": [
"Really oversimplified explanation: 1. suspend body in really strong magnetic field, forces water molecules to line themselves up in specific direction... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9l3s15 | Why does the moon look so big in person but very small through a camera lens? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73t464",
"e73trf1",
"e73t9ii"
],
"text": [
"In reality the moon is very small as seen from earth. A dime held at arm's length will completely block it from view. The reason it appears so large when you look at it actually gives us insight into how the brain determines size of any obj... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l40jb | From a purely technical perspective, what has to happen for the National Wireless Emergency Alert System to send text messages? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73tmsz"
],
"text": [
"Curious too. Because my phone didn't get the alert. So obviously something on the phone has to support something"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l4ib8 | How was the first computer language programmed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e73zjw0"
],
"text": [
"Think of how humans learn to write as we grow up. At first, we drew little pictures in crayon, right? A little tree or a doggie or a stick human. We knew that the picture was of a doggie, even if Uncle Elroy could never figure out our art. Then, we added details as we a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l4xwc | Why do many 911 call recordings sound muffled and grainy when almost all other wireless communications sound clear? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7427tp",
"e744vc2",
"e746xzb",
"e749ioz"
],
"text": [
"A lot of it is because they're putting several calls down the 911 line at once and have to use compression and multiplexing. There's a certain amount of bandwidth one can put down a wire at any given time. In order to put mul... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l5l35 | how did the presidential alert work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e746gz9",
"e746ha7"
],
"text": [
"Cellular networks have had a feature (for Amber Alerts etc.) for some years where they can send SMS messages to every subscriber unit (fancy term for \"phones\" and \"mobile devices\") in their entire network... with the capability to restrict it to a cer... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l68r5 | How does heart rate sensors measure oxygen saturation | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e74cfit"
],
"text": [
"You're talking about pulse oximeter. And it's done by shining a red light and a infrared light into or through the skin. Blood with oxygen in it and blood without absorb this light differently. By measuring how much light is absorbed we can make a ratio of oxygenated to... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l7h9h | how is the government able to send a mass text to every phone? (Presendential alert) | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e74ljpy",
"e74ltfj",
"e74lwz8",
"e74lxoe"
],
"text": [
"It's not a mass text, it's an emergency alert sent out by FEMA though an already existing protocol for distributing emergency alerts to mobile devices, in a similar fashion to AMBER alerts",
"All phones made in the last d... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9l8n7j | When sending a photo to a powered off mobile phone, where does the photo “stay” until it can be delivered? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e74vpr3"
],
"text": [
"ELI5: The photo is stored on a server; specifically a Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC) until your phone downloads the photo. & #x200B; Longer Answer: MMS messages are delivered using a combination of SMS and WAP technologies. When a mobile phone receives an MMS ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9la0wx | Why haven't we explored the ocean? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e754147",
"e75473m"
],
"text": [
"Basically: 1) it's so big 2) water pressure is a killer for equipment 3) so is visibility Everything that needs a laser, e.g. mapping the \"shape\" of the bottom of the ocean floor has basically already been done. It's the in-betweens, such as \"what is l... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lh5hr | what is different about upload and download speeds that makes ISPs give you fast download but barely any upload speed? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e76nvzb",
"e76n5ls",
"e76oeu4"
],
"text": [
"If an ISP can provide you with X amount of bandwidth, they then have to decide how much of it is divided into download and upload. To make your upload bandwidth higher, they would have to reduce your download bandwidth. The average user wil... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9li9qp | how do we know that a dinosaur had a bone fracture while alive? | How is it that paleontologists are able to determine that a dinosaur was injured while alive and not a case where the body of the dead animal was crushed after death? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e76x3xe",
"e77rpyl"
],
"text": [
"Because bones grow back together imperfectly, leaving telltale signs like offsets or calcium seams.",
"You can get boo boos on the inside that heals to a scar too; no matter what race you are or when."
],
"score": [
14,
3
],
"text_urls... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9lin2q | What is the difference between primary and secondary, and difference between master and slave hard drive? | I looked up on the internet but can't really find anything that I can understand. I know that there is primary master drive (on all computers, and the rest as optional drives (primary slave, secondary master, and secondary slave). But what's the difference? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e771ql3",
"e773l3q",
"e772zns"
],
"text": [
"Master and slave? In 2018, it's something to be ignored. It's a relic of ancient PATA two-inch-ribbon cable technology, when the cables were so big they had to connect not one but *two* hard drives to the motherboard. In fact, it's a relic ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9liqwi | How does a projector project black colour on a white screen? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e771ohn"
],
"text": [
"It doesn't. It projects nothing and since there are bright colors all around it, your brain interprets it as black but it's actually the color of the screen with no light on it."
],
"score": [
4
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9ljj5z | Why do you need "administrator permssion" on your own computer, and why arent you already on administrator mode? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e777yw9",
"e777wgn"
],
"text": [
"It's a safety feature. Even if you are an administrator it's dangerous to be in \"administrator mode\" all the time because then any program you run could make changes to any part of your system, potentially without your knowledge. A lot of malware did th... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lk85b | Please explain to me the recursive neural network model in Machine Learning | Title Thanks guys | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e77ynl3"
],
"text": [
"So the goal of a recursive neural network is to make a lot of inputs into a small output. Example: I have an image: 50*50 pixel (2500 pixel total). I want to know if the image represents a tree (Yes/No). So from 2500 colour-values I want to go back to just two possible ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9llap5 | What is Passenger Load Factor (Occupancy rate) and how does it help an airline? | This is the wikipedia explanation but I need something more explanative. "Passenger load factor is an important parameter for the assessment of the performance of any transport system. Almost all transport systems have high fixed costs, and these costs can only be recovered through selling tickets. Airlines often calcu... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e77hyi9",
"e77hxbj"
],
"text": [
"It is a fancy way of saying “how full is the plane”? Full plane make big money Empty plane make small money Airline prefer big money",
"The number of passengers they need to still make the trip profitable. Imagine you drive from one city to another an... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9lmolw | What’s the difference between internet browsers. Aside from appearance and customization, what causes the mechanics of different browsers to work better on certain websites? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e77uly8",
"e77wgud",
"e77unrm",
"e77vmn2"
],
"text": [
"So, technically the components of websites (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript primarily) are standardized, but it's still up to the browser makers to actually implement those standards. These standards are being updated all of the ti... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lnksl | How come when 3G was new it was cutting edge fast connection but now that LTE is out whenever I only have 3G connection nothing works at all? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e77ztip",
"e77zuho",
"e78059t"
],
"text": [
"When LTE is out it's either because of congestion or bad signal strength. So when you drop down to 3G, so are a bunch of other users. Also, most towers upgraded to 4G LTE, leaving a small portion of its capacity for 3G.",
"For the large... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lpab9 | Why do computers slow down and take longer to perform even basic functions as they age? | My macbook pro is from 2012 and was a high end 13 inch model at the time. I've had one major repair done to it. It has slowed down a lot. Video editing is difficult at best and takes so much longer than it should in general. Even basic emails/chrome use has become slower. I know planned obsolesce is a thing. I haven't ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e78dzm5",
"e78e05p",
"e78dz0i",
"e78o86a",
"e78vdh4"
],
"text": [
"It is because today’s software requires better and bigger hardware to run. When you bought the device it was top notch, but now software is designed to run on hardware that is a lot more powerful.",
"Don't ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9lqrvl | How does a computer know what the programming code of an app means? | I know that the words "draw" or "add" means certain things. Still, I cannot comprehend the mechanisms that turn code into executable stuff on a computer. How do programming anguages translate into I's and O's that work on the computer, and how do they know what to translate? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e78pnab",
"e78qph9"
],
"text": [
"Each language has a special program called the Compiler to convert it into binary, or an interpreter to do the same as the program runs, for every line one at a time. The latter takes longer, but is less complicated for the programmer.",
"on its most ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9lsk5i | What is the difference between TCP and UDP? When and why do you use which? | Edit: Thank you everyone, this really helped! | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e794s8i",
"e795lae",
"e794jdz"
],
"text": [
"TCP is a robust protocol. I send you packet 1, you acknowledge, I acknowledge your acknowledgement, I send packet 2.. This is great for ensuring that a packet arrives but adds overhead and sometimes you don't need to ensure a packet arrives... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9ltjvr | How and why is Flash a security threat on a computer, and what makes it different from other programs? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e79gslh"
],
"text": [
"There is a major difference and that is that the program was downloaded and executed automatically when you loaded a web page. You need to download and install regular programs so is it a lot harder to convince someone do that compare to be executed automatically. The p... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lx3wi | How do files/code get corrupted? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7a4wje",
"e7acz7j",
"e7b1b4j"
],
"text": [
"Corruption happens for lots of reasons. Think of each file as a million light switches. The order in which the light switches are on or off tells the computer what is inside the file. & #x200B; If the light switches were stored I'm a giant ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lxi0l | What causes color to change on a laptop when you tilt the monitor? | I've noticed that the color pink on a laptop screen can become either red or purple from tilting the monitor a certain way. What causes this and how does it work? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7a6jwv"
],
"text": [
"Your laptop utilizes a liquid crystal display, or LCD screen. Quick physics recap. Light is a wave. This wave can go up or down, or left or right, or any combination. An LCD screen works by first filtering the light so that all light goes up/down. Then, the light is sen... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9lxl07 | How does a Credit Card machine work during flight? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7a694g"
],
"text": [
"It doesn't, it connects when the plane has landed and all the payments are processed then. This also means you can use a card with no balance and it will be approved. A lot of budget airlines only accept credit cards now for this reason."
],
"score": [
3
],
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9lyj80 | Why are horizontal monitors the norm when most of the content is scrolled vertically? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7adyi4",
"e7agn90"
],
"text": [
"That's the way we see content best. Our eyes pick up a wider field of vision than long. So it feels unnatural to see things with a longer field of view than wide. It's why when you go watch an Imax the screen fills the whole rooms walls but doesn't stretc... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9m17en | Why does installing files take longer than uninstalling files on computers? | I had the Anaconda program used for programming platforms like Python but recently uninstalled it. I noticed that the uninstall took < 5 minutes whereas when I first installed it, it took ~20 minutes. It led to me questioning why installs take far longer than uninstalling programs from your computer, especially if the ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7b19wn",
"e7b189n"
],
"text": [
"Uninstalling, or just generally deleting files, is a very quick operation. Instead of actually removing the data from the disk, it just removes the file from the filesystem and marks the space where it used to live as available for reuse. This is why you ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9m1gn8 | How Do Those Mugs That Never Spill Work | How do those cups that cant be tipped over but can be lifted up like normal work | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7b3ps2",
"e7b41a6",
"e7blf6l"
],
"text": [
"Not very well. It's basically a suction cup on the bottom that holds it in place for minor taps, but lifting it releases the suction. If you've seen a cup with a sort of lever for fast release like on a windshield GPS or something, it's exa... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9m1pxx | Where do files go once they’re deleted? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7b5th0",
"e7b5x5u"
],
"text": [
"Initially, nowhere. When you delete a file your PC simply deletes the entry in its tracking system that tells it where the file was stored. The file is still technically there until the PC needs to save something else later, and overwrites this now “free”... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9m3aay | What is system administration? | As far as I know, system administration is about maintaining, configuring and extending software, in contrast to building it from scratch. But am I missing something? What exactly does a system administrator do? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7bko7w",
"e7btqba"
],
"text": [
"It's a somewhat dated term in modern computting but basically it covers the maintenance of servers used to host applications and environments. That maintenance includes supporting and repairing the underlying hardware if needed (which may be coordinating ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9m3hq7 | What is a capacitor? How does it compare to a battery? What are it's advantages and disadvantages compared to a battery? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7bmg4w",
"e7bn3er",
"e7bm60k"
],
"text": [
"To add on to the other answer, capacitors have a much lower charge density/energy density than batteries. Meaning that a capacitor of the same size/weight as a battery would contain far less energy. Capacitors, however, are able to discharg... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9m3xbh | How do scales measure body fat + hydration + bone + muscle? Is this just bullshit or is there some truth to it? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7bpa3f"
],
"text": [
"The type of scale you're describing generally measures the electrical resistance or conductivity of your body, which combined with your weight and some preprogrammed models lets it make an educated guess at what your body consists of. If your body was made of only two t... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9m5fcu | What is the process for movies to film scenes at major sites that are usually crawling with activity? | Film crew of reddit how are scenes filmed like in 28 weeks later when the two kids are traveling across the bridge and there’s no other cars or even boats moving for that matter? Or another example is the amazing spider man 2 fight scene in Times Square. Just curious how hard it is to do this and what’s the process to ... | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7c066n",
"e7c09hv",
"e7c2b7o",
"e7c4tc6",
"e7cfkcg"
],
"text": [
"Money. They just pay into the local economy and get to shoot there. The city area will get notified in advance. City workers help close off the area needed while filming as everyone flocks to watch the filming ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9m9vtj | Difference between copy constructor and assignment operator in object oriented programming | Particularly C++ | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7d5gbt"
],
"text": [
"A Copy Constructor is used to initialize a newly created object with data values from an existing object. So that's Existing --- > New Assignment is simply writing over data values of an existing object, so that's a relationship between an Existing object and an Existin... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9mb2qe | Firewalls | What is the process of making a firewall for a website? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7ddsyi"
],
"text": [
"A firewall controls the flow of traffic into and out of a network based off certain security policies. With regard to a website, a firewall would allow all, or most addresses from the internet into the network and route them to the computer that contains the web pages. ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9mblmu | Why is an i5 processor faster than an i3 processor if they have similar clock speeds? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7disrz",
"e7di23u",
"e7di3u0"
],
"text": [
"Multicore can theoretically improve performance. In practice, it does not because scheduling multiple cores is a nearly intractable problem on a general purpose O/S. If you look at the CPU time on your multicore processor, you'll notice alm... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mdb64 | Why are computers able to perform much more complex calculations than we are, even though they aren't as powerful as our brains? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7dtf3t",
"e7dtd18",
"e7duhkn",
"e7dt73z"
],
"text": [
"Computers are actually performing *less* complex calculations than we are. Our brains are not wired to perform simple tasks precisely. They're wired to perform complex tasks imprecisely. That's why we can instantly identify a... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mdop1 | Is it real that when you left the refrigirator door open It consumes more energy? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7dv294",
"e7dv47q"
],
"text": [
"It does cost more electric because your letting the cold out so it has to use more power to try and keep it cool BUT it is never going to be noticeable on the electricity bill unless you leave it fully open all day in temps with 20c and even then it's goi... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mewkh | Why or why shouldnt we update windows? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7e2xwk",
"e7e39l3",
"e7e3rwh"
],
"text": [
"This is a good question, and fits into the overall maintenance plan for your home. Windows have a lifespan of about 20 years. When they fail, they tend to let moisture in between the panes and can cause the surrounding wall structure to rot... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mhsr2 | if https is a secure connection why is it recommended not to do anything data sensitive on an open WiFi network? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7f6wkv",
"e7eotms",
"e7fh1vo"
],
"text": [
"These days it's not very common, but poorly-programmed websites often did the login process over https, but then all of the regular communication over http. Facebook was notorious for this a while ago. So you would log in over a secure conn... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mmb7n | How does Delta limit their free Wi-Fi to just messaging apps? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7fpjmb"
],
"text": [
"They can block certain protocols or websites through a configured setup. This let's them block, for example, https:// but allow magnet, xmpp, or ftp. They probably also block vpn protocols but there are ways around that..."
],
"score": [
3
],
"text_urls": [
... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mnam0 | The latest fad is blue light blocking glasses to reduce eye strain from screens. Wouldn't it just be more effective just to change the color temperature on your monitor to reduce blue light? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7fwdsz"
],
"text": [
"More effective? Maybe not. Similarly effective and has no cost? Absolutely."
],
"score": [
13
],
"text_urls": [
[]
]
} | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9modll | What does it mean when you "overclock" a processor? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7g2es3",
"e7g23x1"
],
"text": [
"Each processor is rated with certain frequency (e.g. 3MHz). This means it can do 3 000 000 basic matematical opperations in one seccond. Doing this calculations generates heat (due to electricity flow). If processor is working with it nominal frequency it... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] | |
9mspyv | What makes gain different from volume? | I know gain generally adjusts the volume. But what makes it different? Why adjust gain instead of the volume slider? I’ve never been quite sure of what exactly gain means or does. | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7h19sm",
"e7h1kex"
],
"text": [
"Firstly gain can refer to any signal whereas volume usually refers to acoustic energy (ie sound), & #x200B; If you're talking about an audio console, then the function of the gain knob and the channel fader are slightly different. & #x200B; The gain knob ... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
9mthzo | What exactly makes the indicator lights on some electronic devices stay on for a while even though you unplugged them? | Technology | explainlikeimfive | {
"a_id": [
"e7h7mqg"
],
"text": [
"Capacitors. When you have a solid state device that needs DC power for its circuits and you want to power it from the AC outlet, you need a power supply. A power supply contains a transformer, to change the voltage, a rectifier to convert AC to bouncing DC, and a capaci... | [
"url"
] | [
"url"
] |
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