Difference between revisions of "658: Orbitals"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
(fixed link)
Line 8: Line 8:
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
This is a pun on the {{w|Pauli exclusion principle |Pauli exclusion principle}}, which states that no two identical {w|Fermions |fermions}} (such as electrons) can be in the same place at the same time. In this case, the roommates and their guests are the electrons, which also means that only two people can be in any one room, or orbital. An orbital describes the probability of finding an electron in a given space.
+
This is a pun on the {{w|Pauli exclusion principle |Pauli exclusion principle}}, which states that no two identical fermions (such as electrons) can be in the same place at the same time. In this case, the roommates and their guests are the electrons, which also means that only two people can be in any one room, or orbital. An orbital describes the probability of finding an electron in a given space.
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==

Revision as of 22:18, 1 January 2013

Orbitals
Except the people filtering in late are the partiers, so you end up with drunken makeouts in the living room and the next roommate to return home has to sleep in the hall lounge orbital.
Title text: Except the people filtering in late are the partiers, so you end up with drunken makeouts in the living room and the next roommate to return home has to sleep in the hall lounge orbital.

Explanation

This is a pun on the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two identical fermions (such as electrons) can be in the same place at the same time. In this case, the roommates and their guests are the electrons, which also means that only two people can be in any one room, or orbital. An orbital describes the probability of finding an electron in a given space.

Transcript

[A person is holding up a pointer in front of a diagram of a dorm apartment. On the diagram, there are two connected pairs of dots in each bedroom, and one dot on the couch.]
Cueball: Thus, once all the dorm bedrooms are occupied by romantic pairs, additional roommates are forced into less restful "living room couch" orbitals.
[Caption: The Pauli Sexclusion Principle]


comment.png add a comment! ⋅ comment.png add a topic (use sparingly)! ⋅ Icons-mini-action refresh blue.gif refresh comments!

Discussion

The explanation implies that the romantic pairs must be male-female. I do not see this restriction in the comic. 108.162.219.223,

When I finally came to college, this comic was always on my mind. Then came a rather... er... covalent night. Except I didn't actually form the second pair, but came really close to doing such. But even then this comic always came to mind. International Space Station (talk) 08:59, 8 October 2015 (UTC)

sad polyamorous noises Whoop whoop pull up (talk) 17:38, 26 March 2024 (UTC)