Perplexing question (just for fun)

Phyrexicaid · 11-12-2005, 02:52 PM

This was a bonus question in a past paper I was going through for my exam on Monday. Now bear in mind the subject is, "Architecture and Networks"

7.2) Most house-hold kettles are designed to take a maximum of 1.7l of water (or thereabout) and no more. Explain why this is the case. [3 marks]

Now, perhaps it's just a question that any answer would do (but it seems most kettles do only take 1.7l of water ?!?), I've googled and googled and tried wikipedia, no answers are forthcoming.

So let's hear the explanations!

Dave

XavierP · 11-12-2005, 03:11 PM

Because otherwise the metal reaches 88mph and blue lightning surrounds the kettle and sends it through time.

Phyrexicaid · 11-12-2005, 03:18 PM

In that case, I'm building a kettle large enough to hold me!

(Now how would I control which direction through time?)

XavierP · 11-12-2005, 06:06 PM

You have to turn the spout to point to the direction you want to go.

Phyrexicaid · 11-13-2005, 02:26 AM

Time travel aside, I think I have a fairly decent answer.

1.7L in the jug, 250ml in a cup (ok a little less obviously for tea cups and mugs but bear with me)

Therefore you get 6.8 cups out of a kettle.

there are 6 cups in a tea set. Coincidence? I think not!

Plus, I poured the water from my kettle into a tea kettle and it filled it right to the brim with a little water to spare, so perhaps that's the reason?

XavierP · 11-13-2005, 05:09 AM

Probably. Many designs are carried through the years.

JunctaJuvant · 11-13-2005, 07:10 AM

@Phyrexicaid

If the capacity of most electric water kettles and classic water kettles is the same, then you are definitely correct.

Phyrexicaid · 11-13-2005, 07:54 AM

The not enough coffee reason for editing is what makes this question so important! (ok not really)

The only problem with it is that the classic kettle filled to the brim, which obviously wouldn't be done in practice and it did leave ~200ml in the electric kettle. But that could be used to warm the cups? Maybe...

phil.d.g · 11-13-2005, 10:43 AM

Perhaps the extra water is to leave the element submersed.

I suspect they also consider how much energy is needed to heat the water, a lot of people fill a kettle full, so a 5 litre kettle will take much longer and use a lot more energy to boil

slackist · 11-13-2005, 11:46 AM

The answer is simple: look into the volume of water required to produce Ramen noodles properly

purelithium · 11-13-2005, 01:18 PM

I swear I think that this was the strangest question I've seen on this board, aside from TigerLinux constantly asking about the Mandriva 2006 ISO's.

alred · 11-13-2005, 01:35 PM

hmm ... i think lq is getting more and more "poetic" or what

, its not totally bad actually ... wish i got my kodak 8 mm black&white but ... well ... i'm more interested with my sweet fruits , how many of them ?? ... i donno so dont ask me ^_^

important note :: go dissecting humor is the humorless pastime of the humorless during their humorless weekends

another note :: just for fun^_^

REASON EDIT :: hmm ... i think its better to change unhumorless to humorless instead ... hmm ... confused

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