Fluther: What simple everyday example would explain the transition from 'something' to ...

What simple everyday example would explain the transition from 'something' to 'nothing'?

Asked by coaxial_cable (30

) December 22nd, 2009
38 responses
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If you had to illustrate these two concepts in the most direct, familiar way possible, and how ‘something’ can become ‘nothing’, how would you do it?

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Answers

Examine the nside of MIlo’s brain and the inside of mine.

gailcalled (54644

)“Great Answer” (3

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Bill has an apple. Ben has no apple. Bill has something, ben has nothing.

delta214 (746

)“Great Answer” (2

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@delta214 That’s good but what about the transition from one to the other? I edited the question to make it more clear that that’s what I’m looking for.

coaxial_cable (30

)“Great Answer” (0

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In talent:

Beatles: something
Back Street Boys: nothing

In Food:
Rib-eye steak—something
Coke Zero—nothing

In social interaction:
Staying with someone while they are dying: something
Sending an automated thank-you to everyone who sends you email: nothing

HasntBeen (2212

)“Great Answer” (2

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If it makes a difference whether it’s there or not, it’s something. If it doesn’t, it’s nothing.

Pseudonym (2547

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No such thing as nothing.

CMaz (26303

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@coaxial_cable Change it to a chocolate bar, and then bill eats the bar. He now has nothing

delta214 (746

)“Great Answer” (1

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@delta214 Good. Thanks!

coaxial_cable (30

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@HasntBeen : Remember that Snowball, the famous dancing cockatoo, does a mean quick-step to the Backstreet Boys.. When he hears “Help,” he sits on his perch like the bird he is.

gailcalled (54644

)“Great Answer” (1

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@coaxial_cable or a seasonal example : A snowball, that melts. (yes i know youd have water)

delta214 (746

)“Great Answer” (2

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@delta214 Yes, I thought of that but, as you pointed out, the left-over water is the problem. The chocolate bar example is very good though. I think that would get the point across pretty clearly.

coaxial_cable (30

)“Great Answer” (1

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The Big Bang.

erichw1504 (26448

)“Great Answer” (1

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Nope. Big Bang does not work.

Since it is theory that possibly “The Big Bang”, was nothing more then two other universes colliding with one another.

CMaz (26303

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@erichw1504 Hardly a simple everyday example.

coaxial_cable (30

)“Great Answer” (1

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The United States Congress.

SirGoofy (3085

)“Great Answer” (0

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Morning amount of Nutella at my house and Evening amount of Nutella

Simone_De_Beauvoir (39052

)“Great Answer” (2

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When I was a kid a teacher used dry ice evaporating to illustrate this. Of course, it doesn’t really turn into nothing, it turns into CO2 gas.

Haleth (18947

)“Great Answer” (1

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When anything that’s anything becomes nothing that’s everything and nothing is the only thing you ever seem to have. But only time will tell if I’ll allow the scenery around to eat me alive.

-Man Man

trumi (6491

)“Great Answer” (0

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Before 6NOV09 I was something. Now I am nothing.

stranger_in_a_strange_land (18360

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Dry ice- Eventually it sublimates entirely. With small pieces, this is fairly quick to demonstrate.

<edit> @Haleth got to it before me, but it is sublimation rather than evaporation. </edit>

Beta_Orionis (3410

)“Great Answer” (1

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call me around tax time and I’ll give you a real good example!

stratman37 (8691

)“Great Answer” (1

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@Beta_Orionis @Haleth Iodine is another substance that sublimates straight from solid to gas

stranger_in_a_strange_land (18360

)“Great Answer” (1

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‘nothing doesn’t exists’ even the the space between planets,galaxies etc. is something.So nothing doesn’t exists

Christian95 (3260

)“Great Answer” (1

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@Christian95 Even deep space is not completely “nothing”. There are a few atoms of hydrgen, helium, etc. around.

stranger_in_a_strange_land (18360

)“Great Answer” (1

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@stranger_in_a_strange_land and what did I say?

Christian95 (3260

)“Great Answer” (0

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@Christian95 I was agreeing with you.

stranger_in_a_strange_land (18360

)“Great Answer” (1

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@stranger_in_a_strange_land True, but I’ve never had the privilege to see solid iodine, so I just assumed it is not “common” enough. :)

Beta_Orionis (3410

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@ChazMaz & @coaxial_cable Well, I wasn’t trying to be all technical about it. In general, it is the idea that it created the universe. So, before it there was nothing and now there is everything. Pretty basic if you ask me.

erichw1504 (26448

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@erichw1504 First, the Big Bang is not a “simple, everyday example”. And second, it’s not an example of the transition from ‘something’ to ‘nothing’. It’s the opposite.

coaxial_cable (30

)“Great Answer” (1

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@coaxial_cable First, in general it is simple to think about. And second, holy crap you’re right! You got me there! Oops. Please detract my Big Bang answer.

erichw1504 (26448

)“Great Answer” (1

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“Please detract my Big Bang answer.”

There you go! An example of something to nothing.

CMaz (26303

)“Great Answer” (2

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@ChazMaz And there we go, that’s what I trying to accomplish. Thanks!

erichw1504 (26448

)“Great Answer” (1

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<Considers self cracked up by @gailcalled >

HasntBeen (2212

)“Great Answer” (1

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Breakfast

Kelly_Obrien (1735

)“Great Answer” (1

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A candle being extinguished.
A bubble bursting.
Water evaporating into steam.

These aren’t actually things becoming nothing, but they are illustrations or analogs. Is this what you’re looking for?

Jeruba (55824

)“Great Answer” (0

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There’s no transition because there is no such thing as “nothing”, with the possible exception of rice cakes and contemporary worship music.

rhodes54 (415

)“Great Answer” (1

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Well there’s E=mc^2 and there’s the first law of thermodynamics.

mattbrowne (31729

)“Great Answer” (0

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I think about “turning nothing into something” quite often.

But, in reality, it’s not really “nothing”...it’s in a different form. In my case, I think about the song I’ve just written. There is something in the Universe, that I created, which wasn’t there before. That particular song wasn’t there before…but, all of the components OF that song were.

MissA (7396

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