If you can't explain your physics to a barmaid it is probably not very good physics.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- If you cannot explain your physics to a barmaid, the physics is probably not good.
- In plain terms
- Complex ideas should be simple to explain.
- What can you take from it?
- Clear communication is a test of understanding.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can we balance accuracy with simplicity?
- When is simplification misleading?
Another view
Some concepts may be inherently complex and resist simplification.
More from Ernest Rutherford
I came into the room which was half-dark and presently spotted Lord Kelvin in the audience, and realised that I was in for trouble at the last part of my speec…
Permalink to quote #3 All scientific men will be delighted to extend their warmest congratulations to Tesla and to express their appreciation of his great contributions to science.
Permalink to quote #5 All science is either physics or stamp collecting.
Permalink to quote #2
Related quotes
Quantum theory provides us with a striking illustration of the fact that we can fully understand a connection though we can only speak of it in images and para…
Werner HeisenbergWerner Heisenberg quote #5 We are 13.7 billion light-years from the edge of the observable universe; that's a good estimate with well-defined error bars and with the available informatio…
Katie MeluaKatie Melua quote #29 Art is science made clear.
Jean CocteauJean Cocteau quote #35