Riddles

I remembered we had a game like this on the old forum, so I figured it would be fun to repost it. I'm not sure, these were rules for the old game, but whatever.

First, one person posts a riddle, and then people try to solve it. When the riddle has been confirmed as solved, anyone can post a new riddle.

Screw it. No one seems to care anyways. Just post them riddles.

So, I'll begin.

---

A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by, what color is the bear? Why?

White, it's at the north pole.

Indeed.

What's heavier, when taking:
i) equal amounts of iron and feathers
ii) equal number of molecules of the substances of iron and feather (assume 'feather' is composed entirely of the protein with empirical molecular formula C₄₀₀H₆₂₀N₁₀₀O₁₂₀P₁S₁).

Bonus points for showing the magnitude of difference, if any.

What do you mean with equal amounts? Iron is uncountable. You cant have 100 iron in the same way that you can have 100 feathers.

I assume he means volume.

ii) equal number of molecules of the substances of iron and feather (assume 'feather' is composed entirely of the protein with empirical molecular formula C₄₀₀H₆₂₀N₁₀₀O₁₂₀P₁S₁).

He means this

EDIT: Or... Does he mean answer for both circumstances? I don't know.

What's heavier, when taking:
i) equal amounts of iron and feathers
ii) equal number of molecules of the substances of iron and feather (assume 'feather' is composed entirely of the protein with empirical molecular formula C₄₀₀H₆₂₀N₁₀₀O₁₂₀P₁S₁).

Bonus points for showing the magnitude of difference, if any.

They're equal. I think.

I assume he means volume.

If so I think that a) is bigger. Since.. um I think in this case that a feather in a) contains air molecules while b) doesn't. Otherwise.. I have no idea. Wild guess btw I suck at these things.

Quote from: minmay on November 17, 2009, 23:17:00

I assume he means volume.

If so I think that a) is bigger. Since.. um I think in this case that a feather in a) contains air molecules while b) doesn't. Otherwise.. I have no idea. Wild guess btw I suck at these things.

That's what I'm guessing.

i) equal amounts of iron and feathers

iron is heavier by mass

ii) equal number of molecules of the substances of iron and feather (assume 'feather' is composed entirely of the protein with empirical molecular formula C₄₀₀H₆₂₀N₁₀₀O₁₂₀P₁S₁).

I'm guessing one molecule of iron would be Fe, and therefore have a lesser atomic weight per molecule than 1342.

I think this is really just a variation on the "Which is heavier, a pound of bricks or a pound of feathers?" riddle. If thats the case, they're both equal.

Anyway, 13 riddles. How many can you solve? =D
1. I am light as a feather yet no man can hold me for long. What am I?
2. The one who makes it doesn't want it. The one who buys it doesn't need it. The one who needs it doesn't know it. What is it?
3. What is your's but your friend uses more than you do?
4. What english word means burning wood when you take away the first letter of the word?
5. 30 white horses on a red hill. First they clamp, then they stamp, then they all stand still. What are they?
6. Pronounced as one letter,
    And written with three,
    Two letters there are,
    And two only in me.
    I'm double, I'm single,
    I'm black, blue, and gray,
    I'm read from both ends,
    And the same either way.
    What am I?
7. It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
    Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
    It lies behind stars and under hills,
    And empty holes it fills.
    What is it?
8. What has a foot on each side and one in the middle?
9. What has 4 legs but only 1 foot?
10. This old one runs forever, but never moves at all.
      He has not lungs nor throat, but still a mighty roaring call.
      What is it?
11. You throw away the outside, then cook the inside.
      You eat the outside, then throw away the inside.
      What is it?
12. I went into the woods and got it. I sat down to seek it. I brought it home with me because I couldn't find it. What is it?
13. What is in a sea, but not in an ocean,
      In the nights, but not in the day.
      In a forest, but not near a tree,
      And in lakes, but not in a pond.

2. Coffin
3. Name
7. Nothing
8. A two foot ruler?
10. Clock?
13. s

5. Teeth! Teeth!
6. An eye?
7. Darkness, not nothing, yes?
9. A bed.
11. Fish? Throwing away the scales and bones? Maybe?

1. Air.  A feather that's on fire.  An unusually jittery butterfly.  Love.  Sanity.
12. A tick, or similar parasite.
13. The letter S.

1. a breath