physics

Nalin Samarasinha

Nalin Samarasinha is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Nalin Samarasinha rather than just read about it. In short: Nalin H. Samarasinha (born 1958) is a Sri Lankan born planetary scientist and a discoverer of minor planets, who studies the dynamical evolution and processes of cometary nuclei and comae.

Key takeaways

Nalin Samarasinha belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Nalin Samarasinha to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Nalin Samarasinha from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Nalin H. Samarasinha (born 1958) is a Sri Lankan born planetary scientist and a discoverer of minor planets, who studies the dynamical evolution and processes of cometary nuclei and comae. Currently, he works as a senior scientist for the Planetary Science Institute in the United States.

Early life Samarasinha earned a BSc first class honours in Physics from University of Colombo after schooling at Hena Vidyalaya, Mt. Lavinia and Nalanda College Colombo. Later he gained a MSc in astronomy from University of Maryland, College Park USA and followed it up furthering studies graduating with a PhD in Astronomy from the University of Maryland.

Discoveries and honours Florian asteroid 12871 Samarasinha (1998 ML37), discovered by astronomers with the LONEOS survey in 1998, was named in his honor. The official naming citation was published by IAU's Minor Planet Center on 24 July 2002 (M.P.C. 46109). He is the first native born citizen of Sri Lanka to gain the distinction of having an asteroid named after him. Together with astronomer Tod R. Lauer, he is credited with the discovery of asteroid 607372 Colombounilanka.

References

External links Nalin Samarasinha, staffpage at the Planetary Science Institute Dr.Nalin Samarasinha: What Comets Can Teach Us, smritidaniel.com ISON Observing Campaign Archived 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine, isoncampaign.org

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Nalin Samarasinha

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Nalin Samarasinha claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Nalin Samarasinha before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Nalin Samarasinha ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Nalin Samarasinha

In research: Nalin Samarasinha appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Nalin Samarasinha in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Nalin Samarasinha is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1958 births, Alumni of Nalanda College, Colombo, Discoverers of minor planets, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Nalin Samarasinha outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Nalin Samarasinha in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Nalin Samarasinha means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Nalin Samarasinha out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nalin Samarasinha in simple terms?

Nalin H. Samarasinha (born 1958) is a Sri Lankan born planetary scientist and a discoverer of minor planets, who studies the dynamical evolution and processes of cometary nuclei and comae.

Why does Nalin Samarasinha matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Nalin Samarasinha?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Nalin Samarasinha.