physics

The Jesus Factor

The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor rather than just read about it. In short: The Jesus Factor is a 1970 conspiracy theory thriller novel by Edwin Corley based on the Manhattan Project of World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It concerns issues relating to the "arms race" and the collective guilt of those involved with the bombings.

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

The Jesus Factor is a 1970 conspiracy theory thriller novel by Edwin Corley based on the Manhattan Project of World War II and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It concerns issues relating to the "arms race" and the collective guilt of those involved with the bombings. The premise is that during the development of nuclear weapons it is discovered that they will only detonate if stationary in a gravitational field, making their use as air-dropped bombs impossible. In the novel, the nuclear attacks of World War II are simulated using aeroplane-mounted magnesium flares and dispersed radionuclides, taking advantage of the destruction caused by an earthquake. An international conspiracy hides this fact in the interest of maintaining nuclear deterrence. The story concerns events when this status quo is threatened by one of the original bombardiers, who discovers the conspiracy while running for US president with a policy of nuclear disarmament.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with The Jesus Factor

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor

In research: The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor 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: The Jesus Factor is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1970 American novels, 1970 English-language novels, 1970s historical novel stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Jesus Factor in simple terms?

Why does The Jesus Factor 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 The Jesus Factor?

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 The Jesus Factor.