Physicists show way to count sweets in a jar -- from inside the jar

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 - 13:14 in Psychology & Sociology

(PhysOrg.com) -- How many sweets fit into a jar? This question depends on the shapes and sizes of the sweets, the size of the jar, and how it is filled. Surprisingly, this ancient question remains unanswered because of the complex geometry of the packing of the sweets. Moreover, as any contestant knows, guessing the number of sweets in the jar is difficult because the sweets located at the center of the jar are hidden from view and can't be counted. Researchers at New York University have now determined how sweets pack from inside the jar, making it easier to more accurately count them.

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