---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: there is a physical problem that is…"
description: "\"“there is a physical problem that is common to many fields, that is very old, and that has not been solved. It is not the problem of finding new fundam..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg"
---

#  there is a physical problem that is common to many fields…

![“there is a physical problem that is common to many fields, that is very old, and that has not been solved. It is not the problem of finding new fundamental particles, but something left over from a long time ago—over a hundred years. Nobody in physics has really been able to analyze it…” quote by Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg)

> ““there is a physical problem that is common to many fields, that is very old, and that has not been solved. It is not the problem of finding new fundamental particles, but something left over from a long time ago—over a hundred years. Nobody in physics has really been able to analyze it mathematically satisfactorily in spite of its importance to the sister sciences. It is the analysis of circulating or turbulent fluids.””

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Turbulence remains an unsolved, centuries‑old problem crucial to many sciences.

**In simple terms:** Turbulence is a hard, unsolved physics problem.

Key Takeaway

Study turbulence fundamentals.

Themes

physics science complexity

Mood

scientific curious

Type

analytical educational

When to use this quote

- Engineering design
- weather prediction
- aerodynamics

Key Concepts

turbulence fluid dynamics mathematics

Questions to Reflect On

- Why is turbulence so resistant to analysis?
- What breakthroughs could help?

A Different Perspective

Complex equations hinder progress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Circulating Turbulent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circulating-turbulent-4055971/) [Fundamental Particles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamental-particles-3723216/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Particles Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particles-left-4055972/) [Sciences Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sciences-analysis-4055974/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Turbulent Fluids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turbulent-fluids-4055973/)

## Related quotes

> [“True, the Standard Model does explain a very great deal. Nevertheless it is not yet a proper theory, principally because it does not satisfy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-the-standard-model-does-explain-a-very-great-deal-nevertheless/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I often feel a discomfort, a kind of embarrassment, when I explain elementary-particle physics to laypeople. It all seems so arbitrary - the ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-susskind/i-often-feel-a-discomfort-a-kind-of-embarrassment-when-i-explain/)

[Leonard Susskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-susskind/)

> [As usual, nature's imagination far surpasses our own, as we have seen from the other theories which are subtle and deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/as-usual-nature-s-imagination-far-surpasses-our-own-as-we-have-seen/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [When I was a young man, Dirac was my hero. He made a breakthrough, a new method of doing physics. He had the courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/when-i-was-a-young-man-dirac-was-my-hero-he-made-a-breakthrough-a-new/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/)

[Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [Throughout my work, I have assumed that the standard model is correct, and hence, the Higgs boson should be found. Although this is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashoke-sen/throughout-my-work-i-have-assumed-that-the-standard-model-is-correct/)

[Ashoke Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashoke-sen/)

> [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/)

[Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/)

> [It is human to search for the theory of everything and it is superhuman to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/it-is-human-to-search-for-the-theory-of-everything-and-it-is/)

[Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/)

> [“Quantum Technology Is No Longer Theoretical The quantum revolution is not the discovery of quantum physics. It is the transition from understanding quantum reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludmila-morozova-buss/quantum-technology-is-no-longer-theoretical-the-quantum-revolution-is/)

[Ludmila Morozova-Buss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludmila-morozova-buss/)

> [“The generalized theory of relativity has furnished still more remarkable results. This considers not only uniform but also accelerated motion. In particular, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-michelson/the-generalized-theory-of-relativity-has-furnished-still-more/)

[A.A. Michelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-michelson/)

> [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/)

[George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/)

> [I have a tendency to often share the point of view of the conspiracy theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/i-have-a-tendency-to-often-share-the-point-of-view-of-the-conspiracy/)

[Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/)

> [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

## More by Richard P. Feynman

> [“Philosophers have said before that one of the fundamental requisites of science is that whenever you set up the same conditions, the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/philosophers-have-said-before-that-one-of-the-fundamental-requisites/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Today's brains are yesterday's mashed potatoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/today-s-brains-are-yesterday-s-mashed-potatoes/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Mathematics is a language plus reasoning; it is like a language plus logic. Mathematics is a tool for reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-a-language-plus-reasoning-it-is-like-a-language-plus/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [It is necessary for the very existence of science that minds exist which do not allow that nature must satisfy some preconceived conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/it-is-necessary-for-the-very-existence-of-science-that-minds-exist/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [“There was a Princess Somebody of Denmark sitting at a table with a number of people around her, and I saw an empty chair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-was-a-princess-somebody-of-denmark-sitting-at-a-table-with-a/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [All the time you're saying to yourself, 'I could do that, but I won't,'--which is just another way of saying that you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/all-the-time-you-re-saying-to-yourself-i-could-do-that-but-i-won-t/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [“There's a big difference between knowing﻿ the name of something and knowing something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-s-a-big-difference-between-knowing-the-name-of-something-and/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [The fact that you are not sure means that it is possible that there is another way someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/the-fact-that-you-are-not-sure-means-that-it-is-possible-that-there/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/you-can-always-recognize-truth-by-its-beauty-and-simplicity/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [One cannot understand... the universality of laws of nature, the relationship of things, without an understanding of mathematics. There is no other way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/one-cannot-understand-the-universality-of-laws-of-nature-the/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [Mathematics is not just a language. Mathematics is a language plus reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/mathematics-is-not-just-a-language-mathematics-is-a-language-plus/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [A poet once said, "The whole universe is in a glass of wine." We will probably never know in what sense he meant that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/a-poet-once-said-the-whole-universe-is-in-a-glass-of-wine-we-will/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

> [I was a very shy character, always feeling uncomfortable because everybody was stronger than I, and always afraid I would look like a sissy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-was-a-very-shy-character-always-feeling-uncomfortable-because/)

[Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

[Explore all 515 Richard P. Feynman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/)

## More Long time quotes

> [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/)

[Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/)

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [Forever is a really long time, you know? What do you do with forever?" "The same thing you do when you don't have forever."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/forever-is-a-really-long-time-you-know-what-do-you-do-with-forever/)

[Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

[James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/)

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/)

[Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/)

> [“For a very long time, Viviane and Jack lived in that world people inhabit before love. Some people called that place friendship; others called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslye-walton/for-a-very-long-time-viviane-and-jack-lived-in-that-world-people/)

[Leslye Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslye-walton/)

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/)

[John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/)

> [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. They know that I have strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-ve-been-around-in-public-life-for-a-long-time-i-think-people-know/)

[Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/)

> [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/)

[Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/)

> [“If you go to bed too early and get up too late you probably won't sleep especially well. This could show up as either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-a-lewis/if-you-go-to-bed-too-early-and-get-up-too-late-you-probably-won-t/)

[Penelope A. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/)

> [I have been famous for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-have-been-famous-for-a-long-time/)

[Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/)

> [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

[Browse all 9,064 Long time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“there is a physical problem that is common to many fields, that is very old, and that has not been solved. It is not the problem of finding new fundamental particles, but something left over from a long time ago—over a hundred years. Nobody in physics has really been able to analyze it mathematically satisfactorily in spite of its importance to the sister sciences. It is the analysis of circulating or turbulent fluids.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard P. Feynman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-common-to-many-fields-that-is/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Long time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-common-to-many-fields-that-is/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/richard-p-feynman-495_long-time_there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-comm_2890411.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“there is a physical problem that is common to many fields, that is very old, and that has not been solved…” — Richard P. Feynman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard P. Feynman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“there is a physical problem that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-common-to-many-fields-that-is/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/there-is-a-physical-problem-that-is-common-to-many-fields-that-is/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
