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Name: Kevin
Status: Student
Age: 6-8
Location: CT 
Country: United States
Date: March 2006
Question:
When flipping a coin does the weight of the images on each side affect the outcome of heads or tails?


Replies:
In principle, yes. However, there are a number of other small effects that can bias a "real" coin vs. an "ideal" coin. Some are: 1. The angle of the toss. 2. Air currents. 3. The distance from the "flip" to the "hit". 4. The type of surface the coin hits -- carpet versus marble -- for example. There are other small factors also, I am sure. The concept of a "fair" coin flip is an abstraction that no "real" coin meets.

Vince Calder


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