Ok, here we go, based on the info that DID penetr8 ur brain in those chemistry lessons.

An alien ship flies by Pamela Lee's house just as she happens 2 b swinging NAKED on a swing in her garden.

While frantically zooming in on the swing, the aliens alert their telescope ships near the moon, Mars and Pluto, so they may get a 3 dimensional image of Pamela.

All telescopes zoom in on Beverly Hills, and the images r transmitted back 2 the space ship so that they r ALL projected on2 a SINGLE screen showing Pamela swinging back and 4th, back... and 4th... back... and 4th... miau.

But due 2 the time it takes the light 2 travel 2 the moon, Mars and Pluto, the images arrive @ different times.

This makes the screen appear 2 show 4 Pamelas, in different stages of the full swing.
In 1 image she's on the left, on another she's on the right, etc.

The constructed image is blurred, unclear, NOT PUNCHY so-2-speak.

The aliens can't concentrate on the image, and swear that this is the 1st time it ever happened, even with other girls.

Then 1 alien comes up with a gr8 idea: They can't change the TOTAL distance of the ships, however since basically Pamela is just REPEATING the same motion over and over again (God bless her), they may move(align) the ships just a little, so that all images will arrive showing Pamela in SYNC, @ the same STAGE at least.

DEHAYNU, regardless of the NUMBER OF CYCLES Pamela has performed until each image arrives- as long as all cameras would show Pamela @ the same STAGE (4 ex. on the left side ) @ the same time, all images will merge ok.

And so they move the ships just a little e.g.: "Pluto ship, move a little 4ward! Mars ship move a bit backwards! Moon ship move 4ward! 4ward! A little more... AHHHH!".

The STAGE Pamela's swing is in is called the PHASE. It does not have an absolute value, but may b counted from any point, as long as it's the SAME point 4 all cameras.

If all cameras start counting when Pamela is on the left, we refer 2 this point as 0, and divide the full length of the motion (back and 4th, back... and 4th... back... and 4th... miau) in2 360 STAGES, just like we divide the hour in2 minutes, and each minute in2 seconds.

We refer 2 each such stage as a degree of PHASE.

Now we may describe the repeating motion in small measurable parts, like the 365 days of the year describing the seasons.

We may say 4 example: "@ this moment, all cameras show Pamela @ 145 degrees of PHASE".

SPECIAL examples:

When Pamela is on the highest point on the LEFT, we may say she's @ 0 degrees of PHASE, or the beginning of the CYCLE.

When Pamela is in the middle point traveling 2WARDS the RIGHT, we may say she's @ 90 degrees of PHASE, or quarter CYCLE.

When Pamela is on the highest point on the RIGHT, we may say she's @ 180 degrees of PHASE, or HALF the CYCLE.

When Pamela is in the middle point traveling 2WARDS the LEFT, we may say she's @ 270 degrees of PHASE, or 3 quarters of a CYCLE.

As mentioned, we may start counting @ ANY point, as long as all cameras will refer 2 the SAME point, and then the values above will SHIFT accordingly.

4 example if we start counting the days in the year from July instead of January, spring will begin 182.5 days LATER.

Now instead of Pamela, think of Jean-Jacque Goldberg (enjoy) hitting a snare drum with 4 mics around him @ different distances.

Peace,

Zooot