The Physics Behind: Discover the Physics of Everyday Life - Softcover

Swan, Russ

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0228100895 ISBN 13: 9780228100898

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2018

Synopsis

Uncovering the extraordinary science behind everyday life.

From the Cloud to static, waterproof clothing and drones, there's a whole world of fascinating science underlying the objects, actions and interactions of ordinary life. The Physics Behind... explains what makes the modern world go 'round by looking at everyday technology, objects in the home, nature and the engineering and science behind things you use every day.

• Everyday Tech - The Faraday cage; Calculators; Predictive text; Solar panels; Drone delivery
• Leisure and Lifestyle - CGI; Baked Alaska; Perspective in art; 3-D films; Waterproof clothing; Microwave popcorn; Self-service checkouts
• Your Home - Static shocks; Wifi technology; Foam; Ring pulls; Refrigeration
• The Natural World - A fly's eye; Flight patterns of birds; Weather forecasting; Pond skaters; Rainbows
• Travel - Airbags; Driverless cars; Take-off and landing; Air traffic control
• Computing - Fingerprint recognition; Google Maps; The Cloud; CT scans; Touch-screen technology; QR codes; Augmented reality; Step counters on smart phones
• Everything Else - Springs; Night vision; The Doppler effect; Photocopiers; 3-D printing; The perfect igloo; This book.

Packed with detailed original artwork and infographics, The Physics Behind... is perfect for anyone who has ever been curious about the science of life.

About this title

About the Author

Russ Swan is a freelance journalist and editor, specializing in writing about science, engineering and technology.

Review

"Packed from cover to cover with detailed original artwork and infographics, "The Physics Behind..." is especially recommended for anyone who has ever been curious about the science of life as it explores the physics behind: touchscreen technology, weather, electric guitars, facial recognition, spider silk, and more... Very highly recommended for school and community library collections." (Midwest Book Review 2018-10-01)

Driverless cars, supersonic flight, and the Human Genome Project are just a few of the many weighty subjects addressed by science writer Russ Swan in this physics popularization. Presented in a light and easy-to-read format, The Physics Behind consists of colorful two-page spreads, each centered on a specific topic and containing several paragraphs of nontechnical text, artwork, and infographics. In the book's introduction, Swan says his goal is to offer the reader a "peek under the hood" of a range of amazing devices and technologies that have become ubiquitous in modern life. (Cynthia Cummings Physics Today Magazine 2018-09-01)

The book is an attractive softback, with colorful hand-drawn diagrams. Each page is a mixture of pictures and words. The text is quite small, in-depth, and reasonably technical, making the book suitable for older children (13 upwards) and interested adults... Swan has cleverly used mundane items to explain important concepts... The Physics Behind is perfect for school projects that are based on science in the home or as a leaping off point for understanding the practical applications of the physics you learn at school. It's ideal for amateur physicists wanting a broad overview of the science going on around them. In a world where we seem to increasingly take for granted the technology that runs our daily lives, where scientists are often demonized for being concerned with boring things like facts, science popularizers like Russ Swan are worth their weight in gold or at the very least, platinum-iridium alloy. (Robin Brooks Geek Dad Blog 2018-10-31)

Edition details

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0228100895
• ISBN 13: 9780228100898
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192