Synopses & Reviews
Who would have guessed that physics would become the hottest topic on Broadway? Handy Physics is just the book for anyone trying to get a handle on what is a difficult but extremely trendy science and is sure to help readers become more socially successful. What, really, does E=MC2 mean? More fun than a slide rule, Handy Physics tackles the big issues: Gravity. Magnetism. Matter. Sound. Light. And the smaller topics, like why do cats always land on their feet? Why don't birds or squirrels on power lines get electrocuted? Only Handy Physics combines elementary theory with heartwarming tales of small animals. For everyone who ever wondered how a light bulb works, The Handy Physics Answer Book examines more than 825 basic questions about physics and physicists, ranging from everyday life applications to the latest explorations in subatomic physics. The Handy Physics Answer Book disposes with the mathematical explanations and deep coma often associated with physics and instead takes a more conceptual approach written in everyday English by yet another teacher. Other great stuff includes a list of the Nobel Prize winners in physics and suggestions for further reading. Ideal for students, science readers, theatergoers, and anyone reckoning with the essential questions about the universe we dwell within, Handy Physics is a friendly guide to the most significant scientific theories and discoveries of our time. And, we promise, no chalkboards.
Review
"If you wondered about one physics idea a day, this resource would answer your questions for over two years . . . Every aspect of our daily life is governed by physics, so this is an extremely useful . . . resource." National Science Teachers Association
Review
"It is often not only convenient, but necessary, to have at hand a reference guide to answer basic questions regarding physics. This book does that and more. This is a great book for anyone." National Science Teachers Association
Review
"The author does a good job explaining technical concepts simply. Answers are in plain nontechnical English, and formulas and jargon are kept to a minimum. This second edition will find its place with other popular physics books." Booklist (July 6, 2011)
Review
"The Handy Physics Answer Book is geared toward the general audience but still of value to the scholar. Recommended." —Christian Library Journal (November 1, 2011)
Review
"[D]istills complicated physics concepts into bite-size explanations in question-and-answer format. The text is clear and easy to understand." —www.ARBAonline.com
Synopsis
Eschewing the usual mathematical explanations for physics phenomena, this approachable reference explains complicated scientific concepts in plain English that everyone can understand. Completely updated to tackle the big issues such as gravity, magnetism, sound, and what really happens in the Large Hadron Collider, this engaging look at physics also spells out why cats always land on their feet, why people appear to have red eyes in photographs, and the real danger of looking at an eclipse. For everyone who ever wondered how a light bulb works or how squirrels avoid electrocution on the power lines, this handbook supplies answers on the physics of everyday life and examines the developments in the exploration of subatomic particles. In addition to the question-and-answer section, an addendum of facts about physicists explains what the Nobel prize is and who has won it, and tells the story of the scientist who was incarcerated for agreeing with Copernicus.
About the Author
Paul W. Zitzewitz, PhD, taught physics at the University of MichiganDearborn for more than 35 years and has been honored as a Fellow of the American Physical Society for his work in physics education. He is the author of the high school physics textbook Physics: Principles and Problems. He lives in Northville, Michigan.