Advanced Search Request a Book

ORDERS

Readings Orders 0

DEMANDS

Readings Demands 0

The Physics Of Everyday Things: the Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
[Paperback - 2018]
james kakalios
On Demand
Availability in 2-4 weeks on receipt of order
List Price: £14.99
Our Price: Rs.2745 Rs.2059
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.686
Category: Science
Sub-category: Popular Science
Publisher: Robinson Uk | ISBN: 9781472141514 | Pages: 256
Shipping Weight: | Dimensions:

Description

Most of us are clueless when it comes to the physics that makes our modern world so convenient. What's the simple science behind motion sensors, touch screens and toasters? How do we enter our offices using touch-on passes or find our way to new places using GPS? In The Physics of Everyday Things, James Kakalios takes us on an amazing journey into the subatomic marvels that underlie so much of what we use and take for granted. Breaking down the world of things into a single day, Kakalios engages our curiosity about how our refrigerators keep food cool, how a plane manages to remain airborne, and how our wrist fitness monitors keep track of our steps. Each explanation is coupled with a story revealing the interplay of the astonishing invisible forces that surround us. Through this 'narrative physics' The Physics of Everyday Things demonstrates that - far from the abstractions conjured by terms like the Higgs boson, black holes and gravity waves - sophisticated science is also quite practical. With his signature clarity and inventiveness, Kakalios ignites our imaginations and enthralls us with the principles that make up our lives.

About the Author

James Kakalios is a physics professor at the University of Minnesota. Known within the scientific community for his work with amorphous semiconductors, granular materials, and 1/f noise, he is known to the general public as the author of the book The Physics of Superheroes, which considers comic book superheroes from the standpoint of fundamental physics.Kakalios, who earned PhD from the University of Chicago in 1985, began his comic book collection as a graduate student as a way to relieve stress. At Minnesota, he taught a freshman seminar that focused on the physics of superheroes as a way to motivate students to think about physics. This course gained great popularity as an enticing alternative to the typical inclined planes and pulleys of physics.The seminar was a great success, leading to articles in popular magazines including People, lectures on the subject, and publication of The Physics of Superheroes. In his talks, favorite examples are the death of Gwen Stacy (Spider-Man's girlfriend), "can Superman jump over tall buildings and what does this tell us about Krypton?", the high-velocity actions of The Flash, and the shrinking problem of the Atom. His analysis of Gwen Stacy's death eventually became integral to the plot of a new Spider-Man comic.Kakalios is of the opinion that the most unrealistic aspect of the comic-book universe is often the sociology. He notes that pedestrians don't usually provide running monologues describing everything around them. There is one aspect of the story of the Atom that he does not question, however. The Atom begins as a physics professor, who encounters a chunk of white dwarf star and picks it up. "By a conservative estimate, he is lifting about 5000 metric tons. This is not unreasonable," Kakalios will say at the end of his talk, taking off his glasses before walking offstage. "We physics professors are just that strong."He provides content on the DVD of the film Watchmen. Under extras, he is filmed discussing the physics of superheroes.Dr. Kakalios has been nominated by the University of Minnesota to be one of the USA Science and Engineering Festival's Nifty Fifty Speakers who will speak about his work and career to middle and high school students in October 2010.

Bestsellers in Science

View All
A Brief History Of Time
[Paperback - 1989]
stephen hawking
In Stock
List Price: £8.99
Our Price: Rs.1895 Rs.1421
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.474
I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us And A Grander View Of Life
[Paperback - 2017]
ed yong
Out of Stock
Availability in 2-4 weeks on receipt of order
List Price: £12.99
Our Price: Rs.2795 Rs.2096
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.699
Guns, Germs And Steel: A Short History Of Everybody For The Last 13,000 Years (Winner Of The Pulitzer Prize For Non Fiction 1998)
[Paperback - 2005]
jared diamond
In Stock
List Price: £12.99
Our Price: Rs.2995 Rs.2246
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.749
A Short History Of Nearly Everything: A Journey Through Space And Time
[Paperback - 2016]
bill bryson
In Stock
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: Rs.2645 Rs.1984
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.661
The God Equation: The Quest For A Theory Of Everything
[Paperback - 2022]
michio kaku
Out of Stock
Availability in 2-4 weeks on receipt of order
List Price: £9.99
Our Price: Rs.2245 Rs.1684
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.561
Six Easy Pieces: Essentials Of Physics Explained By Its Most Brilliant Teacher
[Paperback - 2016]
richard p. feynman
In Stock
List Price: $16.99
Our Price: Rs.3895 Rs.2921
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.974
The God Delusion (10th Anniversary Edition)
[Paperback - 2016]
richard dawkins
In Stock
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: Rs.2575 Rs.1931
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.644
The Order Of Time
[Paperback - 2019]
carlo rovelli
In Stock
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: Rs.2295 Rs.1721
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.574
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge And The Teachings Of Plants
[Paperback - 2020]
robin wall kimmerer
In Stock
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: Rs.2445 Rs.1834
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.611
The Structure Of Scientific Revolutions: 50th Anniversary Edition
[Paperback - 2012]
thomas s. kuhn
Out of Stock
Availability in 2-4 weeks on receipt of order
List Price: $18
Our Price: Rs.4745 Rs.3559
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.1186
Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman: Adventures Of A Curious Character
[Paperback - 2022]
richard p. feynman
On Demand
Availability in 2-4 weeks on receipt of order
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: Rs.2545 Rs.1909
Standard Discount: 25%
You Save: Rs.636