Geek Physics - (Wiley Pop Culture and History) by Rhett Allain (Paperback)

About the Book

Rhett Allain writes the popular Dot Physics blog for Wired and in this book he takes a longer, smarter look at his most popular topics, from the purely fun (How much bubble wrap would you need to safely jump off a 6th floor building?) to the completely mind-boggling (Why does a mirror reverse left to light, but not top to bottom?). Allain is a physics professor and he's become very good at finding physics questions buried in the latest movie, video game, viral video or news hook. Each chapter will not only cover interesting subjects like lightsabers and McDonald's drive-thrus, but use those questions to teach readers basic physics concepts. He'll explore questions like: Is Angry Birds using real physics? Does a heavier truck make a better snow plow? What if everyone on earth jumped at the same I time? How many dollar bills would it take to stack them to the moon? Often the way he gets to the answer is more interesting than the answer itself.

Book Synopsis

Have you ever wondered whether a human could really fly with wings like a bird's? What about how many zombies you could actually drive through? Or whether airplanes could save fuel by using iPads instead of paper safety manuals? How about whether Superman could really punch someone into space?

In Geek Physics, Rhett Allain, a physics professor and Wired's popular Dot Physics blogger, finds intriguing questions buried in familiar movies and TV shows, video games, viral videos, and news hooks and walks readers through the fascinating answers from a physics perspective, without all the complicated details. Geek Physics appeals not just to the geek oriented but also to anyone who loves pop culture and technology.

With illustrations, basic equations, and easy-to-read graphs and diagrams, each chapter not only covers the most popular subjects from Allain's blog, like lightsabers and McDonald's drive-thrus, but uses those questions from a less technical approach to teach basic physics concepts. What better way to explain the nature of light than to consider how Gollum could see in the dark?

Geek Physics explores interesting questions like:

* How much bubble wrap would you need to safely jump off a 6th floor building? * Why does R2-D2 fly the way he does? * Why does a mirror reverse left to light, but not top to bottom? * Is Angry Birds using real physics? * Does a heavier truck make a better snow plow? * What if everyone on earth jumped at the same time? * How many dollar bills would it take to stack them to the moon?

Review Quotes

"Angry Birds Furious Forces serves as a great introduction to basic physics concepts for young ages because they're presented in a way that kids can relate to as they play their favorite game." --Tech Savvy Parents "For those looking for something a bit more introductory in nature, Rhett Allain's amusing yet educational Angry Birds, Furious Forces: The Physics at Play in the World's Most Popular Game is an excellent option." --Scientific American Baker's Dozen: Best 2013 Books for the Physics Fan

"Geek Physics shows us the joy to be found in using simple models and physics principles to dig deeper into everything from sports to comic-book movies. And, as it turns out, adding a little physics makes everything more fun." --Chad Orzel, author of How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog

"Geek Physics will cause you to see the relevance of physics to life's hidden, everyday questions. It's the superposition of Hollywood, Mythbusters, YouTube, physics and Rhett Allain's knack for asking interesting questions." --Dr. Aaron Titus, codeveloper of WebAssign

"Everything that happens in the world is described by physics. Interestingly, even things that don't happen are described by physics. In this delightful book, Rhett Allain uncovers the science behind some of the most fun hypothetical questions we can ask, from Han shooting first to the power in Superman's fists." --Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist and author of The Particle at the End of the Universe

"This book won my heart after it estimated lightsaber temperature from the color of molten metal."--Zach Weinersmith, author and illustrator of the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal