The most basic of the sciences, physics, is all around
us every day. If you've ever wondered what makes lightning, why a
boomerang returns, how ice skaters can spin so fast, how Michael
Jordan can "fly," why waves crash on the beach, how that tiny
computer can do complicated problems, or how long it takes light
from a star to reach us, you have been thinking about some of the
same things physicists study every day.
Physicists like to
ask questions. They try to find answers for almost everything_from
when the universe began to why soda fizzes. If you like to explore
and figure out why things are the way they are, you might like
physics. |
 Alf Rawls performs the
"Ollie," the aerial maneuver on which all new skateboard tricks are
based. The "Ollie" depends on a rapid compression and decompression
of the skater's legs. (Photo courtesy Transworld Skateboarding
Magazine.) |
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DID YOU
KNOW?Did you know that a
karate strike aimed slightly BEHIND the target achieves the
most force? The idea of momentum is the key, a topic found in
physics courses.
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If you've had a back-row seat at a rock concert, and could still
hear, you experienced physics at work! Physicists studying sound
contribute to the design of concert halls and the amplification
equipment. Knowing more about how things move and interact can be
used to manage the flow of traffic and help cities avoid grid lock.
|
 Ford driver Robby
Gordon competing in the ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix.
Aerodynamic engineering helps reduce drag and increase traction.
(Photo courtesy Ford Motor Company/Campbell and Co.)
|
Lasers and radioactive elements are tools in the war on cancer
and other diseases. Geophysicists are developing methods to give
advance warning of earthquakes. The work of physicists made possible
the computer chips that are in your digital watch, CD player,
electronic games, and hand-held calculator. |
