Physics Over Easy Breakfasts with Beth and Physics 2nd Edition 7636 tp.indd 1 6/28/10 11:51 AM b942_FM.qxd 6/23/2010 5:50 PM Page ii This page intentionally left blank Physics Over Easy Breakfasts with Beth and Physics 2nd Edition Leonid V Azároff University of Connecticut, USA World Scientific NEW JERSEY 7636 tp.indd 2 • LONDON • SINGAPORE • BEIJING • SHANGHAI • HONG KONG • TA I P E I • CHENNAI 6/28/10 11:51 AM Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. PHYSICS OVER EASY (2nd Edition) Breakfasts with Beth and Physics Copyright © 2010 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. ISBN-13 ISBN-10 ISBN-13 ISBN-10 978-981-4295-44-4 981-4295-44-2 978-981-4295-45-1 (pbk) 981-4295-45-0 (pbk) Typeset by Stallion Press Email:
[email protected] Printed in Singapore. Alvin - Physics over Easy.pmd 1 9/8/2010, 10:39 AM b942_FM.qxd 6/23/2010 5:50 PM Page v Dedicated to Diana, David, Richard, and Lenore v b942_FM.qxd 6/23/2010 5:50 PM Page vi This page intentionally left blank b942_FM.qxd 6/23/2010 5:50 PM Page vii Contents Preface xi Introduction: What Keeps Us Going? Physicists, and Other People 1 1 Chapter One: Breakfast of Hard-Boiled Eggs with Inertia How It All Began — with Rolling Balls 5 5 Chapter Two: Breakfast of Eggs Bene-Bricked What Keeps the Ball Rolling? 15 15 Chapter Three: Breakfast of Apple-Gravity Pancakes Why Does an Apple Fall From a Tree? 21 21 Chapter Four: Brea