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    The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
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    The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
    Unavailable
    The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day

    Written by James Kakalios

    Narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Physics professor, bestselling author, and dynamic storyteller James Kakalios reveals the mind-bending science behind the seemingly basic things that keep our daily lives running, from our smart phones and digital "clouds" to x-ray machines and hybrid vehicles.
     
    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 glide through tolls using an E-Z Pass, 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 16, 2017
    ISBN9781524780166
    Unavailable
    The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day

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    Reviews for The Physics of Everyday Things

    3.5/5

    58 ratings16 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I am a little bit of a science geek and I spend a lot of time wondering how everyday things work, so I was excited about The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind as Ordinary Day, by James Kakalios. I was not disappointed. I especially enjoyed the explanation of traffic flow, as well as the description of a car’s self-parking feature. I would recommend this book for people interested in the science and technology of everyday life.
    • 3/5
      I don't know why this book didn't hold my attention. The explanations of the physics behind things like toasters and prox cards and TV screens are thorough and not uninteresting, but overall the book was a chore to read and I didn't come away from it with any feeling that I better understand the things around me.I think I was expecting more of a "How Things Work" type of book, which this is not, really. Much of the focus is on atoms, photons, electricity, and magnets. Although he gets into subjects like clocks and pendulums, airplanes, and cars, it's mostly very small details, and to a person with only a basic understanding of physics and chemistry, the explanations start to feel a little repetitive, and they run together a little. I suspect this means I'm less knowledgeable than the target audience for this book, which is in no way the author's fault, but if the last hard science you had was 20 years ago and your memory's fuzzy, it might be tough to focus on this.I think the book suffers from its format - which Kakalios's editor evidently suggested - which follows a "you" throughout an "ordinary" day, which somehow involves a doctor's visit, an x-ray, an airplane ride, and a presentation about something physics-related. I suspect even for a physicist this isn't an "ordinary" day; regardless, the result is quite stilted and off-putting. I think I'd have preferred a straightforward examination of various objects rather than forced introductions to random things this fictional "you" encounters during its day, introduced by phrases like "you are grateful for" or "you notice." There are visual aids, and these are mostly helpful, but more of them might help.Overall I was disappointed in the execution here, especially since it seemed like a great idea and like the sort of thing I'd really enjoy. I've been curious about the Physics of Superheroes, but I can't imagine I will pick it up after reading this.
    • 5/5
      I was expecting this to read like a textbook or a bunch of science articles, but it was actually written in a story format. The protagonist (second person “you”) goes through a morning routine, drives to a doctor appointment, gets an x-ray, takes a plane to another location to give a presentation, and retires in a hotel room for the night. Each small step of the day is described by a paragraph of narrative, which is followed by a few pages explaining the science behind a technology or other scientific principle the protagonist encounters (toasters, traffic jams, motion detectors, touch screens, the device the TSA uses to test for traces of explosives, etc.). I think this was a fun format that flowed well.The science explanations were clear and fairly easy to understand. (I’ll admit that I did need to reread some new-to-me concepts two or three times to totally absorb and process them. For reference, I only have a high-school-level physics background.) Definitely an information-dense book, so while not a slow read, I did need a couple sittings to get through it to avoid information overload.I take the technology behind modern life for granted since it’s always been there for me, so it was interesting to see nuts and bolts of how everyday things work and also amazing to see how it’s all simultaneously simple and complex. I’m now more grateful to be benefiting from the centuries of scientific study that led to modern life!I enjoyed this book enough that I’d recommend it to friends and plan to read the author’s other books. The only thing I’d change is I’d add some more diagrams/figures since I find visuals helpful when learning something new.Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      I received a free advance “uncorrected proof” of The Physics of Everyday Things through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer lottery. I read the first chapter and systematically skimmed the rest of it, so you may weigh my star rating and the following discussion accordingly.The Physics of Everyday Things follows an imagined “you” through a day that includes a doctor visit, air travel, and a meeting presentation. “You” encounter lots of technical devices in 12 hours and James Kakalios describes how they work. He explains the basic physics of each, for the most part very clearly. If you have never had a course in physics you might feel challenged, but if you can recall even just a bit of your high school exposure and are curious you should be able to follow what he has to say. If you were a college physics major, you probably do not need to read it.Kakalios covers over 40 devices and applications altogether; examples include such common appliances as a coffee maker, a toaster, and a TV remote; expensive high-tech equipment, such as MRI scanners; things that get us from here to there, like hybrid cars, high-speed elevators, and airplanes (and even flying cars); many items that most of us no longer feel we can do without, such as credit cards, smartphones, touchscreens, and wi-fi; and at least one phenomenon that we may not have previously recognized as explainable by physics at all – traffic jams.I have a couple of relatively minor criticisms. First, I believe more illustrations would have been helpful. There are only eight in my advance copy. Readers can mentally construct their own visuals based on the text, but it requires a little extra effort.Second, I question whether the “through-the-day” structure adds much to the readability of the explanations of all of these things. It may have worked just as well or better in a reference book format. Indeed, since my advance copy had a blank index I found myself constructing my own in order to track down the page numbers where particular subjects were discussed. I will keep this volume and likely refer to it from time to time. If I were seeking a true reference book on the way everyday things work, however, I would probably prefer one of the available alternatives.
    • 4/5
      A great way to look at your daily life through the world of physics. We take so much for granted in our daily lives of how thing work, from our coffee pot to our alarm clock to the magnetic strip on our debit and credit cards. I found this book informational and educational though it would help the reader to at least have some understanding of simple physics. A few areas I got lost and had to re-read, and whether I got it or not is not the author’s fault. This book really makes you aware of all the electronics we have in our homes, offices, motorized vehicles, grocery stores etc. I found myself sharing some of this information with my wife. An enjoyable read that will definitely stay on my bookshelf that I can refer to when needed.
    • 3/5
      Something that would be helpful to this book, I think, is a brief summary of the technologies covered in each chapter right in the table of contents. And since I have a prepub copy that may be taken care of in the final version. I get why the author arranged it the way he did—go through a typical day and learn about the technologies you encounter. I find it difficult to assign a level of difficulty or needed background to this book—it kept losing me with too much detail and yet too little at the same time. You’d pretty much need to read it in order, as he does refer back to previously covered concepts sometimes, but moving from topic to topic, explanation to explanation, seemed confusing. On the other hand I did learn some useful things—like why I should put my iphone in a big wooden salad bowl when I listen to music while making dinner. I will refer back to things like this as they come up in my daily life or as I get questions from grandchildren. More of a reference book approach rather than an easy read.
    • 5/5
      Wow, this is a fascinating book! It takes readers through a busy but ordinary day, from waking up to a smartphone alarm and the smell of coffee brewing in a programmable coffeemaker to turning out the light at night in a hotel, all the while discussing the science and sometimes the history of the technologies encountered along the way. Among the things covered are a commute into the city with GPS, a visit to a doctor to have an x-ray, an airplane flight, a business presentation, and why we don’t yet have flying cars like in Back to The Future. I’m not a scientist and while some of the information was challenging it was well written and I could follow almost everything.
    • 4/5
      "The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day" by James Kakalios clearly shows just how science makes modern life possible. Kakalios follows someone through an ordinary (if very busy) day and explains the role that physics plays in things ranging from elevators to traffic jams to flat panel televisions. This approach makes for an engaging way to approach the topic and encourage readers to consider just how much science affects everyday events.Overall, I enjoyed this book, even if it is somewhat challenging since my background isn't in science. Kakalios does a fine job of explaining the complex concepts that make modern conveniences possible, but it can be hard to follow along with the scientific vocabulary. Consequently, I found it helpful to read a section at a time, put the book down to process the information, and then pick it back up later. Fortunately, the book's structure lends itself to this.The book's structure and focus also make it a good text for use in a high school science classroom. Using excerpts or vignettes to illustrate how certain phenomenon, such as radar and lidar, make everyday things like GPS and self-parking cars possible helps make the subject more real and tangible to students. It also invites students to look at the world around them with a newfound appreciation for science.
    • 3/5
      This book written by James Kakalios, a Professor of Physics at the University of Minnesota is a study in how practical physics impacts our lives day in and day out with most of us not having a clue of this impact. My interest in physics stems from my early education in high school and college and this book brought back a host of these concepts and many new ones that related to things I certainly had never considered before.Professor Kakalios takes us on a journey through things we encounter from the moment we wake up to the progression of a busy day in the life of a typical person in his personal as well as professional life. Starting with the simple process of waking up to a timer driven alarm clock all the way to the newest hi-tech TV screens many topics and devices are introduced and described in detail. The principles of basic physics to advanced development by talented engineers is presented on so many things we take for granted each day. It is truly a whirlwind of topics and applications.This is not the most entertaining material, or light reading one would usually encounter but there are many aha moments throughout the book that do keep it captivating I found. One such topic dealt with traffic flow which many of us encounter each day that prompted me to observe and test the concept on my own drive and sure enough it was right on the mark. Another thing that left me thinking was the marvel of advanced engineering that continuously takes these principles and develops new application and products that improve or simplify our lives so impact-fully. And of course it never ends, what will come next is always the question behind so many of these applications.Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but this book does provoke thinking and wonder behind everyday encounters that leads to an appreciation of these advancements and the future of applied physics that lies ahead.
    • 3/5
      It's okay. Hard to get into. Its premise consists of outlining a day in "your" life. Which is probably a bad idea in general because an average day in the life of the 7 billion people on this planet is far from universal so the author should have avoided this perspective. It probably would have been better if it just listed an object in your life, such as an alarm clock, and described how it works. I can't dislike the book though. When I took physics in college professors would try to relate lessons to every day things and that was my favorite part of the course. I know the author spent time as a professor as well. In general its just hard to make physics engaging for people who have a hard time grasping it but this was a good effort.
    • 5/5
      lots of details about laws of electro and thermo dynamics with real life examples that ease difficulty of learning these complex topics
    • 2/5
      The Physics of Everyday Things is one of many “popular science” texts explaining the natural laws behind the tools and activities we commonly use and engage in. It wouldn’t be my first choice. The use of the second person narration is a little clunky. The organization, by the activities of a typical day, assumes the reader will proceed front-to-back, which probably isn’t typical for this kind of information. As it is, to dig out information on electromagnetic fields a user would have to dip into four or five different chapters. The book’s competitors, with titles that are variations of “the Way Things Work,” all use encyclopedia organization. They also make much heavier use of combined graphics and text. This book has illustrations, but is primarily prose. Given the level of material, the target audience would probably be middle schoolers. I don’t think this is the book to attract them to the world of scientific inquiry.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Have you ever wondered what made your toaster work? Or how about your car radio?Have you ever wondered how your television can convert signals into pictures and sounds?How does your dryer know when your clothes are dry?How does your microwave oven work?Kakalios takes us on a journey of an average day, and breaks down each of the normal things we use during that day. From the alarm clock. To the car. To a doctor's visit. To a business meeting where you have to take a flight. Your business presentation. And going to a hotel for the night.You will be amazed at the ordinary things we use daily, and never knew how they work! Kakalios breaks down the physics of each so that a layman can understand.This is a really fascinating book, that I read straight through in about 90 minutes. It was amazing! I think it's a keeper folks!I give this book five stars.And I give it a big thumbs up.I also give it my personal recommendation

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      I received this book from the LibraryThing's distribution of books for review. As an Emeritus Professor of Physical Chemistry, i bring a lot of baggage to a book like this, which is not written for me, but for the average "man on the street".. The author makes up a supposedly typical day, and proceeds to disclaim a carefully curated selection of physics phenomena that arise. In my opinion, the physics that is described corresponds not so much to questions that woul occur to the reader, but correlates perfectly with the physics that the author wanted to write about all along. He talks about the physics the alarm clock on his coffee maker as if it were the same as the physics of the pendulum clock on the wall. In fact, they are very different; he would like to talk about the pendulum, so he does. But explaining how the alarm in his coffee maker works would be much harder, so that is never explained, even though the average citizen likely relies on the smartphone alarm, and may not even own a pendulum clock. His analog between the clock and an electric generator is both flawed and confusing. He says, for example, that a pendulum with a small charge on the bob would eventually come to rest because energy would be radiated as electromagnetic waves. However, an ordinary, uncharged pendulum also comes to rest, because it loses energy due to friction with the air or on its pivot. He points out that the electric grid in the US runs at 60 Hz, but does not explain why 50 Hz is the standard in other countries, or exactly how that is related to the clock rate. He also implies that electric companies use permanent magnets, but then says that the 60 cycle per second alternating current results from the changing magnetic field, with no further explanation. He ask how the coffee maker can keep time when it is unplugged, but never answers the question. I found objections like these to his descriptions of physics throughout the book. He explains what he wants to, but not particularly well, and leaves the harder (and more interesting) questions alone. I found the book frustrating because I could see the errors and the huge omissions, but a more naive reader likely would not be troubled, and could at least get some physics out of it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The author takes us through the a day and describes all the technology that we run into and the physics behind how it works. I have to admit that some of it I read through but did not have the interest to think through and truly understand. So while I found many things fascinating the book requires an effort to fully follow all of the descriptions. Now that is for me and I am not particularly knowledgeable of physics and technology. Someone who has a deeper background would likely appreciate it more. Having said that there were many parts that I really enjoyed. These topics include cloud storage, how refrigerators work, an explanation of radiation, how steps are counted on your wrist monitor and how elevators work. There are many short statements that really helped my understanding, such as, that a refrigerator is an engine that runs backwards and why it really is the humidity and not the heat.Overall a very good book and suitable for a wide readership but, if you are like me, you may find parts a struggle to fully appreciate. Moreover the structure of the book was excellent and following a person through their day helped put everything in order. My favorite part comes near the end as the author describes why we don't have cars that fly.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I've just moved and don't have access to the book to refresh my 1 year old memory of it. My impression is that this would be useful/interesting to a Freshman Physics major. I found it a bit less than truly informative and interesting. When I get my books unpacked I'll try to skim through it again and update this review.