How Everything Works
How Everything Works How Everything Works
 
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Part II: Specific Information for the How Things Work Sections:
[Todo: needs to be updated to correspond to the fourth edition of the book]
Component
Titlea
Hoursb
Demos
Lecture Slidesc
PowerPoint
Print
Chapter 1
The Laws of Motion, Part 1
Section 1.1
Skating
1
Section 1.2
Falling Balls
1
Section 1.3
Ramps
1
Chapter 2
The Laws of Motion, Part 2
Section 2.1
Seesaws
1
Section 2.2
Wheels
1
Section 2.3
Bumper Cars
2
Chapter 3
Mechanical Objects
Section 3.1
Spring Scales
1
Section 3.2
Bouncing Balls
1
Section 3.3
Carousels and Roller Coasters
1
Section 3.4
Bicycles
2
Section 3.5
        
Chapter 4
Fluids
Section 4.1
Balloons
1
Section 4.2
Water Distribution
2
Section 4.3
        
Section 4.4
  
Chapter 5
Fluids and Motion
Section 5.1
Garden Watering
2
Section 5.2
Balls and Frisbees
2
Section 5.3
Airplanes
1
Section 5.3
Rockets
1
Section 5.4
      
Chapter 6
Heat and Thermodynamics
Section 6.1
Woodstoves
2
Section 6.2
Incandescent Light Bulbs
2
Section 6.3
Air Conditioners
2
Section 6.4
Automobiles
2
Section 6.5
  
Section 6.6
  
Section 6.7
        
Chapter 7
Resonance and Mechanical Waves
Section 7.1
Clocks
2
Section 7.2
Violins and Pipe Organs
2
Section 7.3
The Sea and Surfing
2
Chapter 8
Electric and Magnetic Forces
Section 8.1
Electronic Air Cleaners
1
Section 8.2
Xerographic Copiers
1
Section 8.3
Magnetically Levitated Trains
2
Chapter 9
Electrodynamics
        
Section 9.1
Flashlights
1
Section 9.2
Electric Power Distribution
2
Section 9.3
Tape Recorders
1
Section 9.4
      
Section 9.5
      
Chapter 10
Electronics
Section 10.1
Audio Amplifiers
2
Section 10.2
Computers
1
Section 10.3
        
Chapter 11
Electromagnetic Waves
Section 11.1
Radio
2
Section 11.2
Television
1
Section 11.3
Microwave Ovens
1
Chapter 12
Light
Section 12.1
Sunlight
2
Section 12.2
Fluorescent Lamps
2
Section 12.3
Lasers
1
Section 12.4
        
Chapter 13
Optics
        
Section 13.1
Cameras
2
Section 13.2
Optical Recording and Communications
2
Section 13.3
  
Chapter 14
Modern Physics
        
Section 14.1
Nuclear Weapons
2
Section 14.2
Medical Imaging and Radiation
2
  
Section 14.3
  
Chapter 15
Phase Transitions
        
Section 15.1
2
Section 15.2
        
Chapter 16
Materials Science
        
Section 16.1
1
Section 16.2
1
Section 16.3
2
Chapter 17
Chemical Physics
        
Section 17.1
        
Section 17.2
        
Section 17.3
        
aWhile most sections appear in the book, How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life (Wiley, New York, 2001), some sections are available on the web. Click on the active links to view those sections in pdf format.
bI have found that some sections require more than one 50-minute class period. Topics that can be covered adequately in one class period are marked with a 1 while those that may benefit from a second class period are marked with a 2.
cI have included my lecture slides in two formats: PowerPoint native format (ppt) and Adobe Acrobat format (pdf). These lecture notes continue to evolve and I don’t claim that they are perfect. This version of the slides is circa 2004. Feel free to use them or modify them as you see fit.
Part III: Line Art Figures from How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life for use in instruction
[Todo: post art for the third and fourth editions]
Part IV: Documents from my own course in Fall 2006, which you may find useful for creating a How Things Work course of your own:
For my current semester course (Physics 106, Spring 2009) click here.
Part V: Additional homework assignments from not-so-recent semesters of my course:
Fall, 2000 Assignments:
Spring, 2000 Assignments:
Fall, 1999 Assignments
Spring, 1999 Assignments
Part VI: Examinations from not-so-recent semesters of my course:
Fall, 2000
Spring, 2000
Fall, 1999
Spring, 1999
Spring, 1998
Spring, 1997
Fall, 1996
Last Updated January 27, 2009
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