Brainteaser Physics

Challenging Physics Puzzlers

Göran Grimvall

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Year: 2007
• eBook ISBN: 9780801891700
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Games in Mathematics

Does a glass of ice water filled to the brim overflow when the ice melts? Does the energy inside a sauna increase when you heat it up? What's the best way to cool your coffee—adding the creamer first or last?

These and other challenging puzzlers provide a fresh—and fun—approach to learning real physics. Presenting both classic and new problems, Brainteaser Physics challenges readers to use imagination and basic physics principles to find the answers. Göran Grimvall provides detailed and accessible explanations of the solutions, sometimes correcting the standard explanations, sometimes putting a new twist on them. He provides diagrams and equations where appropriate and ends each problem by discussing a specific concept or offering an extra challenge.

With Brainteaser Physics, students and veteran physicists alike can sharpen their critical and creative thinking—and have fun at the same time.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• 1 Ten Hits
• 2 No Math Required
• 3 Are You Sure?
• 4 Forces and Currents
• 5 Not Exact but Still Relevant
• 6 Challenges for Your Creativity
• Coda
• Further Reading
• Index