Box? What box?

Here's a hint: the story of physical science over the last five centuries has been one of people who thought outside the box. From Galileo and Newton in the 1600s to Einstein and Feynman in the 20th century, the progress of science in answering fundamental questions about the world is rooted in a different way of approaching things — a scientific way.

Appropriately, then, this program, An Introduction to Physical Science Concepts, begins with an exploration of how scientists think. From gedanken experiments to Newton's rules of reasoning to Fermi questions, it's all here. This exploration leads naturally into the second unit area about the language of physical science: mathematics.

Movin' On

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Among other things, physicists study linear and circular motion.

Of course, things that move have momentum, the subject of unit 6. Here, discover why the Titanic couldn't avoid her tragic fate and how airbags in automobiles work. In focus 6a, "The Impulse-Momentum Change Theroem," play with virtual crash test dummies to see how varying the time factor in a collision affects the force passengers feel. In every unit, detailed explanations of the concepts involved are followed by problems to work out for yourself.

Things that move also have energy. In unit 7, "Work, Energy, and Power," you can see how energy is transferred from a baseball bat to the ball and how it is conserved in roller coasters. And look here to find out why studying physics isn't really "work" at all!

Things that move can also move in circles. Unit 8, "Circular Motion," explores how what goes around comes around. Why does it feel as if you're being pushed to the right when riding a car that is turning left? Does the outer rim of a car tire rotate faster than the center?

The most obvious things in circular motion are in outer space. Moons orbit planets, and planets orbit stars. Why does Earth revolve around the Sun? What keeps the Moon from crashing into Earth? On the other hand, why doesn't the Moon take off for some other planet? Grave questions all, they are fully explored in Unit 9, "Planetary Motion."

Liberate the mind from self-imposed constraints.

Some things move in ways we cannot see directly. Although we see light and color, for example, light waves are invisible. So are sound waves. Indeed, apart from waves at the ocean (or the football stadium), most wave motion is unseen. But it is not unknown. Explore the mystery of sound, light, radio, and other waves that surround us in loci 10 and 11.

Are you ready to think outside the box?

1. The Laws of Physical Science
   1. What and How
   2. Newton's Rules of Reasoning
   3. Types of Scientific Laws
   4. Think Like a Scientist
2. Mathematics: The Language of Physical Science
   1. Formulas and Equations
   2. Units
   3. Dimensional Analysis
   4. Graphing
3. The Notion of Motion
   1. How Far? Distance and Displacement
   2. How Fast? Speed and Velocity
   3. Acceleration
   4. Position-Time Graphs
   5. Velocity-Time Graphs
   6. Free Fall: Acceleration Due to Gravity
4. Newton's Laws of Motion: Movin' On
   1. Newton's First Law
   2. Meaning of Force
   3. Determining Net Force
   4. Newton's Second Law
   5. Mass and Weight
   6. The Third Law: Forces in Pairs
5. Two Dimensional Kinematics
   1. Vectors
   2. Direction and Adding of Vectors and the Resultants
   3. Vector Components and Resolution: Part 1
   4. Vector Components and Resolution: Part 2
   5. Relative Velocity
   6. Two-Dimensional Forces
   7. Equilibrium
6. Momentum
   1. Impulse-Momentum Change Theorem
   2. Momentum and Impulse
   3. Law of Momentum Conservation
   4. Action-Reaction
7. Work, Energy, and Power
   1. Working Hard?
   2. What is Energy?
   3. Conservative and Nonconservative Forces
   4. Calculating Kinetic and Potential Energy
   5. Conservation of Energy
   6. Work-Energy Theorem
   7. Feel the Power
8. Circular Motion
   1. Characteristics of Circular Motion
   2. Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration
   3. Centripetal Force
   4. Mathematics of Circular Motion
   5. We're Going in Circles
9. Planetary Motion
   1. Kepler's Laws
   2. Universal Gravitation
   3. The Inverse Square Law
   4. Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
   5. The Value of G
10. Pickin' Up Good Vibrations
    1. Types of Waves
    2. Measuring Waves
    3. When Waves Collide
    4. Standing Waves
    5. Resonance -- Is It Live?
    6. Case Study: Radio, Radio
11. Surrounded by Sound
    1. Measuring Sound Waves
    2. The Doppler Effect
    3. Sound Wave Interference
    4. Applications