Power Up!

In this photo, several cords are plugged into a power strip.  But what most people don’t know is that there is physics occurring.  This power strip is a parallel circuit.  That means if I were to unplug a cord, the other appliances would still work.  But why is this?  The reason is because, in a parallel circuit, every outlet is independent of the others.

Also, current, power, and voltage are occurring too.  Current is flowing through the cords and power strip.  Power is being used by the appliances that are plugged in.  And voltage gives energy to charge power in the appliances.

Physics is all around us, even in the littlest things!

Can You Hear Me Now?

In this photo, a politician, who has just been reelected, is being interviewed by many local news stations.  His supporters cheer and shout for the successful candidate!  All is well at the campaign headquarters! But what many of those people may not know is the physics that are happening right in front of their faces.

Even though his supporters are screaming, the candidate can still be heard by the news anchor.  The reason why? It’s because the candidate can talk louder or increase his volume.  By increasing his volume, the sound waves have a greater amplitude.  This allows the anchor to pick up what the candidate is saying, despite the loud crowd behind him.

Also, the concept of light waves are being used here.  The bright light from the camera gives a better shot for the audiences at home because it creates a more illuminated picture.  There are more colors to be picked up by the human eye because of the light.

Physics is all around us, even in elections.

Rotational Motion!

In this photo, several thrill-seekers are ready to begin this wild ride.  What many of them don’t know is the rotational motion that is happening on this ride.  The shape of the ride is an oval so angular acceleration and velocity occur.  As the ride begins to go around in circles, there is rotational inertia in the form of a hoop.

To the riders, it may seem as if they are going a million miles an hour, but we can actually calculate their velocity by using the formula delta theta over delta time.

And lastly, rotational kinetic energy is occurring too.  The kinetic energy is what is driving the ride to go around in circles.    The formula requires rotational inertia and angular velocity which both need to be large numbers so that the ride actually feels like a ride.

Momentum at the Beach

In this photo, some body-boarders are able to catch some extreme waves.  But what these “spunjahs” don’t know is that physics is happening with them.  As these body-boarders begin to paddle, they are creating and gaining momentum.  Then, as they catch a wave, their momentum increases as the wave pushes them towards shore.  Momentum is defined as mass multiplied by the velocity.

Unfortunately, some of these men may run into the stone wall on the left side of the picture.  If that were to happen, that process would be called impulse.  Impulse is defined as the change in momentum.  The change in momentum would be great since the body-boarder would be moving at a high speed then immediately stopped by the wall.

All in all, physics constantly occurs in everyday life.  These men of the sea may not even know what is happening right before their eyes.  Just remember, in bodyboarding and in physics, let nature do everything for you.

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

In this photo, students are working hard in a library.  But according to physics, are they really doing “work”?  The answer is no.  The reason is the formula for work is the force multiplied by the distance multiplied by cosine theta.  The students don’t have distance since they do not move.  Nor do they have force since force is found by mass times the acceleration, and they don’t have acceleration.

Another way to find work would be to find the delta energy.  Kinetic energy or potential energy both require factors that the students in the photo do not have.  Potential needs height and kinetic needs velocity.  Unfortunately, that means the students are not actually doing work.

An important lesson for any student: Say you studied hard instead of worked hard.  That way, no teacher can prove you wrong.

Physics at the Fair!

In this photo, the fair is in town!  But many of these fair-goers don’t know about the physics happening all around them.  Circular motion is happening right before their eyes!  The ferris wheel and swing ride are two examples of circular motion because both have motion in a circle at a constant speed.

Also, centripetal force is occurring too.  The riders on the swing will be feeling this force since it’s pointing towards the center of rotation.  Riders can feel centripetal force the most at full speed since that’s when the force will be the strongest.

It’s amazing to see physics occur in daily life, even at fun places like the fair!

Friction While Driving

In this picture, cars are driving down a street and are looking for a parking space.  What many of these drivers don’t know is the friction that is occurring right before their eyes.  In order for the cars to move, they need friction between the ground and the tires.  The grooves in the tires mesh with the grooves in the street, which help propel the car forward.  Without friction, all of the cars would be sliding instead of rolling.

Even though friction opposes motion, it isn’t strong enough to stop all motion.  That’s why cars can move.  So the next time you go driving, don’t forget about friction that’s moving you.

Everyday Forces

In this picture, a student is walking across a lawn.  But what he doesn’t know is that physics and forces are happening right now.  Newton’s First Law is in effect in this photo.  The law states that objects in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.  The student will continue to move forward until he decides to stop.

Also, Newton’s Third Law is in effect.  The third law says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  As he pushes off the ground, the ground equally pushes back on him.

It’s amazing how forces can occur in the simplest and most menial tasks.

Trajectory in Baseball

In this picture, a famous baseball player is throwing the ball from the outfield to the infield.  In order to get the maximum distance, the player has to throw the ball at a 45 degree angle.  The player does not want to leave the ball short otherwise errors may occur or runs could be scored.  This example relates to physics because it uses trajectory, angle, trigonometry, and distance.  45 degrees is the optimal angle because, the ball goes high enough to travel far but not too high so that it takes too long for it to come back down.

This applies to everyday life because many people play some sort of “throwing” sport.  Most players think throwing the ball hard will get maximum distance, when in reality the angle of the ball matters more.