Why Cats Land on Their Feet. And 76 Other Physical Paradoxes and Puzzles.

LEVI, Mark

ISBN 10: 0691148546 / ISBN 13: 9780691148540

Published by Princeton University Press, 2012

About this Item

Princeton UP (2012). Many figs. X, 190 p. Pbck. In very good condition.

Seller Inventory # 90004

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Why Cats Land on Their Feet. And 76 Other Physical Paradoxes and Puzzles.
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication Date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0691148546
• ISBN 13: 9780691148540
• Binding: Softcover
• Condition: Sehr gut

About this title

Synopsis

Ever wonder why cats land on their feet? Or what holds a spinning top upright? Or whether it is possible to feel the Earth's rotation in an airplane? Why Cats Land on Their Feet is a compendium of paradoxes and puzzles that readers can solve using their own physical intuition. And the surprising answers to virtually all of these astonishing paradoxes can be arrived at with no formal knowledge of physics. Mark Levi introduces each physical problem, sometimes gives a hint or two, and then fully explains the solution. Here readers can test their critical-thinking skills against a whole assortment of puzzles and paradoxes involving floating and diving, sailing and gliding, gymnastics, bike riding, outer space, throwing a ball from a moving car, centrifugal force, gyroscopic motion, and, of course, falling cats. Want to figure out how to open a wine bottle with a book? Or how to compute the square root of a number using a tennis shoe and a watch? Why Cats Land on Their Feet shows you how, and all that's required is a familiarity with basic high-school mathematics. This lively collection also features an appendix that explains all physical concepts used in the book, from Newton's laws to the fundamental theorem of calculus.

About the Author

Mark Levi is professor of mathematics at Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of The Mathematical Mechanic: Using Physical Reasoning to Solve Problems.