The Isaac Newton School of Driving : Physics and Your Car

For some people, driving is an art; for others, it's a science. At the Isaac Newton School of Driving, though, every car is a laboratory on wheels and every drive an exciting journey into the world of physics. As explained by renowned science writer and physics professor Barry Parker—whose father was a car mechanic and garage owner—almost every aspect of driving involves physics. A car's performance and handling relies on fundamental concepts such as force, momentum, and energy. Its ignition system depends on the principles of electricity and magnetism. Braking relies on friction—yet another basic scientific concept—and if the brakes fail, the resulting damage, too, can be predicted using physics. Parker's first lesson describes the basic physics of driving: speed and acceleration; why you get thrown forward while braking or outward while turning; and why car advertisements boast about horsepower and torque. He goes on to discuss the thermodynamics of engines, and how they can be more fuel efficient; and what friction and traction are and how they keep a car's tires on the road, whether it's dry, wet, or icy. He also describes how simple laws of physics enable scientists to design aerodynamic cars and high-tech steering systems. Parker then explores the high-performance physics of auto racing, outlines how traffic accidents are reconstructed by police, uses chaos theory to explain why traffic jams happen, and describes what cars of the future might look like. Whether you drive a Pacer or a Porsche, The Isaac Newton School of Driving offers better—and better-informed—driving through physics. 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Tribble, author of A Tribble’s Guide to Space For some, driving is an art; for others, it’s a science. At the Isaac Newton School of Driving, though, every car is a laboratory on wheels and every drive an exciting journey into the world of physics. In this book, physics professor Barry Parker—whose father was a car mechanic and garage owner—shows how almost every aspect of driving involves physics. A car's performance and handling relies on concepts such as force, momentum, and energy. Its ignition system depends on the principles of electricity and magnetism. Braking relies on friction—and if the brakes fail, the resulting damage, too, can be predicted using physics. Parker’s first lesson describes the basics: speed and acceleration; why you get thrown forward while braking or outward while turning; and why car advertisements boast about horsepower and torque. He also discusses: the thermodynamics of engines, and how they can be more fuel efficient what friction and traction are and how they keep a car’s tires on the road, whether it's dry, wet, or icy how simple laws of physics enable scientists to design aerodynamic cars and high-tech steering systems the high-performance physics of auto racing how traffic accidents are reconstructed by police how chaos theory helps explain why traffic jams happen what cars of the future might look like, and more “You don't need to be an engineer to read and enjoy Parker’s often entertaining book...covers everything from the basics of engines and electronics to crashes and congestion.” — Autoweek

For some people, driving is an art; for others, it's a science. At the Isaac Newton School of Driving, though, every car is a laboratory on wheels and every drive an exciting journey into the world of physics. As explained by renowned science writer and physics professor Barry Parker—whose father was a car mechanic and garage owner—almost every aspect of driving involves physics. A car's performance and handling relies on fundamental concepts such as force, momentum, and energy. Its ignition system depends on the principles of electricity and magnetism. Braking relies on friction—yet another basic scientific concept—and if the brakes fail, the resulting damage, too, can be predicted using physics.

Parker's first lesson describes the basic physics of driving: speed and acceleration; why you get thrown forward while braking or outward while turning; and why car advertisements boast about horsepower and torque. He goes on to discuss the thermodynamics of engines, and how they can be more fuel efficient; and what friction and traction are and how they keep a car's tires on the road, whether it's dry, wet, or icy. He also describes how simple laws of physics enable scientists to design aerodynamic cars and high-tech steering systems. Parker then explores the high-performance physics of auto racing, outlines how traffic accidents are reconstructed by police, uses chaos theory to explain why traffic jams happen, and describes what cars of the future might look like. Whether you drive a Pacer or a Porsche, The Isaac Newton School of Driving offers better—and better-informed—driving through physics.

Annotation For some people, driving is an art; for others, it's a science. At the Isaac Newton School of Driving, though, every car is a laboratory on wheels and every drive an exciting journey into the world of physics. As explained by renowned science writer and physics professor Barry Parkerwhose father was a car mechanic and garage owneralmost every aspect of driving involves physics. A car's performance and handling relies on fundamental concepts such as force, momentum, and energy. Its ignition system depends on the principles of electricity and magnetism. Braking relies on frictionyet another basic scientific conceptand if the brakes fail, the resulting damage, too, can be predicted using physics. Parker's first lesson describes the basic physics of driving: speed and acceleration; why you get thrown forward while braking or outward while turning; and why car advertisements boast about horsepower and torque. He goes on to discuss the thermodynamics of engines, and how they can be more fuel efficient; and what friction and traction are and how they keep a car's tires on the road, whether it's dry, wet, or icy. He also describes how simple laws of physics enable scientists to design aerodynamic cars and high-tech steering systems. Parker then explores the high-performance physics of auto racing, outlines how traffic accidents are reconstructed by police, uses chaos theory to explain why traffic jams happen, and describes what cars of the future might look like. Whether you drive a Pacer or a Porsche, The Isaac Newton School of Driving offers betterand better-informeddriving through physics For some people, driving is an art, for others, it's a science. At the Isaac Newton School of Driving, though, every car is a laboratory on wheels and every drive an exciting journey into the world of physics. This books is based on Parker's classroom discussions at Idaho State U. where he discovered a winning teaching formula combining physics with automotive examples. This book describes nearly every aspect of physics as they related to cars; from basic mechanics including velocity, acceleration, momentum, and torque, to more advanced concepts including heat transfer and efficiency, electricity and magnetism, and aerodynamics. Introduction The open road: Basic physics of driving All revved up: The internal combustion engine When sparks fly: The electrical system "Give 'em a brake": Slowing down Springs and gears: The suspension system and the transmission What a drag: Aerodynamic design A crash course: The physics of collisions Checkered flags: The physics of auto racing Rush hour: Traffic and chaos The road ahead: Cars of the future Epilogue: The final flag. New cars, with their sleek, shiny, curved lines, are objects of intrigue, elegance, grace, and beauty.