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

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. How to use physical reasoning to solve surprising paradoxes 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. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1. Fun with Physical Paradoxes, Puzzles, and Problems 2. Outer Space Paradoxes 3. Paradoxes with Spinning Water 4. Floating and Diving Paradoxes 5. Flows and Jets 6. Moving Experiences: Bikes, Gymnastics, Rockets 7. Paradoxes with the Coriolis Force 8. Centrifugal Paradoxes 9. Gyroscopic Paradoxes 10. Some Hot Stuff and Cool Things 11. Two Perpetual Motion Machines 12. Sailing and Gliding 13. The Flipping Cat and the Spinning Earth 14. Miscellaneous Appendix Bibliography Index 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? This title offers a compendium of paradoxes and puzzles that readers can solve using their own physical intuition. It also features an appendix that explains all physical concepts used in the book.