WHY CATS LAND ON THEIR FEET: AND 76 OTHER PHYSICAL PARADOXES AND PUZZLES

Abstract

This book includes a collection of 77 puzzles, some clever new originals and some twists to old ones that challenge physical intuition. The puzzles run the gamut of classical mechanics, including many on fluids and rotational motion and some on heat and temperature. Every puzzle contains at least one diagram. 1. Fun with Physical Paradoxes, Puzzles, and Problems -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Background -- 1.3. Sources -- 2. Outer Space Paradoxes -- 2.1. Helium Balloon in a Space Shuttle -- 2.2. Space Navigation without Jets -- 2.3. Paradox with a Comet -- 2.4. Speeding Up Causes a Slowdown -- 3. Paradoxes with Spinning Water -- 3.1. Puzzle with a Floating Cork -- 3.2. Parabolic Mirrors and Two Kitchen Puzzles -- 3.3. Cold Parabolic Dish -- 3.4. Boating on a Slope -- 3.5. Navigating with No Engine or Sails -- 3.6. Icebergs -- 4. Floating and Diving Paradoxes -- 4.1. Bathtub on Wheels -- 4.2. Tub Problem -- In More Depth -- 4.3. How to Lose Weight in a Fraction of a Second -- 4.4. Underwater Balloon -- 4.5. Scuba Puzzle -- 4.6. Weight Puzzle -- 5. Flows and Jets -- 5.1. Bernoulli's Law and Water Guns -- 5.2. Sucking on a Straw and the Irreversibility of Time -- 5.3. Bernoulli's Law and Moving Around in a Space Shuttle -- 5.4. Sprinker Puzzle -- 5.5. Ejecting Water Fast but with Zero Speed? -- 5.6. Pouring Water Puzzle -- 5.7. Stirring Paradox -- 5.8. Inkjet Printer Question -- 5.9. Vorticity Paradox -- 6. Moving Experiences: Bikes, Gymnastics, Rockets -- 6.1. How Do Swings Work? -- 6.2. Rising Energy Cost -- 6.3. Gymnast Doing Giants and a Hamster in a Wheel -- 6.4. Controlling a Car on Ice -- 6.5. How Does a Biker Turn? -- 6.6. Speeding Up by Leaning -- 6.7. Can One Gain Speed on a Bike by Body Motion Only? -- 6.8. Gaining Weight on a Motorbike -- 6.9. Feeling the Square in mv2/2 Through the Bike Pedals -- 6.10. Paradox with Rockets -- 6.11. Coffee Rocket -- 6.12. Throwing a Ball from a Moving Car -- 7. Paradoxes with the Coriolis Force -- 7.1. What Is the Coriolis Force? -- ^ 7.2. Feeling Coriolis in a Boeing 747 -- 7.3. Down the Drain with Coriolis.