Thermodynamics & Heat
Physics in Action
Passively Cool: A Departure from A/C
A potential low-energy alternative to air conditioning.
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Physics@Home
Balloon Acceleration in a Car
What happens to a helium balloon in an accelerating car?
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People in Physics
Lene Hau
In 1999, after years of practice, Lene Hau learned how to bicycle at the speed of light.
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Physics Buzz
Expect Delays: Why Trains Slow Down When It's Hot
Last week I took an Amtrak train south for the holiday weekend, and there was a delay. The explanation: the track was under a 'heat advisory' and the train had to travel at a slower speed. This left me wondering what happened to the tracks when it got so...
Writer's Gallery
Insatiable Birdie
Can a book inspire you as a child to grow up and solve one of the most famous mysteries of mathematics? Come take a peek inside Physics for Entertainment to find out. Originally published over seventy years ago in Russia, this classic book answers many fascinating questions that one might not even think are physics questions. “Can an invisible man see? Why are all cats grey when the candles are out?” The excerpt below explains the habits or our beloved drinking bird toy.
When your coffee or hot chocolate cools before you get to drink it, is because of thermodynamics, the study of energy, work, and heat often at the molecular and atomic level. This section explores the relationship between energy, work, and heat and how it impacts scientific studies and everyday life.
