The Isaac Newton School of Driving: Physics and Your Car [Hardcover]

Barry Parker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0801874173 | ISBN-13: 978-0801874178 | Publication Date: August 12, 2003

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Parker grew up a mechanic's son and is as comfortable discussing gear sets and weight transfer as he is explaining the formula for determining the force of drag on a vehicle at any given speed. You don't need to be an engineer to read and enjoy Parker's often entertaining book that covers everything from the basics of engines and electronics to crashes and congestion. And after learning about Wd=Fh/R, you will likely be a better driver. RATING: Three and 1/2 [out of four] helmets.

(Larry Edsall Autoweek 2004)

Parker's entertaining book is not a heavy tome replete with complex mathematical formulas—nothing more complex than high school physics. What The Isaac Newton School of Driving answers is the annoying complaint every teacher or parent hears from a teenager: 'I'll never use all this (insert expletive) in real life!'.

(Terry Jackson AMI Auto World Magazine 2004)

Contains examples of practical technology that would certainly enhance and extend many courses... written in a lighthearted manner that is successful and appealing.

(Hal Harris 21 C: Scanning the Future 2004)

A comprehensive look at the fundamental elements of the driving experience... The author enlivens many difficult concepts with clear, comfortable explanations... Whether a reader is looking for simple applications or the physics of high performance racing vehicles, this book will make any reader pause and think about the science of their car and driving.

(Charles James National Science Teachers Association Recommends )

Barry Parker has written an intriguing book... The Isaac Newton School of Driving has a definite flair and keeps the reader interested.

(Henry J. P. Smith Industrial Physicist )

The discussions are clear and the physics is correct.

(Choice )

Parker writes with authority and humor about the expensive machines none of us can survive without for long. For high-school students Ph.D.'s, and anyone who wants to know how cars really work, this is an excellent book.

(Paul J. Nahin, author of Oliver Heaviside: The Life, Work, and Times of an Electrical Genius of the Victorian Age )

At last, a book about cars that goes beyond the usual basics and right into the heart of the matter. Barry Parker lucidly covers an impressive range of topics related to cars and driving, from engines and aerodynamics to traffic jams and futuristic trends. In it I learned more about my own vehicle than by reading the owner's manual! This book will surely find a wide audience.

(Alain Haché, author of The Physics of Hockey )

The Isaac Newton School of Driving has provided a wonderful overview of all the things that have to happen to get you there and back again safely. From the intricacies of the internal combustion engine to the dangers of head to head collisions, Barry Parker provides a great resource for automobile fans who want to understand science, and vice versa.

(Alan C. Tribble, author of A Tribble's Guide to Space )

About the Author

Barry Parker is a professor emeritus of physics at Idaho State University and the author of fifteen books, including Einstein's Dream, Relativity Made Relatively Easy, The Vindication of the Big Bang, and Cosmic Time Travel.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (August 12, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801874173
• ISBN-13: 978-0801874178
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Driver's Education

More About the Author

I am a professor emeritus at Idaho State University where I taught physics and astronomy for 30 years. I also taught a writing class at night school at the university for several years. I am the author of 24 books and have written for the Smithsonian, Encyclopedia, Britannica, Time-Life Books, the Washington Post, and numerous magazines such as "Astronomy, Sky and Telescope, Flyfisherman, and Fishing World." My most recent books are "Good Vibrations: The Physics of Music," "Write a Book that Will Sell," and "You Should Write a Book." I now spend most of my time writing, but also enjoy travelling, hiking and fishing. Most of my early books were on popular science, but I've now branched into other areas. My webpage is BarryParkerbooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but could be better, October 19, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Isaac Newton School of Driving: Physics and Your Car (Hardcover)

In short, the idea of writing this book was an excellent one. The book's potential is tremendous. However, rating it fairly is a more difficult matter. On the positive side, the writing style is very friendly, engaging and clear; a few of the author's personal experiences are peppered throughout - a big plus. The topics include: driving, most if not all of the various systems in cars, as well as the road-tire interface. It even covers car racing and theories of traffic congestion. A lot of interesting, indeed fascinating, information is presented. On the negative side, however, although some items are discussed clearly and as thoroughly as one might expect in such a book, other items are briefly glossed over while some seem to come to an abrupt end. The physics in each case is discussed to correspondingly varying degrees. Some equations are incorrect due to errors in subscripts and some graphs' axes are mislabeled, i.e., editorial mistakes requiring more careful editing. Some equations are magically presented out of thin air, while the derivations of others are are briefly discussed before presenting them. I would hope that, in the future, a second edition of this book would appear in which the various shortcomings would be corrected and additional material added to even out the physics, the various explanations and include a few formula derivations (or recommend references if the derivations are too involved). In other words, perhaps 50 to 100 additional pages may be appropriate. Should such a second edition of this book appear, I would be among the first to get a copy. As it stands, it is valuable reading for any driver; however, a revised edition, as discussed above, could satisfy the needs of the more scientifically curious as well. I am giving the book as much as four stars mainly because of its concept, its tremendous potential, its excellent writing style and the interesting information that it contains. An appropriate second edition would earn an easy five stars.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Potential, So-So Result, Needs Better Diagrams, February 3, 2006

By 

Michael Hardt "kid at heart" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Isaac Newton School of Driving: Physics and Your Car (Hardcover)

The idea behind this book--that many different aspects of physics are illustrated in your car--is fantastic. Electric circuits, Newton's laws of motion, batteries, pressure/volume, and even silicon chips are discussed, along with many, many more topics.

All the topics are introduced at a beginner level, and some are adequately explained. Some aren't. Some are rushed, resulting in a paragraph of jargon and a mention that the topic is too complicated to address in detail. Some are just abandoned.

I found the diagrams to be completely inadequate: small, poorly drawn, and too few.

This book would have been phenomenal as a partnership between the author and David Macaulay, author and illustrator of The Way Things Work. It begs for his sort of artwork.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, but not the reference book I'd hoped for, August 21, 2009

By 

Edward Durney (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Isaac Newton School of Driving: Physics and Your Car (Hardcover)

Try to find a reference book that explains the physics behind cars in a detailed, well-written fashion, and you may be disappointed. I know I was. Two books I found that had the math and the equations I wanted were horribly written. They had too much detail, and not enough breadth. Worst of all, the poor and unedited English and grammar made both books very hard to read.

When I saw the reviews for this book, and looked at a few pages in a preview, I thought I had found what I was looking for. But when I got the book and read it, it was not the reference book I had hoped for. It's interesting, well-written, and fun to read. But it's not a reference book. It's written to be read, not referred to.

So my search continues. Still, I'm glad to have this book. It taught me a lot of things I did not know about the physics of cars, and reinforced, in an entertaining fashion, some of the things I did know. While I had hoped for more, this book was much closer to my ideal than any other book I've found.