9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun for the physics, fun for the comics, June 17, 2010
This review is from: The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition (Mass Market Paperback)
"Back-of-the-envelope" calculations are near and dear to scientists' - and physicists' in particular - hearts. These are arithmatically simple estimations to give a feel for the right answer. James Kakalios takes this idea to a whole new level in this book, using simplifications and estimations to determine such widely diverse phenomena as the density of the planet Krypton (Superman's home world) to the strength of Spider-man's webbing. There is, of course, a healthy dose of physics, but it's very palatable, and not at all required for understanding the points made or conclusions drawn. In fact, this book derives from a course at the University of Minnesota that uses superheroes to demonstrate physics, rather than a course to verify (or vilify) the physical realities/possibilities of the characters in the comic books.
This distinction is important - Kakalios obviously has a great affection for both comics and physics, and refuses to automatically denigrate the efforts of the comic book writers. His modus operandi is to grant each hero a "one-time miracle exception" to the laws of physics, which is generally used to account for the superhero's powers. For example, it's granted that Superman can fly, or that Sue Richards (of the Fantastic 4) can turn herself invisible. Given the miracle of the superpowers, Kakalios then delves into the details or consequences of the power. What force of lift does Superman require to get himself into the air? Could Sue Richards see while invisible? (Answer: not in the visible region of the spectrum, but perhaps her eyes change to see in the UV or IR regions of the spectrum.) This method is very welcome - we all know that superheroes are absurd (yes, even Batman and others that don't technically have superpowers), so what's the point of dwelling on it?
Instead, we learn a little physics and a lot of comic book history. (Well, that was the division for me - being too young to remember the Silver Age of comics, and having taken three university-level physics courses.) It's written in the style of your favourite high-school science teacher: the one that knew what s/he was talking about but was prone to making extremely goofy (and geeky) science-related jokes. These teachers are obviously enthusiastic and made it fun to be in class, and you learned the material (perhaps in spite of yourself!). An added bonus: if you are a science teacher/professor, this book will likely give you some good ideas for new and fun examples in your classes.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Physics simplified - not dumbed down, December 5, 2010
This review is from: The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition (Mass Market Paperback)
I have searched for a book that would help me and my ten year old son learn about physics - and thisbook certainly hits the mark. The author's lighthearted approach and his linking the principles to comic book heroes makes for a brilliant read. Okay, so my boy might not get the whole picture first off - neither does his dad - but the examples Kakalios uses help to visualise the concepts and therefore help you to understand sometimes quite difficult concepts. Also makes for some interesting "mind-bending" musings 'twixt boy and man :)
Well Done Mr. Kakalios!
By the way - all the equations are in an appendix for those that need 'em
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Super Good!, July 2, 2011
This review is from: The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition (Mass Market Paperback)
Physics for Superheroes is hilarious and funny. It puts the abuses and uses of Physics of super heroes in context. I assigned this to my Physics class and they loved it.
It is an easy read and will leave you smiling.
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