Ever wonder why steam rises from a bowl of hot soup or why a greenhouse retains heat? And have you ever puzzled over the real meaning of once in a blue moon or why sand is darker when it's wet than when it's dry? And just why, exactly, do bubbles appear in a glass of beer when you add salt to it?
These and many other baffling questions are answered in this engaging book by a physics professor at Pennsylvania State University. Ranging from playful to serious, Professor Bohren's lively and entertaining discussions employ a liberal mixture of humor and anecdote to debunk a host of scientific myths and render science lessons thoroughly understandable. Chapters include On a Clear Day You Can't See Forever, A Murder in Ceylon. The Green Flash, Physics on a Manure Heap, Indoor Rainbows, and Multiple Scattering at the Breakfast Table.
The book rings with a unifying tone: the science of the everyday physical world is fun. And so is the book, writes Jearl Walker, a member of the Physics Department at Cleveland State University. Beginning physics and general readers will be fascinated by the scientific knowledge gained from this work; and science teachers will find it a treasure trove of ideas for simple, vivid classroom demonstrations.