Type of bind: Hardcover
Format: Bargain Price
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: September 29, 2005
Sale Popularity Level: 969256
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Product Description:
If superheroes stepped off the comic book page or silver screen and into reality, could they actually work their wonders in a world constrained by the laws of physics? How strong would Superman have to be to 'leap tall buildings in a single bound'? Could Storm of the X-Men possibly control the weather? And how many cheeseburgers would the Flash need to eat to be able to run at supersonic speeds?
Face front, True Believer, and wonder no more! Because in The Physics of Superheroes acclaimed university professor James Kakalios shows that comic book heroes and villains get their physics right more often than you think.
In this scintillating scientific survey of super powers you’ll learn what the physics of forces and motion can reveal about Superman’s strength and the true cause of the destruction of his home planet Krypton, what villains Magneto and Electro can teach us about the nature of electricity—and finally get the definitive answer about whether it was the Green Goblin or Spider-Man’s webbing that killed the Wall Crawler’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy in that fateful plunge from the George Washington Bridge!
Along the way, The Physics of Superheroes explores everything from energy, to thermodynamics, to quantum mechanics, to solid state physics, and Kakalios relates the physics in comic books to such real-world applications as automobile airbags, microwave ovens, and transistors. You’ll also see how comic books have often been ahead of science in explaining recent topics in quantum mechanics (with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men) and string theory (with the Crisis on Infinite Earths).
This is the book you need to read if you ever wondered how the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four can see when she turns transparent, if the Atom could travel on an electron through a phone line, or if electromagnetic theory can explain how Professor X reads minds. Fun, provocative, and packed with more superheroes and superpowers than an Avengers-Justice League crossover, The Physics of Superheroes will make both comic-book fans and physicists exclaim, 'Excelsior!'
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Rated by buyers 
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WOW!
I am a middle school teacher in Crockett CA. I have taught science, language arts, reading and history over the past five years. Science has always been my favorite subject, and my passion, and this book is part of that passion for learning and understanding. Now I am an 8th grade science teacher, and have found this book the most valuable in my teaching collection.
Not only is it informative, but it's an attention grabber that can't be put down. Cover to cover, Jim Kalalios writes in a style that is mater a fact, with simple explanation of the most complex formulas.
I use his text, as will as others and superheroes as a device to stimulate my students in all areas of learning, but in science, this book is the back bone of my curriculum. Jim's explanations of "matter", "energy", "the dead cat theory", and "the string theory" are clearly and thoughtfully exposed using superheroes and their super powers. How is it possible for Superman to jump tall buildings, and Flash to runs at such speeds? The "principle of conservation of energy" along with the formula for "work", and "kinetic energy" are explained in fascinating detail. All students can understand this! I can't think of teaching without this powerful and enlighten book.
If you teach science, from K-12 or college, this book is a must! I also can't express my sear joy to have met him at ComicCon 2008, and get his signature in my dog eared book. Thanks Jim!!!
As a foot note, my daughter is attending UC Irvine where a teacher offers course called "The science of superheroes" base solely on Jim's book. Check it out!
Rated by buyers -
i'm an engineering major and have taken physics courses, this auther really explains physics very well. the topic is very entertaining and it is hard to put down. 5 stars
Rated by buyers 
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As an engineer I am always drawn to books that endeavor to bridge the gap between the theory and application sides of science. This book goes one step further and attempts to draw connections between the known aspects of physics and the abilities of comic book heroes. I found it to be easy to understand and rather enjoyed the paradoxes that some comic book powers seem to present when viewed from a physics standpoint.
You do not have to be a technical person to read or understand the book, in fact I'd say it is a great way to get some points across to the non-technical among us. The book could easily be read and understood by High School students on up and would serve as a great companion to an introductory physics course text.
The book does get a tad dry in spots and could have used some more general illustrations to help explain concepts to those new to the whole physics realm.
Rated by buyers -
James Kakalios teaches a course on the Physics of Superheroes, so I would expect that he would write with clarity and humor. And this is exactly what Kakalios delivers. Not only does he explain physics, he also delves into the relevant history of the comic books. He even reproduces those parts of the comic strips that he talks about so that his discusion is always in context. When the physics gets tough, Kakalios will take a few extra pages and explain things in more detail (for example, transistors). But since physics is difficult, even with the extra explanations I did not get everything. Like any book I read, I will skip over those parts that are just too conceptual for me. This book has provided the best explanation so far of quantum mechanics and of transistors, but I can't rule out that this might also be because of the knowledge I gained from other books I have read lately, including The God Particle by Leon Lederman. It was refreshing however, not to have the author try to sell me their viewpoint, which frequently happens when they write about their own research (for example, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene). Overall this book was well worth the time and energy invested and it was far superior to the similarly constructed Physics of the Buffyverse.
Rated by buyers -
THis book ended up being a Christmas present for my brother ( a physics teacher) and he absolutely loved it. He really liked the book and ended up reading it the following day.
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