Fizzics : the science of bubbles, droplets, and foams

Fizzics The science of bubbles, droplets, and foams

F. Ronald Young

Book - 2011

"We've all spent summers past blowing bubbles in the backyard. But the humble bubble (and its opposite, the droplet) are fascinating cornerstones of the world around us. This book, breathtaking in its scope, describes for a general reader (no math, no physics, no equations) the compelling behavior of these seemingly simple objects. Young reveals the secrets of successful springboard diving, whether knuckle cracking gives you arthritis, and why dolphins can't go faster. The realm of droplets allows our author to showcase why the sky is blue, how atom smashers work, and the rich source of science that is the kitchen faucet. He explores collections of bubbles--foams--and discusses the early years of Margaret Thatcher, how a meta...llic foam might save the planet, and the never-ending quest for the perfect pint. Then, by looking at soap films, he tells you how to construct a soapy computer, why coffee rings form, and exactly how a detergent gets dishes clean. Beyond these basics, Young shows how humans put bubbles to use, whether in technology (refining minerals, making concrete harder, or generating light) or in medicine (cleaning wounds with hydrogen peroxide, the debilitating process of the bends, and how pharmaceutical bubbles can make ultrasounds far clearer). This is more than a book that explains science. It is a love letter written to sing the praises of the bubble, and can be read by the bright middle schooler on upward"--

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Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor 530.4275/Young Checked In
Subjects
Gases.
Bubbles.
Published
Baltimore, Md. : Johns Hopkins University Press [2011]
Language
English
Main Author
F. Ronald Young (-)
Physical Description
114 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages [109]-110) and index.
ISBN
9780801898921
9780801898914
  • 0. Preface
  • 0. Prologue
  • 1. The\Physics of Fizzy
  • 0. Bubbles in Beer and Volcanoes
  • 0. The\Ins and Outs of Bubble Oscillations
  • 0. Springboard and Platform Diving
  • 0. Propellers, Pumps, and Porpoises
  • 0. Knuckle Cracking
  • 0. Dams
  • 0. Cartesian Divers
  • 0. Bubbles in Your Bubbly
  • 0. The\Ascent of Sap in Trees
  • 0. Ceramic Bubbles
  • 0. White- Water Physics
  • 2. Raining Cats and Dogs
  • 0. Faucet Physics
  • 0. Spider's Web
  • 0. Liquid-Drop Model of the Atomic Nucleus
  • 0. The\Swirl of Bath Water
  • 0. Morning Dew
  • 0. Acid Rain
  • 0. Bubble Chambers and Atom Smashers
  • 0. Clouds
  • 0. Thunder and Lightning
  • 0. Snow
  • 0. Hail
  • 0. Vapor Trails
  • 0. The\Rainbow
  • 0. Halos
  • 0. Glories
  • 0. The\Green Flash
  • 0. The\Blue Sky
  • 3. The\Perfect Pint
  • 0. Liquid Foams
  • 0. Free-Fighting Foams
  • 0. Honeycombs and Mattresses
  • 0. Bones
  • 0. Mining Foams
  • 0. Foams on the Farm
  • 4. Where There's Life, There's Soap
  • 0. Soap Bubbles
  • 0. Coffee Rings
  • 0. Soap Molecules
  • 0. The\Bubble That Lived
  • 0. The\Soapy Computer
  • 0. Bubble Raft
  • 0. Anti-Bubbles
  • 0. Feeling the Tension
  • 0. Record-Breaking Bubbles
  • 5. Poetry in the Ocean
  • 0. A\Storm at Sea
  • 0. Bubble Nets
  • 0. Fish-Killing Bubbled
  • 0. Bubblese Hiding Mines
  • 6. What Light from Yonder Bubble Breaks?
  • 0. Sonoluminescence
  • 0. The\Star in the Jar
  • 0. Liquid Light
  • 0. Light from Breaking Glass
  • 0. Sonoluminescence in Space
  • 7. In the Operating Theatre
  • 0. Cleaning a Wound
  • 0. The\Bends
  • 0. Bubbles in the Blood
  • 0. Bubbles in the Bladder
  • 0. Designer Bubbles
  • 0. Epilogue
  • 0. Glossary
  • 0. References
  • 0. Index
Review by Choice Review

Fizzics is an entertaining, accessible book on the physics and the phenomenology of bubbles. Young (formerly, Watford Technical College, UK) walks the reader through a series of examples taken from daily life where bubbles play an important role. These range from bubbles in beer or champagne to bubbles in white water. The author does not rely on equations or abstract concepts; instead, he uses the examples to highlight the underlying principles. This approach makes the text accessible to general audiences, as well as high school and undergraduate students without a scientific background. The downside is that the knowledgeable reader may find the last chapters a little bit repetitive. The book fills a gap in the literature, describing everyday phenomena that are seldom treated in similar books and, as an introductory work, it is superior to the more demanding The Science of Soap Films and Soap Bubbles by Cyril Isenberg (1978). Graduate students and researchers in the field may also enjoy this book as a leisure read, which runs fast at little more than 100 pages. Summing Up: Recommended. Students of all levels, researchers/faculty, and general readers. A. Yanguas-Gil Argonne National Laboratory

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

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