Now on ScienceBlogs: The Galaxy's Biggest Valentine
Thoughts on physics, politics, and pop culture, by a physics professor at a small liberal arts college, plus occasional conversations with his dog.
You've read the blog, now try the books! How to Teach Physics to Your Dog is published by Scribner, and available wherever books are sold. How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog is published by Basic Books and will be available 2/28/2012, as foretold by the Maya.
"Uncertain Principles" features the miscellaneous ramblings of a physicist at a small liberal arts college. Physics, politics, pop culture, and occasional conversations with his dog.
"Prof. Orzel gives the impression of an everyday guy who just happens to have a vast but hidden knowledge of physics." (anonymous student evaluation comment)
Emmy is a German Shepherd mix, and the Queen of Niskayuna. She likes treats, walks, chasing bunnies, and quantum physics.
Category: Basic Concepts
The subject of the "spin" of the electron comes up again and again, so as pointed out in a comment, I really ought to do a post explaining what it is and how it works. As a bonus, this gives...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:33 AM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Physics
How much rain is a ton?
Posted by Chad Orzel at 11:25 AM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
What do we mean when we talk about polarized light?
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:44 AM • 20 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
How many shopping malls are there in the United States? How to guess the answer without using Google.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 9:21 AM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
Order of magnitude estimates and dimensional analysis are two crucial elements of the physicst's mental toolkit.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:14 AM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
Scott Aaronson asked for an explanation of Ohm's Law in terms of the motion of electrons, which happens to be tomorrow's lecture topic...
Posted by Chad Orzel at 1:49 PM • 22 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
Measurement is the process by which we determine the properties of the world around us.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:13 AM • 17 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
The energy content of an object is a measure of its ability to change its own motion, or the motion of another object.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:53 AM • 14 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
An attempt to give a really basic explanation of the concept of fields in physics, and why they're sometimes particles.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:43 AM • 15 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Basic Concepts
Pretty much everything I can think of to say about the concept of "force" in physics.
Posted by Chad Orzel at 10:56 AM • 30 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
