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WEBPhysics World is the online magazine of the Institute of Physics, covering the latest developments in physics and related fields. Find articles, podcasts, blogs, opinions, reviews and more on topics such as artificial intelligence, nuclear fusion, quantum computing, astronomy and space, and more.
Twists, turns, thrills and spills: the physics of rollercoasters
WEBAug 14, 2021 · Learn how rollercoasters use potential and kinetic energy, gravity and electromagnetism to create thrilling rides. Find out how to measure and experience the G-forces that make you feel weightless or heavier on different parts of the track.
Brilliant polymath, troubled person: how John von Neumann …
WEBDec 18, 2021 · Learn about the life and achievements of John von Neumann, a Hungarian-born mathematician and physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to quantum mechanics, game theory, computing and artificial intelligence. The book review also explores his personal struggles, his relationship with …
Latest - Physics World
WEBPhysics World covers the latest news and features from the UK and beyond, including policy and funding, quantum, particle and nuclear, astronomy and space, and more. Find out about the Nobel laureate Tsung-Dao Lee, the Flexible Stellarator Physics Facility, the Vera Rubin Observatory, and other topics.
The physics of blood spatter – Physics World
WEBOct 17, 2019 · Learn how blood droplets behave when they hit a surface and how forensic experts use this knowledge to reconstruct crime scenes. Find out the challenges and controversies of blood-pattern analysis and the role of physics in improving its validity.
New generator creates electricity directly from heat
WEBDec 9, 2013 · A new design of thermionic generator that converts heat or light into electricity has been developed by researchers in Germany and the US. It uses an electric field to move the charge cloud of electrons between the hot and cold plates, improving the efficiency and reducing the gap size.
The double-slit experiment – Physics World
WEBSep 1, 2002 · Akira Tonomura and co-workers at Hitachi performed the first double-slit experiment with single electrons in 1989, showing the build up of the fringe pattern with a weak electron source and an electron biprism. This article reviews the history and significance of this experiment and compares it with …
James Clerk Maxwell: a force for physics – Physics World
WEBDec 1, 2006 · Learn about the life and achievements of James Clerk Maxwell, the greatest mathematical physicist since Newton, who unified the forces of nature and laid the foundations of electromagnetism. Discover his contributions to optics, thermodynamics, colour vision and more in this comprehensive biography.
Do atoms going through a double slit ‘know’ if they are being …
WEBMay 26, 2015 · The web page reports on a research that experimentally realized John Wheeler's "delayed choice" Gedankenexperiment with massive particles. It shows that a particle's wave or particle nature is not defined until a measurement is made, and that human observation is not necessary for the double-slit experiment.
The invisibility of length contraction – Physics World
WEBAug 13, 2019 · The idea of length contraction was postulated by the Irish theoretical physicist George FitzGerald in 1889 and by the Dutch theorist Hendrik Lorentz in 1892. Also known as Lorentz–Fitzgerald contraction or just Lorentz contraction, it was invoked to account for the negative outcome of Albert Michelson and Edward Morley’s memorable ...