Fantastic Voyages

by Dubeck, Leroy W.; Moshier, Suzanne E.; Boss, Judith E.

• ISBN13: 9780387004402
• ISBN10: 0387004408
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

What principle of mechanics is illustrated in the science fiction thriller Terminator 2: Judgment Day? How is nuclear fission important to the plot of Aliens? Is the time travel portrayed in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home a real possibility? Discover the surprising answers to these and a host of other intriguing questions in Fantastic Voyages.This book provides basic physics and biology instruction using scenes from popular science fiction films as examples of the concepts discussed. Scenes are discussed from such sci-fi classics as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Planet of the Apes and The Andromeda Strain. The latter includes study questions on biological terrorism. More recent hit films discussed include Contact, Jurassic Park and Independence Day.The book is divided into three sections:basic physics and astronomy for non-science majors selected topics in biology detailed plot descriptions of 42 films The new edition also contains material about the greenhouse effect, nuclear power and nuclear terrorism, and the effects of an impact from a comet or asteroid. Acclaim for the previous edition:"If you find science fiction films thought-provoking, this could be the book for you...The scope of the book is wide, with a good grounding in basic physics and biology, and a lot of other information besides."'New Scientist"The idea of using science fiction films to convey science in an interesting way is sound, and anyone preparing a course using the genre should at least consult this book."'NatureABOUT THE AUTHORSLeroy W. Dubeck is Professor of Physics at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Suzanne E. Moshier is Professor of Biology at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.Judith E. Boss is Professor of English at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	xiii
INTRODUCTION	xv
PHYSICS
CHAPTER 1 SCIENCE	3	(8)
A Brief History of Science	3	(1)
Science, Religion, and Technology	4	(1)
The Scientific Method	4	(1)
Science and the Media	5	(1)
The Andromeda Strain,	5	(1)
Measurement and Uncertainty	5	(1)
Scientific Notation	6	(1)
Units and Standards	7	(1)
Changing Units	8	(1)
Exercises	8	(3)
CHAPTER 2 MECHANICS	11	(26)
Speed and Velocity	11	(1)
Frame of Reference	12	(1)
Acceleration	13	(1)
Newton's Laws of Motion	14	(3)
Momentum	17	(4)
The Day the Earth Caught Fire,	18	(1)
Superman,	19	(1)
2010,	20	(1)
Energy	21	(5)
Forbidden Planet,	23	(1)
The Empire Strikes Back,	24	(1)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day,	25	(1)
Rotational Motion	26	(3)
2001: A Space Odyssey,	28	(1)
2010,	29	(1)
Gravity	29	(3)
The Black Hole,	31	(1)
Satellite Motion	32	(2)
2001: A Space Odyssey,	34	(1)
Aliens,	34	(1)
Exercises	34	(3)
CHAPTER 3 ASTRONOMY	37	(22)
The Solar System: The Planets	37	(2)
The Sun	39	(1)
The Moon	40	(3)
2010,	42	(1)
Total Recall,	42	(1)
Aliens,	43	(1)
Meteors and Comets	43	(4)
Meteor,	45	(1)
Deep Impact,	46	(1)
The Galaxy and the Universe	47	(2)
The Black Hole,	49	(1)
The Evolution of the Universe	49	(1)
Intelligent Life Elsewhere	50	(4)
Star Trek IV,	53	(1)
Ancient Astronauts	54	(2)
2001: A Space Odyssey,	56	(1)
Hangar 18,	56	(1)
Exercises	56	(3)
CHAPTER 4 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM	59	(14)
Electrical Forces	59	(2)
Electrical Charges	61	(1)
Electric Currents	62	(2)
Electric Power	64	(2)
The Day the Earth Stood Still,	65	(1)
Magnetism	66	(3)
Computers	69	(3)
2001: A Space Odyssey,	71	(1)
Colossus: The Forbin Project,	71	(1)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day,	71	(1)
Blade Runner,	71	(1)
Exercises	72	(1)
CHAPTER 5 ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS	73	(20)
The Atom	73	(1)
Antimatter	74	(1)
Atomic Spectra	74	(3)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,	76	(1)
The Fly (1986 Version),	77	(1)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai,	77	(1)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day,	77	(1)
The Nucleus	77	(3)
Effects of Radiation	80	(1)
Radiation Detectors	81	(1)
Nuclear Fission and Fusion	82	(2)
The Three Mile Island Accident	84	(1)
The Chernobyl Accident	85	(1)
The China Syndrome,	85	(1)
Nuclear Terrorism	86	(2)
The Peacemaker,	86	(1)
Forbidden Planet,	87	(1)
Aliens,	88	(1)
Elementary Particles	88	(2)
Fantastic Voyage,	89	(1)
Outer Limits: "The Production and Decay of Strange Particles,"	89	(1)
Exercises	90	(3)
CHAPTER 6 RELATIVITY AND TIME	93	(12)
Time Dilation	95	(2)
Time Travel	97	(2)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,	98	(1)
Superman: The Movie,	98	(1)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day,	98	(1)
The Time Machine,	98	(1)
Length Contraction	99	(1)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,	99	(1)
Increase of Mass with Speed	99	(1)
Mass-Energy Transformation	100	(1)
General Theory of Relativity	100	(2)
Gravity and Time	102	(1)
The Black Hole,	102	(1)
Exercises	102	(3)
CHAPTER 7 THE STATES OF MATTER	105	(14)
The Solid State	105	(1)
Star Trek: "Arena,"	105	(1)
Density	105	(2)
Size, Mass, and Strength	107	(1)
Them!,	107	(1)
The Liquid State	107	(1)
Pressure	107	(2)
The Abyss,	109	(1)
Buoyancy	109	(1)
Pascal's Principle	110	(1)
Gases: Atmospheric Pressure	111	(2)
The Gaseous State	113	(1)
Equation of Continuity	113	(1)
Bernoulli's Principle	114	(2)
Star Wars,	115	(1)
Blade Runner,	116	(1)
Diffusion	116	(1)
Them!,	116	(1)
Exercises	117	(2)
CHAPTER 8 HEAT, TEMPERATURE, AND THERMODYNAMICS	119	(12)
Temperature	119	(2)
Thermal Expansion	121	(1)
Specific Heat	122	(1)
Heat Transfer	122	(2)
Silent Running,	123	(1)
The Empire Strikes Back,	123	(1)
Phase 4,	123	(1)
2010,	124	(1)
Change of State	124	(1)
Them!	125	(1)
The Thing (1951 Version),	125	(1)
Thermodynamics	125	(1)
First Law of Thermodynamics	125	(1)
Second Law of Thermodynamics	126	(2)
Zardoz,	128	(1)
Exercises	128	(3)
CHAPTER 9 WAVE MOTION AND SOUND	131	(12)
Wave Speed	131	(1)
Transverse Waves	132	(1)
Longitudinal Waves	133	(1)
Interference	133	(1)
The Doppler Effect	133	(1)
Sound	134	(1)
Superman,	134	(1)
Speed of Sound	134	(1)
The Abyss,	135	(1)
The Day of the Triffids,	135	(1)
Resonance	135	(1)
Loudness	136	(1)
Shock Waves and the Sonic Boom	136	(1)
The Day the Earth Stood Still,	136	(1)
The Electromagnetic Spectrum	136	(1)
The Day of the Triffids,	137	(1)
Light	137	(3)
Polarization	140	(1)
Holography	140	(1)
Star Wars,	141	(1)
Total Recall,	141	(1)
Exercises	141	(2)
CHAPTER 10 GLOBAL WARMING AND THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT	143	(10)
How the Greenhouse Effect Works	143	(1)
Types of Greenhouse Gas	144	(2)
Projections of the Effects of Global Warming	146	(2)
Kyoto Protocol	148	(1)
What Can Be Done to Reduce the Impact of the Greenhouse Effect	148	(1)
Related Films	149	(1)
Star Trek: The Next Generation, A Matter of Time,	149	(1)
The Arrival,	150	(1)
Exercises	150	(3)
BIOLOGY
CHAPTER 11 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS	153	(16)
The Cell Theory	155	(1)
Cell Structure and Function	156	(1)
Selected Organelles and Their Functions	157	(6)
Organisms	163	(1)
Kingdoms of Organisms	163	(2)
The Andromeda Strain	165	(1)
Exercises	166	(3)
CHAPTER 12 CELLULAR REPRODUCTION	169	(8)
Diploid and Haploid Cells	170	(1)
Fertilization and Meiosis	170	(1)
Development	171	(2)
Mutations and Them!	173	(2)
Exercises	175	(2)
CHAPTER 13 THE ENERGY NEEDS OF LIVING THINGS	177	(8)
Work Requires Energy	177	(1)
Organization Requires Energy	177	(1)
Enzymes and Pathways	178	(1)
Adenosine Triphosphate	179	(1)
Hydrogen and Electron Carrier Molecules	179	(1)
Photosynthesis	180	(1)
Glycolysis	181	(1)
Mitochondrial Pathways	181	(1)
Silent Running	182	(2)
Exercises	184	(1)
CHAPTER 14 PLANTS AND ANIMALS COMPARED	185	(10)
Differentiation	185	(1)
Tissues of Animals	185	(1)
Organs of Animals	186	(1)
Organ Systems in Animals	187	(1)
From Organs to Tissues in Plants	187	(3)
The Day of the Triffids	190	(3)
Exercises	193	(2)
CHAPTER 15 MULTICELLULARITY AND IMMUNITY	195	(6)
Multicellularity	195	(1)
Cell Adhesion Molecules	195	(1)
Histocompatibility	196	(1)
Immunity	197	(2)
Fantastic Voyage	199	(1)
Exercises	200	(1)
CHAPTER 16 EVOLUTION	201	(22)
Environments and Prevailing Organisms Change	201	(1)
Natural Selection by Survival of the Fittest	202	(2)
Adaptation and Speciation	204	(2)
Homologies, Development, and Vestigial Structures	206	(2)
Planet of the Apes	208	(2)
Extinction	210	(2)
Biodiversity	212	(2)
Jurassic Park	214	(3)
Exercises	217	(6)
FILM DESCRIPTIONS
FILMS WITH LITERARY COMMENTARY	223	(68)
1001: A Space Odyssey	223	(6)
1010: The Year We Make Contact	229	(4)
The Andromeda Strain	233	(7)
Blade Runner	240	(4)
Colossus: The Forbip Project	244	(4)
Contact	248	(4)
The Day of the Triffids	252	(2)
The Day the Earth Caught Fire	254	(3)
The Day the Earth Stood Still	257	(4)
Fantastic Voyage	261	(5)
Forbidden Planet	266	(4)
Hangar 18	270	(2)
Them!	272	(5)
The Thing (1951 version)	277	(4)
The Time Machine	281	(4)
Total Recall	285	(6)
FILMS WITHOUT LITERARY COMMENTARY	291	(50)
The Abyss	291	(2)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai	293	(2)
After the Warming	295	(2)
Aliens	297	(2)
Star Trek: "Arena"	299	(1)
The Arrival	300	(2)
The Black Hole	302	(2)
The China Syndrome	304	(2)
Deep Impact	306	(2)
The Empire Strikes Back	308	(2)
The Fly (1986) Version	310	(1)
Independence Day	311	(2)
Jurassic Park	313	(3)
Meteor	316	(1)
The Peacemaker	317	(2)
Phase IV	319	(1)
Planet of the Apes (1968) Version	320	(3)
Planet of the Apes (2001) Version	323	(2)
The Production and Decay of Strange Particles (The Outer Limits)	325	(1)
Silent Running	326	(3)
Star Trek: The Next Generation-"A Matter of Time"	329	(1)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home	330	(1)
Star Wars	331	(2)
Superman	333	(3)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day	336	(2)
Zardoz	338	(3)
INDEX	341