Book 35: Physics for Rock Stars

Title and Author: Physics for Rock Stars, by Christine McKinley

Illustrator: Mark Nerys
Publisher: A Perigree Book published by The Penguin Book
Published: June 2014
Genre: Non-Fiction
Target Audience/Age Group: Adults
Part of a Series? No
Will the Reviewer Keep It In His/Her Library? Yes
First line: Physics is the sexiest of the sciences.

Life is one big physics lab, according to Christine McKinley. She explains why in an entertaining way, from funny stories of her high school physics classes to examples from real life. I laughed out loud many times while reading this book.

Useful in everyday life things taught in the book are how to:

• Float heavy objects by putting them in plastic bags and inflating those bags with air (page 139)
• Survive in a submerged car by waiting until the pressure inside has equalized with the pressure outside (page 148)
• Assure your opponent in a drinking game isn't cheating–blow across the top of the bottles. The sound will be the same if they have the same volume of liquid in them. (page 176)
• Purify water with two bowls and plastic wrap (page 190)
• Make fire with a 9-volt battery and steel wool (page 204)

One fun to do at a party thing she suggests for fun is comparing people to the elements on the periodic table–she's a noble gas. We had fun discussing which we are. I'm helium, always floating around.

The book is full of ways you can set up bets with your friends, then win them. You can make a lot of money with them. The quizes at the end of each chapter are also fun.

Our only gripe was the lack of free body diagrams. We think that would have helped explain the concept.