What If? Physics

Introduction

Dive into a world where physics meets the absurd, inspired by Randall Monroe's "What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions." Ever wondered how long a nuclear submarine could last in orbit, or what would happen if you hit a baseball at 90 percent the speed of light? This is your chance to explore such bizarre questions focusing on forces, energy, and momentum.

Your mission: create your own absurd hypothetical question and use physics to craft an answer that’s scientifically accurate yet humorously outlandish. You'll also write and illustrate a chapter, infusing it with humor and the spirit of xkcd’s comic illustrations.

Join us for a whimsical journey into physics, where curiosity and creativity lead the way in tackling some of the most outlandish scientific questions imaginable.

Important Information: This expedition is the Cycle 1 Physics Pathway expedition option

Essential Questions

• How do Newton's laws and the principles of motion and forces help explain the movement of everything in the universe?

• Can different ways of communicating movement and forces allow us to understand and solve real-world situations?

• How does the Law of Universal gravitation, general relativity, and principles of multidimensional motion add to Newton’s laws to better comprehend reality?

• What is the benefit of solving absurd hypothetical questions in understanding the Physics of motion through digital and visual texts?

Learning Objectives

• Describe and understand the concepts of motion, forces, scalars, and vectors of motion, and Newton’s laws

• Identify, compare, and create diagrams to communicate one or multiple forces on an object, and the effects on the motion of the object.

• Create and interpret graphs and diagrams of motion to explain the movement of objects through space

• Solve questions with hypothetical questions that apply the Physics of motion using Digital and Visual text to communicate the science behind the answer.