Identify The Classical Physics Principles Contained

Identify The Classical Physics Principles Contained

Instructions In a two-page paper, identify the classical physics principles contained within the following scenario. Explain how these principles connect to work done by Galileo or Newton. Finally, consider the different fields in which Galileo and Newton did research, and give an example of one of these fields in use in your life. For instance, Newton developed the field of optics. If you wear glasses or contact lenses, you are using Newton's physical optics theories every day.

Aside from glasses or contacts, how do the theories of Newton or Galileo affect you in your daily life? Scenario Mandy took a trip to Rome, Italy. She gazed out over the open ocean 20,000 feet below as her airplane began its descent to her final destination. She could watch the Sun setting in the west. Over the Eastern horizon peeked a full moon, just rising, displaying its cratered face.

As the plane neared the ground, Mandy could not help but think that she was in a giant metal object hurtling through the sky. Without the specific shape of its wings, the plane would fall to the ground no differently than a large metal projectile.

Requirements: - Student provided personal experience; descriptions of scenarios are clear; analysis of provided in detail. - Student listed physics principles including identification of a strong majority of elements, and includes excellent descriptive details.

Paper For Above instruction

The scene described involving Mandy’s airplane descent and her observations provides a fertile ground for exploring classical physics principles, notably Newtonian mechanics and optics, both of which have profound implications on our everyday experiences. This paper aims to identify these core principles within the scenario, explain their historical connection to Galileo and Newton’s work, and relate their influence to everyday life.

Classical Physics Principles in the Scenario

Firstly, the fundamental principle of gravity underpins the entire scenario. Newton’s law of universal gravitation states that every mass attracts every other mass through a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them (Newton, 1687). As Mandy observes the ocean below and contemplates the airplane’s potential fall without the wings’ shape, she's indirectly referencing gravitational acceleration, which dictates that a free-falling object accelerates due to gravity at approximately 9.8 m/s² near Earth's surface (Serway & Jewett, 2018).

Secondly, projectile motion—a concept developed from Newton’s laws—describes how objects move under the influence of gravity when given an initial velocity, such as an airplane descending. Newton’s second law (F=ma) explains how the forces acting on the aircraft—including gravity and air resistance—determine its acceleration and trajectory (Halliday, Resnick, & Walker, 2014).

Optics, another classical physics field, connects to how Mandy perceives sunlight and the moonlight. Newton’s work on physical optics detailed how light behaves as a wave, with phenomena like reflection, refraction, and dispersion. Her perception of the setting sun and the rising moon involves light traveling through Earth's atmosphere, bending due to refraction, and reaching her eyes (Newton, 1704). This explains why the Sun appears slightly distorted or displaced during sunset, and why the moon appears larger or differently shaped at the horizon.

Connection to Work of Galileo and Newton

Galileo’s contributions to physics, notably his experiments on motion, laid the groundwork for understanding inertia and uniform motion (Galileo, 1638/1939). His observations about objects in motion on inclined planes parallel the principles at play in an airplane’s descent, emphasizing that in the absence of external forces, an object would maintain its state of motion. This insight directly influences our understanding of how airplanes fly—by generating lift to counteract gravity, a concept rooted in Newtonian physics and Galileo's insights.

Newton expanded upon Galileo’s ideas by formulating the three laws of motion, which articulate how forces influence movement. In particular, Newton’s second law explains the relationship between the forces acting on the airplane (gravity, lift, drag) and its acceleration or deceleration during descent (Newton, 1687). Newton’s work in optics, further developed in his "Opticks," describes how light behaves, which influences devices such as telescopes and improve our understanding of celestial observations, exemplified by Mandy’s observation of the moon.

Field of Research and Everyday Influence

Galileo’s research in kinematics and terrestrial motion impacts our daily lives in various ways, such as understanding vehicle movement, sports dynamics, and amusement park rides. Newton’s contributions, especially in mechanics and optics, underpin technologies essential to modern life, including transportation, communication, and medical devices. For example, Newton’s laws enable engineers to design safe vehicles by predicting motion and impact forces (Feldman, 2010).

In my personal life, Newton’s optics directly influence the use of corrective lenses. Glasses and contact lenses are designed based on optical principles involving refraction and the correction of aberrations (Hecht, 2017). Additionally, Newton’s work in physics helps in understanding how digital devices like cameras and microscopes work—devices I use regularly for communication and learning.

Beyond optical devices, Newtonian mechanics affects my daily routines through the design of transportation systems, safe electrical appliances, and even leisure activities like sports, where an understanding of trajectories helps improve performance.

Conclusion

The classical physics principles of gravity, projectile motion, and optics are intricately woven into the scene described, rooted in the foundational work of Galileo and Newton. Their theories continue to shape the technological and scientific landscape, affecting everyday activities from transportation to visual aids. Recognizing these influences underscores the enduring relevance of classical physics in our modern world.

References

• Feldman, R. (2010). Classical Mechanics. Springer.
• Galileo Galilei. (1939). Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. (L. Walsh, Trans.).
• Hecht, E. (2017). Optics (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
• Newton, I. (1687). Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
• Newton, I. (1704). Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light.
• Serway, R. A., & Jewett, J. W. (2018). Physics for Scientists and Engineers. Cengage Learning.
• Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2014). Fundamentals of Physics (10th ed.). Wiley.