How Things Work

by Donald J. Crump (Editor), National Geographic Society

Uses such familiar objects as a bicycle, neon sign, calculator, and hot air balloon to introduce the field of physics

104 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1983

Reviews

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is targeted at middle-school students, but it's an excellent read even for adults. Devices ranging from alarm clocks to vending machines to the Space Shuttle are dissected and explained. The language is simple and accessible, but not condescending. The only part that was wincingly over-simplified was the explanation of how a calculator works, because of the excessively imprecise language ("the newly entered number goes into another place"). Overall, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to see the insides of devices we all use today (the dated-ness of some of the entries (e.g., video games, Walkman) only adds to the book's charm).

[Salocin Dot TEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning about bicycles, cameras and space shuttles.