SECOND EDITION FANTASTI VOYAG Learning Science Thrl Science Fiction Filtrl Leroy W. Dubeck Suzanne E. Moshier Judith E. Boss AIP EB Springer
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION xiii xv PHYSICS CHAPTER 1 SCIENCE 3 A Brief History of Science 3 Science, Religion, and Technology 4 The Scientific Method 4 Science and the Media 5 The Andromeda Strain, 5 Measurement and Uncertainty 5 Scientific Notation 6 Units and Standards 7 Changing Units 8 Exercises 8 CHAPTER 2 MECHANICS 11 Speed and Velocity 11 Frame of Reference 12 Acceleration 13 Newton's Laws of Motion 14 Momentum 17 The Day the Earth Caught Fire, 18 I Superman, 19 12010, 20 Energy 21 Forbidden Planet, 23 I The Empire Strikes Back, 24 I Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 25 Rotational Motion 26 2007: A Space Odyssey, 28 12010, 29 Gravity 29 The Black Hole, 31
VI Contents Satellite Motion 32 2007: A Space Odyssey, 34 / Aliens, 34 Exercises 34 CHAPTER 3 ASTRONOMY 37 The Solar System: The Planets 37 The Sun 39 The Moon 40 2070, 42 I Total Recall, 42 I Aliens, 43 Meteors and Comets 43 Meteor, 45 I Deep Impact, 46 The Galaxy and the Universe 47 The Black Hole, 49 The Evolution of the Universe 49 Intelligent Life Elsewhere 50 Star Trek IV, 53 Ancient Astronauts 54 2007: A Space Odyssey, 561 Hangar 18, 56 Exercises 56 CHAPTER 4 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 59 Electrical Forces 59 Electrical Charges 61 Electric Currents 62 Electric Power 64 The Day the Earth Stood Still, 65 Magnetism 66 Computers 69 2007: A Space Odyssey, 71 I Colossus: The Forbin Project, 71 I Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 71 I Blade Runner, 71 Exercises 72 CHAPTER 5 ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS 73 The Atom 73 Antimatter 74 Atomic Spectra 74 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 761 The Fly (1986 Version), 771 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, 771 Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 77 The Nucleus 77 Effects of Radiation 80
VH Radiation Detectors 81 Nuclear Fission and Fusion 82 The Three Mile Island Accident 84 The Chernobyl Accident 85 The China Syndrome, 85 Nuclear Terrorism 86 The Peacemaker, 86 Forbidden Planet, 87 Aliens, 88 Elementary Particles 88 Fantastic Voyage, 89 I Outer Limits: "The Production and Decay of Strange Particles," 89 Exercises 90 CHAPTER 6 RELATIVITY AND TIME 93 Time Dilation 95 Time Travel 97 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 981 Superman: The Movie, 98 I Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 98 I The Time Machine, 98 Length Contraction 99 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 99 Increase of Mass with Speed 99 Mass-Energy Transformation 100 General Theory of Relativity 100 Gravity and Time 102 The Black Hole, 102 Exercises 102 CHAPTER 7 THE STATES OF MATTER. 105 The Solid State 105 Star Trek: "Arena," 105 Density 105 Size, Mass, and Strength 107 Them!, 107 The Liquid State 107 Pressure 107 The Abyss, 109 Buoyancy 109 Pascal's Principle 110 Gases: Atmospheric Pressure 111
VIII Contents The Gaseous State 113 Equation of Continuity 113 Bernoulli's Principle 114 Star Wars, 115 I Blade Runner, 116 Diffusion 116 Them!, 116 Exercises 117 CHAPTER 8 HEAT, TEMPERATURE, AND THERMODYNAMICS 119 Temperature 119 Thermal Expansion 121 Heat 121 Specific Heat 122 Heat Transfer 122 Silent Running, 123 I The Empire Strikes Back, 123 I Phase 4, 123 12010, 124 Change of State 124 Them! 125 I The Thing (1951 Version), 125 Thermodynamics 125 First Law of Thermodynamics 125 Second Law of Thermodynamics 126 Zardoz, 128 Exercises 128 CHAPTER 9 WAVE MOTION AND SOUND 131 Waves 131 Wave Speed 131 Transverse Waves 132 Longitudinal Waves 133 Interference 133 The Doppler Effect 133 Sound 134 Superman, 134 Speed of Sound 134 The Abyss, 135 I The Day of the Triffids, 135 Resonance 135 Loudness 136 Shock Waves and the Sonic Boom 136 The Day the Earth Stood Still, 136
IX The Electromagnetic Spectrum 136 The Day of the Triffids, 137 Light 137 Polarization 140 Holography 140 Star Wars, 141 I Total Recall, 141 Exercises 141 CHAPTER 10 GLOBAL WARMING AND THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT 143 How the Greenhouse Effect Works 143 Types of Greenhouse Gas 144 Projections of the Effects of Global Warming 146 Kyoto Protocol 148 What Can Be Done to Reduce the Impact of the Greenhouse Effect 148 Related Films 149 Star Trek: The Next Generation, A Matter of Time, 149 I The Arrival, 150 Exercises 150 BIOLOGY CHAPTER 11 CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS 153 The Cell Theory 155 Cell Structure and Function 156 Selected Organelles and Their Functions 157 Cell Size 162 Organisms 163 Kingdoms of Organisms 163 The Andromeda Strain 165 Exercises 166 CHAPTER 12 CELLULAR REPRODUCTION 169 Diploid and Haploid Cells 170 Fertilization and Meiosis 170 Development 171 Genes 171 Mutations and Them! 173 Exercises 175
CHAPTER 13 THE ENERGY NEEDS OF LIVING THINGS 177 Work Requires Energy 177 Organization Requires Energy 177 Enzymes and Pathways 178 Adenosine Triphosphate 179 Hydrogen and Electron Carrier Molecules 179 Photosynthesis 180 Glycolysis 181 Mitochondrial Pathways 181 Silent Running 182 Exercises 184 CHAPTER 14 PLANTS AND ANIMALS COMPARED 185 Differentiation 185 Tissues of Animals 185 Organs of Animals 186 Organ Systems in Animals 187 From Organs to Tissues in Plants 187 The Day of the Triffids 190 Exercises 193 CHAPTER 15 MULTICELLULARITY AND IMMUNITY 195 Multicellularity 195 Cell Adhesion Molecules 195 Histocompatibility 196 Immunity 197 Fantastic Voyage 199 Exercises 200 CHAPTER 16 EVOLUTION 201 Environments and Prevailing Organisms Change 201 Natural Selection by Survival of the Fittest 202 Adaptation and Speciation 204 Homologies, Development, and Vestigial Structures 206 Planet of the Apes 208 Extinction 210 Biodiversity 212 Jurassic Park 214 Exercises 217
XI FILM DESCRIPTIONS FILMS WITH LITERARY COMMENTARY 223 2007: A Space Odyssey 223 2070: The Year We Make Contact 229 The Andromeda Strain 233 Blade Runner 240 Colossus: The Forbin Project 244 Contact 248 The Day of the Triffids 252 The Day the Earth Caught Fire 254 The Day the Earth Stood Still 257 Fantastic Voyage 261 Forbidden Planet 266 Hangar 18 270 Them! 272 The Thing (1951 version) 277 The Time Machine 281 Total Recall 285 FILMS WITHOUT LITERARY COMMENTARY 291 The Abyss 291 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai 293 After the Warming 295 Aliens 297 Star Trek: "Arena" 299 The Arrival 300 The Black Hole 302 The China Syndrome 304 Deep Impact 306 The Empire Strikes Back 308 The Fly (1986) Version 310 Independence Day 311 Jurassic Park 313 Meteor 316 The Peacemaker 317 Phase IV 319 Planet of the Apes (1968) Version 320 Planet of the Apes (2001) Version 323 The Production and Decay of Strange Particles (The Outer Limits) 325 Silent Running 326 Star Trek: The Next Generation "A Matter of Time" 329 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home 330 Star Wars 331 Superman 333 Terminator 2: Judgment Day 336 Zardoz 338 INDEX 341