The physical world: waves and relativity - for iPad/Mac/PC - podcast cover

The physical world: waves and relativity - for iPad/Mac/PC

The Open Universitywww3.open.ac.uk
This album explores the science of waves. Five video tracks feature two pair trawling fishermen from the Cornish village of Looe. Their lives and livelihoods depend on gadgets like radio, GPS and radar. This album explores the physics behind this technology, gives a simple introduction to wavelengths and looks back to the discovery of electromagnetism and the invention of radio. To demonstrate just how vital waves are, the two captains turn off their modern communication tools and try traditional methods of keeping in touch. In addition, two bonus video tracks explore Newton's laws of motion and Einstein’s special theory of relativity, which give us our most basic insight into space and time. This material forms part of the course S207 The physical world.
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Episodes

The nature of sound waves

Find out what makes a wave, how sound travels and how fishermen stayed in touch at sea before the invention of radio.

Aug 11, 20097 min

Electromagnetic waves

Radio waves are the basis for our communications industry. The discovery of a link between electricity and magnetism led to the very first radio transmissions.

Aug 11, 20095 min

Transcript -- Electromagnetic waves

Transcript -- Radio waves are the basis for our communications industry. The discovery of a link between electricity and magnetism led to the very first radio transmissions.

Aug 11, 2009

Make your own radio

The skippers take a closer look at each of the radio components, and how they work.

Aug 11, 20095 min

A guide to wavelengths

Sound, light, heat, radio, television and microwave. The universe contains more radiation than matter, in fact, we're surrounded by a sea of electromagnetic waves.

Aug 11, 20093 min

Transcript -- A guide to wavelengths

Transcript -- Sound, light, heat, radio, television and microwave. The universe contains more radiation than matter, in fact, we're surrounded by a sea of electromagnetic waves.

Aug 11, 2009

Einstein and special relativity

This famous theory connects time and motion. Presenter Robert Llewellyn and British athlete Kris Akabusi hit the track to show how speed actually slows down time.

Aug 11, 20095 min

Transcript -- Einstein and special relativity

Transcript -- This famous theory connects time and motion. Presenter Robert Llewellyn and British athlete Kris Akabusi hit the track to show how speed actually slows down time.

Aug 11, 2009

Experimenting with Newton's laws

What happens when you fire a toy cannonball from a moving train set? This demonstration tests Newton's laws of motion, the starting point for Einstein's theory of relativity.

Aug 11, 200942 sec

Transcript -- Experimenting with Newton's laws

Transcript -- What happens when you fire a toy cannonball from a moving train set? This demonstration tests Newton's laws of motion, the starting point for Einstein's theory of relativity.

Aug 11, 2009
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