Audience: Beginner/Intermediate physics wannabes
Strengths: The illustrated comics and narrative
interplay between the books characters hook you. The laboratory and detailed
subject matter technical descriptions teach you what you need to get a basis in
the physics of the laws of motion. The book is well
suited to either sex, although Japanese attitudes about relationships may seem
a bit alien to the US teenager.
Weaknesses: Although the algebra used in the book is hopefully within
the abilities of college aimed US high-school students, I doubt they are up to
Japanese standard in dealing with even elementary calculus. None-the-less, the
concepts and relationships described come across clearly even to those who are
either mathematically impaired or like me, disinclined.
Introduction
I loved high
school chemistry and hated the physics {just say numerical and quantitative}
course, which I took, in ca. 1954, in my senior year. That didn’t stop my acing
the NY State regents exam 100 in chemistry vs a 98 in physics), required of all
college bound student in New York state and was definitely a bookworm, at times
at times four-eyes, but now proudly called a geek.
I’ve reviewed,
for macCompanion, a
number of books in the Japanese Manga about science. This one was the most
difficult for me to relax into. Actually I hated math even more than physics,
but neither was an excuse, in my family, for not getting good grades.
“The book
revolves around Ms. Megumi is an all-star athlete, but she's a failure when it
comes to physics class. And she can't concentrate on her tennis matches when
she's worried about the questions she missed on the big test! Luckily for her,
she befriends Ryota, a patient physics geek who uses real-world examples to
help her understand classical mechanics-and improve her tennis game in the
process!
“In The Manga Guide to Physics, you'll follow alongside Megumi as she
learns about the physics of everyday objects like roller skates, slingshots, braking
cars, and tennis serves. In no time, you'll master tough concepts like momentum
and impulse, parabolic motion, and the relationship between force, mass, and
acceleration.
“You'll also
learn how to:
Apply
Newton's three laws of motion to real-life problems
Determine
how objects will move after a collision
Draw vector
diagrams and simplify complex problems using trigonometry
Calculate
how an object's kinetic energy changes as its potential energy increases
“If you're
mystified by the basics of physics or you just need a refresher, The Manga
Guide to Physics will
get you up to speed in a lively, quirky, and practical way.”
In this
book...
The Manga Guide to Physics provides an
opportunity to refresh your memories or learn some of the basics about physics
dealing with motion. The books four chapters are: the Laws of Action and
Reaction; Force and Motion; Momentum; and Energy. Along the way the authors
introduce us to basic trigonometry, and point us at calculus and vector
analysis; knowledge of algebra is assumed.
I agree with
Rob Wehril, a reviewer for Amazon.com that “ I'm {he is} certain that the {Manga}
presentation method is easier to accept and is certainly more interesting for
all readers. I found that the first chapter labored a bit on the lesson, but
that subsequent chapters went by rather efficiently. Then there was the
"inner-geek" in me who loves continuous mathematics who wanted to
argue that the ball-in-hand is not a static state but dynamic, though for the
purposes of the book, the explanations were appropriate.” Anyway the book makes
a good read for those wanting initial general understanding and those who like
to dig deeper in the fundamentals, at an introductory level, of the world of
physics.
Although the
focus of the characters – their moods and emotions where dynamically
presented, I found the comics style approach, as usual, to my liking. In this
case that helped lower the barriers I’ve set up about things mathematical: it’s
why I became an organic-analytic and ultimate nuclear waste management oriented
chemist not an engineer or physicist. If this boom will be your first into the
realm of Japanese manga, sit back, suspend judgment, and enjoy.
Disappointments
and Discomforts
Textual
Matter… Comic Connection — as has become usual in my reviews of this series, I would ask future
authors to provide some lead-in to connect the comic portion to the detailed
equations provided for study. The transition is too abrupt and even with my
half remembered knowledge of physics; I had to return to the comic for
connection and context. The switch in emphasis {e.g., detail and
quantification) between the comic and the tutorial is a bit like falling off a
cliff, albeit a small one.
In a
classroom situation, the teacher does that. However in these books, making the
connection between an item in the “comic” and the detailed tutorial information
is not easy or intuitive.
Sexism and Roles of Females — I recognize that the role of
females in Japan are still evolving, even here in the US we have glass ceiling
and prejudice against women in some professions. However, I must agree with
Johanna Draper Carlson who noted that I’d still to like to see one of the books
feature a smart, slightly nerdy girl helping an energetic boy instead of always
the other way around.” [The accompanying image represents one such stereotype.
I could find no images of female Japanese engineers or scientist on Google
images.]
Conclusion
The real
value of this book is that it is able to teach both young physics students and
complete novices. Perhaps even a teacher or two who hadn’t studied physics but
is forced by their school district to teach it. It presents information on several different levels
beginning with basic information presented in manga form followed by more
textbook-like discussions. I wish I’d had this book before I took both High
School physics and under graduate physics at Brooklyn Polytechnic institute as
part of my BS in Chemistry degree. It would have made living though the
ritualized and stilted presentations of what should have been an interesting
subject, more palatable.
The book is
an almost painless way to gain a basic introduction to the laws of action and
reaction, force and motion and momentum physics of the laws of motion, action
and reaction, force and motion and momentum. It would be of great use to
someone wanting a qualitative or semi-quantitative understanding the subject;
an academically inclined high-school student.
Recommendation
I wouldn’t
have thought, if asked just five years ago, that I’d be recommending a book on
Physics to our readers, statistics Yes; physics or worse calculus —No!
Most of my
physic classes were a bit like having to take a physical everyday. However, times change and even
73 year olds can learn.
I strongly
recommend this book [4.5
macCs] to any 15-17 year old that is pre-high school physics student,
the same audience as my textbook “Nuclear is hot” The book should be given,
before the teenage is exposed to physics by often daunted high school teachers.
PS:
One feature
about this book may be unique. I was able to find and download a section of the
book from Scribd, a free eBooks site.
See: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15060407/The-Manga-Guide-to-Physics-Excerpt?autodown=pdf
Reference:
NUCLEAR
IS HOT! {A
book for High-School Students}
Everything you wanted to know about
nuclear science and were afraid to ask.
By: Raul A. Deju, Ph.D., Harry Babad, Ph.D. and Michael A. Deju.
© 2009, The EnergySolutions Foundation,
First Edition Published March 2009
ISBN Number 0615277543
