Articles written by Katharine M. J. Osborne

At different scales, different forces have a predominate influence over matter.

Jul 28, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Last week we looked at how the four fundamental forces influence matter on the atomic and microscopic scales, this week we look at the macroscopic and cosmic scales.

Jul 27, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Last week we looked at some of the basic principles of rocketry, now we are going to examine the more complex issues of rocket flight.

Jul 10, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

In its simplest form, a rocket is just a flying container of fuel open on one end to give a controlled flight.

Jul 10, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Physics is a discipline of science that includes many interrelated and active branches.

Jul 7, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

A Wormhole is a theoretical shortcut through spacetime that connects two distant locations.

Jun 29, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Beyond the elementary fermions, leptons, and bosons, are the composite particles which are made up of these elementary particles.

Jun 22, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Bosons, along with fermions and leptons complete the 'zoo' of elementary particles.

Jun 15, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Leptons, along with fermions (quarks) and bosons (which we will subsequently look at), compose the 'zoo' of elementary particles.

Jun 8, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

The fermions are a class of elementary particles that are defined by their 1/2 integer spin, and the fact that they make up the matter that we interact with everyday.

Jun 1, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

According to Einstein's famous equation, all matter is made of energy, but all matter is also made of fundamental particles - little, discrete, bundles of energy.

May 25, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

When an object with mass moves at a speed approaching the speed of light, it's inherent properties are changed in surprising ways.

May 19, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

A transformer is a machine simple in design, but sublime in its simplicity.

May 12, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Newton's third law states that when one body exerts a force on another body, the second body responds with an equal and opposite force.

May 5, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Newton's Second Law describes the relationship between force, mass, and motion, and is an essential tool used to unravel the mysteries of the mechanical Universe.

Apr 28, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Newton's First Law, the simplest of Newton's three laws of motion, provides a frame of reference for understanding all motion in the Universe.

Apr 21, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Physics Book Review: "Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity" by David Bodanis

Apr 14, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Each star is unique, and the lifespan of every star is determined primarily by it's mass. The more massive a star is, the shorter its lifespan.

Apr 7, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

The neutron is one of the most common particles of matter, and it is integral to the formation of every element other than hydrogen. Find out why.

Mar 30, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

How do you know how far away something is when you cannot travel to it? For instance, how do we know how far away stars are from the Earth? One way to find out is by using the principle of parallax.

Mar 23, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Whisky is a pretty sturdy spirit, but certain things can hurt the flavor. Here are a few suggestions to keep your whisky at its best.

Mar 17, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

Gamma ray bursters are among the most violent phenomena in the visible universe. In fact, if one occurred near the Earth it would incinerate the atmosphere in seconds. Fi

Mar 10, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne

The coriolis effect has to do with the rotation of the Earth, and little to do with how a toilet flushes in Australia.

Mar 3, 2006 - Katharine M. J. Osborne