The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition (57 page)

 

Work in physics is another expression for energy, and any change in the kinetic energy of an object must result from an external force acting over a given distance. The expression indicates that no work is done when you hold a weight over your head, for while you do supply a force, there is no displacement of the stationary object. This is in conflict with the common usage of the term “work” but is correct physically—once you have increased the object’s potential energy by raising it over your head, there is no additional change in its energy if you maintain it in this raised state indefinitely.

 

 

KINETIC ENERGY = (½)
m
V
²
; POTENTIAL ENERGY =
mgh

 

Expressions for the energy associated with motion (kinetic energy = (½)mv
²
) or for the potential of motion in a gravitational field (potential energy = mgh). Note that the expression for potential energy is the same as the Work done raising an object of weight mg by a height h.

 

FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 

 

Essentially a restatement of the principle of conservation of energy, indicating that any change in the internal energy of a system will be the result of any Work done on or by the system, and any heat flow into or out of the system.

 

SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 

 

In any process to convert the heat energy that flows from a hot object to a colder object into Work (defined as the product of force times distance), there will inevitably be some loss. That is, one cannot transform 100 percent of the heat flow into productive work. This is related to the entropy of the systems involved, which is a measure of the disorder of their components.

 

THIRD LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS

 

 

Upon lowering the temperature of a system in equilibrium, which is a measure of the average energy of its components, the entropy also decreases. The entropy of any system is zero if there is only one configuration that it can have, and that state is only realized when the energy of each component is zero—that is, at a temperature of Absolute zero, which can never actually be reached.

 

COULOMB’S LAW OF ELECTROSTATIC ATTRACTION

 

 

The mathematical expression for the force between two charged objects, indicating that the force is proportional to the product of each object’s charge and divided by the square of the distance separating them. The formula is algebraically identical to Newton’s expression for gravitational force. However, while gravity is always attractive, the force between two charged objects can be attractive if they have opposite signs (positive and negative) or repulsive if they have the same sign (both positive or both negative).

 

 

OHM’S LAW V= IR

 

Expression relating the voltage V pushing or pulling electrical charges in a conductor of resistance R to the current I (number of charges moving past a given point per unit time). While this expression holds for most metals, not every electronic device obeys this simple linear relationship.

 

 

ENERGY=
hf

 

The quantum hypothesis that states that the change in energy of any atomic system characterized by a frequency f can only occur in steps of magnitude Energy = hf, where h is Planck’s constant, a fundamental constant of nature. When a system lowers or raises its energy by emitting or absorbing light, it must do so through quantized packets of energy termed “photons.”

 

 

DEBROGLIE RELATIONSHIP P λ =
h

 

The motion of any matter having a momentum p is associated with a matter-wave of wavelength λ , where the product of the momentum and the wave’s wavelength is Planck’s constant h.

 

 

SCHRÖDINGER EQUATION

 

The fundamental wave equation for the “motion” of quantum objects. By knowing the potential V acting on the object, one can solve this equation to obtain the wavefunction ψ that characterizes its behavior. Squaring this wavefunction yields the probability density of finding the object at a given point in space and time, and from this probability density, the average or expected values for any measurable quantity (location, momentum, etc.) can be obtained.

Page 2
Action # 333
(National Comics. 1966), written by Leo Dorfman, drawn by Al Plastino.

Page 4
World’s Finest # 93
(National Comics, 1958), reprinted in
World’s Finest Comics Archives Volume 2
(DC Comics, 2001). Written by Edmond Hamilton, drawn by Dick Sprang.

Page 7
“middle-class sensibilities”
Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels: A History of Comics,
Roger Sabin (Phaidon Press, 1996).

Page 7
“yellow journalism”
The Classic Era of American Comics,
Nicky Wright (Contemporary Books, 2000).

Page 7
“firmly established until 1933”
Comic Book Culture: An Illustrated History,
Ron Goulart (Collectors Press Inc., 2000).

Page 8
“big money in the Depression”
The Pulps: Fifty Years of American Pop Culture,
compiled and edited by Tony Goodstone (Chelsea House, 1970).

Page 8
“Superman was the brain child”
The Illustrated History of Superhero Comics of the Golden Age,
Mike Benton (Taylor Publishing Co., 1992); Superman. The Complete History, Les Daniels (Chronicle Books, 1998).

Page 11
“before someone noticed and complained”
Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book,
Gerard Jones (Basic Books, 2004).

Page 11
“Dr. Fredric Wertham’s 1953 . . .”
Seduction of the Innocent,
Fredric Wertham (Rinehart Press, 1953).

Page 12
“The U.S. Senate Subcommittee”
Seal of Approval, The History of the Comics Code,
Amy Kiste Nyberg (University of Mississippi Press, 1998).

Page 12
“Declining sales from the loss”
Comic Book Nation,
Bradford W. Wright (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001).

Page 13
The Atom # 21
(National Comics, Oct./Nov. 1965). Written by Gardner Fox, drawn by Gil Kane.

Page 13
“Give us back our eleven days!”
Encyclopedia Britannica
(William Benton, Chicago) vol. 4, pg. 619 (1968).

Page 14
Brave and the Bold # 28
(National Comics, 1960), reprinted in
Justice League of America Archives Volume 1
(DC Comics, 1992). Written by Gardner Fox, drawn by Mike Sekowsky.

Page 14
“Why take the time . . . ?”
Man of Two Worlds, My Life in Science Fiction and Comics,
Julius Schwartz with Brian M. Thomsen (HarperEntertainment, 2000).

Page 14
“The Hugo Award winner Alfred Bester . . .”
Star Light, Star Bright,
Alfred Bester (Berkley Publishing Company, 1976).

Page 14
“as reflected in this joke:” Lance Smith, private communication (2001).

Page 16
“physics is not about having memorized . . .” Hellmut Fritszche, private communication (1979).

Page 21
Superman # 1
(National Comics, June 1939), reprinted in
Superman Archives Volume 1
(DC Comics, 1989). Written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Shuster.

Page 21
Superman # 330
(DC Comics, Dec. 1978). Written by Martin Pasko and Al Shroeder and drawn by Curt Swan and Frank Chiaramonte.

Page 21
Action Comics # 262
(National Comics, 1960). Written by Robert Bernstein and drawn by Wayne Boring.

Page 23
“In his very first story . . .”
Action # 1
(National Comics, June 1938), reprinted in
Superman # 1
(National Comics, June 1939), reprinted in
Superman Archives Volume 1
(DC Comics, 1989). Written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Shuster.

Page 23
“In the 1940s and 1950s” FN “How a radio-active element”
Superman: The Complete History,
Les Daniels (Chronicle Books, 1998).

Page 25
“Whether we wish to describe the trajectory . . .”
The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy,
Sir Isaac Newton, translated by I. Bernard Cohen and Anne Whitman (University of California Press, 1999); Newton’s Principia for the Common Reader, S. Chandrasekhar (Oxford University Press, 1995).

Page 32
Action # 23
(National Comics, 1940), reprinted in
Superman: The Action Comics Archives Volume 2
(DC Comics, 1998). Written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Shuster and the Superman Studio.

Page 34
“As if describing the laws of motion . . .”
The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy,
Sir Isaac Newton, translated by I. Bernard Cohen and Anne Whitman (University of California Press, 1999);
Newton’s Principia for the Common Reader,
S. Chandrasekhar (Oxford University Press, 1995).

Page 35
“This is the true meaning . . .”
The Life of Isaac Newton,
Richard Westfall (Cambridge University Press, 1994); Newton’s Gift, David Berlinski (Touchstone, 2000); Isaac Newton, James Gleick (Pantheon Books, 2003).

Page 37
“cubical planets such as the home world of Bizarro”
Superman: Tales of the Bizarro World
trade paperback (DC Comics, 2000).

Page 39
“While planets in our own solar system” Astronomy.
The Solar System and Beyond
(2nd edition), Michael A. Seeds (Brooks/Cole, 2001).

Page 40
“To be precise, 73 percent of the” Just Six Numbers.
The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe,
Martin Rees (Basic Books, 2000).

Page 41
“The fusion process speeds up as the star generates . . .” The time necessary for iron and nickel synthesis can vary from several weeks to less than a day, depending on the star’s mass. See “The Evolution and Explosion of Massive Stars,” S. E. Woolsey and A. Heger, Rev.
Modern Physics
vol. 74, p. 1015 (Oct. 2002).

Page 42
“Only five years earlier . . .” W. Baade and F. Zwicky,
Physical Review
vol. 45, p. 138 (1934).

Page 46
“This all changed with a golf game”
Man of Two Worlds, My Life in Science Fiction and Comics,
Julius Schwartz with Brian M. Thomsen (HarperEntertainment, 2000).

Page 46
“Instead he and Jack Kirby created a new superhero team from whole cloth.”
Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book,
Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon (Chicago Review Press, 2003);
Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and the American Comic Book Revolution
by Ronin Ro (Bloomsbury, 2004).

Page 46
Footnote. “Those who were involved in publishing DC and Marvel comics . . .”
Alter Ego # 26
, pg. 21 (TwoMorrows Publishing, July 2003).

Page 46
Fantastic Four # 1
(Marvel Comics, 1961), reprinted in
Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Volume 1
(Marvel Comics, 2003). Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Page 48
Amazing Fantasy # 15
(Marvel Comics, 1962), reprinted in
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Volume 1
(Marvel Comics, 2003). Written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko.

Page 48
Amazing Spider-Man # 44-46
(Marvel Comics, 1964), reprinted in
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Volume 5
(Marvel, 2004). Written by Stan Lee and drawn by Steve Ditko.

Page 48
Amazing Spider-Man # 121
(Marvel Comics, June 1973), reprinted in
Spider-Man: The Death of Gwen Stacy
trade paperback (Marvel Comics, 1999). Written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Gil Kane.

Page 48
Amazing Spider-Man # 39
(Marvel Comics, Aug. 1964), reprinted in
Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Volume 4
(Marvel Comics, 2004). Written by Stan Lee and drawn by John Romita.

Page 51
“This question was listed . . .” Wizard:
The Comics Magazine # 100
(Gareb Shamus Enterprises, Jan. 2000).

Page 51
The towers of the George Washington Bridge are actually 604 feet above the water. See
The Bridges of New York
, Sharon Reier (Dover, 2000).

Page 53
“Col. John Stapp rode an experimental”
Wings & Airpower
magazine, Nick T. Spark (Republic Press, July 2003).

Page 54
Spider-Man Unlimited # 2
(Marvel Comics, May 2004). Written by Adam Higgs and drawn by Rick Mays.

Page 55
Wizard: The Comics Magazine # 104
(Gareb Shamus Enterprises, Apr. 2001).

Page 56
Peter Parker: Spider-Man # 45
(Marvel Comics, Aug. 2002). Written by Paul Jenkins and drawn by Humberto Ramos.

Page 57
“It was a dark and stormy night . . .”
Showcase # 4
(National Comics, Oct. 1956), reprinted in
Flash Archives Volume 1
(DC Comics, 1996). Written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Carmine Infantino.

Page 57
Footnote.
Flash Comics # 110
(National Comics, Dec.-Jan. 1960), reprinted in
Flash Archives vol. 2
(DC Comics, 2000). Written by John Broome and drawn by Carmine Infantino.