My Outside the Research Lab book series, which began in 2017, is part of IOP Concise Physics published by IOP Publishing in conjunction with Morgan & Claypool Publishers.
Outside the Research Lab Volume 3: physics in sport
Outside the Research Lab Volume 3: Physics in Sport was published in July 2019. To purchase this book in hardcover, paperback or as an e-book please click here. Institutional access and a free-to-read sample chapter are available here.
Morgan and Claypool’s Description:
The Outside the Research Lab series is a testament to the fact that the physics taught to high school and university students IS used in the real world. This book explores the physics and technology inherent to a selection of sports that have caught the author’s attention and fascination over the years. Outside the Research Lab, Volume 3 is a path to discovering how less commonly watched sports use physics to optimise performance, diagnose injuries, and increase access to more competitors. It covers Olympic and Paralympic fencing, show jumping horses, and arguably the most brutal of motorsports – drag racing. Stunning images throughout the book and clear, understandable writing are supplemented by offset detail boxes which take the physics concepts to higher levels.
Outside the Research Lab, Volume 3 is both for the general interest reader and students in STEM. Lecturers in university physics, materials science, engineering and other sciences will find this an excellent basis for teaching undergraduate students the range of applications for the physics they are learning. There is a vast range of different areas that require expertise in physics…this third volume of Outside the Research Lab shows a few with great detail provided by professionals doing the work.
Outside the Research Lab Volume 2: physics in vintage and modern transport
Outside the Research Lab Volume 2: Physics in Vintage and Modern Transport was published in September 2018. To purchase this book in hardcover, paperback or as an e-book please click here. Institutional access is available here. Each of these pages features a free-to-read sample chapter.
Learn more about the book in this video.
See more of the locomotives, car and buses featured:
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (Tornado)
6024 Preservation Society Ltd
Cedar Rapids observation car
Elemental Cars
Drewitts Carriages
Pacific Bus Museum
Reviews:
Featured, along with Outside the Research Lab Volume 1, in Technology books for your Christmas wish list.
Dominic Lenton, E&T magazine, December 7 2018
“A fascinating collection of pieces on different aspects of transport technology and their underlying physics. The section on the physics of sports cars is perhaps the most predictable contribution – think the sort of things that would interest James May on Top Gear/Grand Tour, from composite structures to use of wings for downforce. But more surprising was the take on a personal favourite, vintage railway engines.
I had expected to be taken through the classic physics of steam engines – thermodynamics. Instead we get a very engaging chapter on the electrics and electronics used in preserved steam and diesel locomotives. There was a surprising amount of electrical technology in use back in the day, but modern revived engines have also had electronics added to monitor and control these remarkable pieces of transport history. So, you’ll find out about straightforward physics of transformers and generators, but also some unexpected additions to meet modern safety requirements.
I even found the vintages buses section provide some excellent educational material. Sharon Ann Holgate pitches this just right for a secondary school or first year university audience – there are plenty of facts, but there’s not too much dependence on maths and enough in the way of case study material to anchor the content in reality.”
Brian Clegg, ‘Top 500 Reviewer’ on Amazon, 24 January 2019
Morgan and Claypool’s Description:
The Outside the Research Lab series is a testament to the fact that the physics taught to high school and university students IS used in the real world. This book explores the physics and technology inherent to preserving and restoring old forms of transport, as well as creating modern transport for today and for our future needs. Outside the Research Lab, Volume 2 is a path to discovering how transport professionals and enthusiasts use physics to help them in their work. It covers several different aspects of transport, ranging from the restoration of vintage buses to the materials used in the latest supercars. Stunning images throughout the book and clear, understandable writing are supplemented by offset detail boxes which take the physics concepts to higher levels.
Outside the Research Lab, Volume 2 is both for the general interest reader and students in STEM. Lecturers in university physics, materials science, engineering and other sciences will find this an excellent basis for teaching undergraduate students the range of applications for the physics they are learning. There is a vast range of different areas that require expertise in physics…this second volume of Outside the Research Lab shows a few with great detail provided by professionals doing the work.
Outside the Research Lab Volume 1: physics in the arts, architecture, and design
Outside the Research Lab Volume 1: Physics in the Arts, Architecture, and Design, was published in Spring 2017. To purchase the book in either paperback or as an e-book please click here. Institutional access is available here. Each of these pages features a free-to-read sample chapter.
Learn more about the book in this video.
See more from the featured artists and designers:
Juanjo Novella
Philip Jackson
Jonathan Hateley
Simon Hitchens
Graham McLusky
Larry Crockett
Chau Har Lee
Amy Winters
Helen Paine
Neil Spiller
Reviews:
“Outside The Research Lab is a delightfully written monograph on applications of physics in daily life….In this book, Sharon flexes her considerable technical muscles in describing how physics and knowledge of physics is used outside academia and in the creative world of arts and fashion. The book covers an eclectic mix of topics in 6 chapters that can be read independently of each other. The opening topic is on how physics is used to create and install sculptures. This is hardly a typical case one would expect on books of this type but it quickly becomes clear to the reader that the book has no intention of retracing old chestnuts like ‘physics of golf’ or ‘physics of football’ that frankly have now been overplayed. The chapter on use of physics in developing clothes and shoes presents some of the seldom heard of and innovative ways of applying physics in garment design exemplified by seam-free clothes or clothes infused with polymers and thermoplastics. …An attractive feature of the book is that each chapter is developed in consultation with experts working in the various fields cited. For example, the role of physics to properly record sound whether in the studio or outside the studio is explained by… sound engineers and producers with considerable experience with speech-based radio or recording sound for TV. In the neighbouring chapter on the physics of music… we hear first-hand how a violin produces its sound from a physics professor who is also a violinist, the intricacies of drumming are explained by a professional drummer, and the workings of a guitar are picked up by a mechanical engineer. Sharon returns to the theme of materials science in her last chapter where she looks at use of physics in innovative architecture. The book is written in a clear, lucid and engaging style. Mindful that there are readers who might want to see explanations from first principles, the book has dedicated boxes where the basic physics is presented and discussed….In this book, Sharon… has managed to dispel the fearsome aura with which many associate physics.”
Prof. Makaiko L Chithambo – Rhodes University
“An excellent resource for schools or anyone wanting to research how physics a part in the construction of sculptures, stage lighting, sound recording, hi-tech fashion and sustainable architecture.
I found the section on sustainable buildings particularly interesting, exploring as it does the challenges of minimising the energy consumption of a building and why domestic solar is not yet a total solution.
What’s remarkable is the extent to which physics turns up in these unexpected application areas. We all expect it in electronics or engineering – but the importance of understanding light and colour to the stage, or of the physical behaviour of materials in sculpture design had never occurred to me.
Sharon Ann Holgate provides technical insights without requiring too much in the way of maths or science qualification. Ideal for secondary school students or university first years who want to find out more about the under-stressed application side of what can often seem a very theoretical discipline.”
Brian Clegg, ‘Top 500 Reviewer’ on Amazon, 24 January 2019
Morgan and Claypool’s Description:
This book is a testament to the fact that the physics taught to high school and university students IS used in the real world. It is a fascinating insight into the use of physics and technology in the arts, architecture, and design. Outside the Research Lab is a path to discovering how professionals from different sectors – including sculpture, music, TV sound recording, and shoe design – use physics to help them in their work. Stunning images throughout the book and clear, understandable writing are supplemented by offset detail boxes which take the physics concepts to higher levels.
Outside the Research Lab is both for the general interest reader and students in STEM and arts. Lecturers in university physics, materials science, engineering and other sciences will find this an excellent basis for teaching undergraduate students the range of applications for the physics they are learning. It is also an excellent choice for the one compulsory science class in art curricula. There is a vast range of different areas that require expertise in physics…this first volume of Outside the Research Lab shows a few with great detail provided by professionals doing the work.