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Why Should I Take AP Physics? 51 Views
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Description:
Do atomic physics, biophysics, quantum physics, and thermodynamics ring a bell? Are you interested in learning more about matter and its motion? Are you taking the AP exam in May and kind of freaking out? If you answered yes to any of these questions, Shmoop's guide to AP Physics is for you! If you answered no...well, may the force be with you.
Transcript
- 00:03
Do you spend every Friday night lying in bed… [Boy in bed sleeping]
- 00:06
thinking about the beginning of the universe…
- 00:08
wondering how Earth spins, and how rainbows…rainbow?
- 00:13
Good. Neither do we. [Man shrugging shoulders]
- 00:15
In case you did open that Pandora’s box of curiosity, however, don’t worry.
Full Transcript
- 00:19
The world is still safe. Shmoop is prepared. [Man wearing Captain America costume standing on building]
- 00:22
We know what you’re thinking. How can hope quell my bubbling desire for the truth?
- 00:26
Well…hope can’t. [Marching band playing drums]
- 00:28
Drum roll, please.
- 00:29
Physics can.
- 00:31
Physics comes in many flavors. [Flavors of icecream]
- 00:33
There’s Atomic Physics, Biophysics, Quantum Physics, Thermodynamics, and… “fizz”-icks…
- 00:41
Physics studies the interaction between matter and energy. [Energy bumps into matter]
- 00:45
It deals with the fundamentals that make our universe.
- 00:48
Just as DNA is essential to our understanding of all life, the particles in physics are
- 00:53
vital to our knowledge of the universe.
- 00:56
The study of physics covers water cooler topics like Newtonian Physics... [Tank of water explodes]
- 01:00
…the study of force and motion…
- 01:02
…electricity…
- 01:03
…magnetism…
- 01:04
…optics…
- 01:05
…and fluid mechanics.
- 01:07
Without all these elements at work, we’d be, well…screwed. [Man floating dead in space]
- 01:11
But there’s still so much more we don’t know.
- 01:13
The normal matter we’ve studied only makes up about 4 percent of the entire universe.
- 01:18
What is normal matter?
- 01:19
It’s…stuff. Like…the Earth…stars… and a congressman's brain. [Congressman's giving a speech and an image of his brain over his head]
- 01:26
Well…what about the other 96 percent?
- 01:28
All we know is that it consists of dark matter…and dark energy.
- 01:32
What exactly is that? Eh…don’t really know. That’s why you’re here. [Scientist in a laboratory]
- 01:36
Some scientists think dark matter is made of machos.
- 01:40
No…we said “machos,” with an “M.” [A plate of nacho's and macho man appears]
- 01:43
In case you don’t watch Big Bang Theory reruns…
- 01:45
…“macho” is Massive…Compact… Halo…Objects.
- 01:50
And then there’s wimps.
- 01:51
That is…Weekly…Interacting… Massive…Particles.
- 01:55
History will look back and site that the names are probably as great as the discovery itself. [Man reading history book in library]
- 02:00
But nobody really knows for sure what these dark matters are. It’s still a big mystery.
- 02:05
But they matter. Really.
- 02:07
Arguably the coolest thing about being a physicist is that it allows you to make really funny [Scientist with a bunch of beakers]
- 02:11
acronyms for mysterious matter.
- 02:13
Or how about funny names for new galaxies and stars… [Man stood by a galaxy]
- 02:17
…such as “El Gordo” or “Betelgeuse.”
- 02:20
And that’s just the beginning.
- 02:22
With physics in your arsenal, you can… build a catapult. [Boy and girl building a catapult]
- 02:25
Five points if you can fling your brother over the fence. [Brother flys through the air]
- 02:31
Or use Newton’s cradle…along with beaded shawls…and nauseatingly sweet candles to
- 02:36
hypnotize your friends. [Girl hypnotizing friend with candles]
- 02:37
They are getting veeeery sleeeeeepy…
- 02:42
With physics, you can learn to levitate…with a cutting-edge vacuum-powered chairlift. [Man levitating while sitting in a chair]
- 02:47
Wingardium leviosa!
- 02:50
Find the missing Higgs-Boson God particle that physicists have been trying to find for decades… [Man finds particle on the floor]
- 02:55
Oh, wait. Never mind. Just missed that opportunity to change the world.
- 02:59
And finally…make things explode. [Explosion]
- 03:01
See? Look what happens when you shake Coke cans for just too long and add that pinch of salt…
- 03:06
Love physics, but not sure if you can make it work in your life?
- 03:10
Shmoop is here to the rescue.
- 03:11
Take us home with you. We won’t let you forget that force times distance always makes it work. [Man holding up a physics formula on a piece of paper]
- 03:16
And, as always, we’ll be here for you.
- 03:18
That’s why they call us… Shmooperman. [A distressed man and Shmooperman appears]
- 03:21
So be bold…and sign up for AP Physics.
- 03:23
With our help, you’ll be accelerating through it faster than the speed of light.
- 03:27
Whooooshhhhh! [Shmooperman flys through the air]
- 03:29
Shmooperman!
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