Things You Thought You Knew – Force, Heat, & Speed

About This Episode

Do you feel the need… the need for speed?! Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice break down things you thought you knew about force vs. pressure, heat vs. temperature, and speed vs. acceleration.

Neil explains how, although in colloquial terms there are many different meanings, force and pressure have precise definitions and equations in physics.  What is force? You’ll learn how force is created and why it’s all about balance vs. imbalance. What is pressure? Neil tells us why pressure needs force. We discuss how pressure makes things like snowshoes able to work. Lastly, you’ll learn how pressure works when it comes to tornadoes, explosives, and the destruction they can cause.

We take a closer look at how atoms determine the temperature of an object. How does an atom’s vibration impact temperature? What about its mass? Can a single atom have both a temperature and a heat? Find out why this distinction is important when Neil dives into how temperature and heat interact with our environment. Which has more heat, your morning cup of coffee or the ocean? You’ll also learn how climate change works with heat and temperature. What is the energy budget of a climate system? Is it how much you spend on air conditioning? How do air conditioners even work anyway? Discover where energy lurks all around us with your personal astrophysicist!

What’s the difference between speed and acceleration? Find out about vectors, velocity, and the motion of the Earth. Have you ever timed how long it takes for a car to go from zero to 60? You’ll learn about “jerk” as a change of acceleration and what it does to the human body. What does it mean to “feel” speed and the road? We talk cars, planes, and why you can drink a glass of water in a turning airplane without spilling. All that, on another StarTalk explainer!

Thanks to our Patrons Maria Almeida, Mitchel M, Christopher Nelson, Bob Swanson, Addison DeJesus-Lessing, Bradley D, Matt Chase, Patches, Jarrett Elliot, Allie, Anthony Lucic, Maka Kiapolo, Mark Fowler, Andrew Nolen, Brian Isaman, Haplo Zyorhist, Saija Minkkinen, John Doane, jay cook, Brian Flanagan, Boomer Murrhee, Yair, Santiago Hoyos, Mimi, Yusuf Seifullah, JOhn, Chad C McNeil, Casey, Beth, Russ Belville, j c, JULIE PATTERSON, Ted Souza, Harry, Brian Treanor, Mark Dailey, Jamaal Huff, Philippe Losier, Brittany Payeur, Josh Nathan, Lazarus, Henok Ekubamichael, Saad Javed, vivek nayer, Shawndel Pleasant, Lee Karlin, Chayton L, Shobhit Sharma, Hakeem Sykes, SpesAstris, Blazed and Amused, Erin Wilson, Jordan, mia, Frank D. Fagnano, James, Alexander Sisto Monzón, Austin, Jeffrey Miller, jross64300, Trenton Thompson, LeoAntonio Fulcher, Andrew Fara, Jakethepeg, FastBoy_69², Midnight Burger Communist Party, Jason Ashton, phil, Dovono Wright, Alejandro Guevara, Jose Perez, Christopher Wynn, Colette, David Janes, Marc, Ken Cashon, Anthony Benites, Dan Ruden, Shaun, tyler downing, Dpfloater, Yordanka Petrova, Gipsy D, A, joe tompkins, Rupesh, Miroslav Kuhajda, alton, Helen F, amber Johnson, Aleksander Moczek, peyton bishop, Hrpaderp64, and Clinton Gilbert for supporting us this week.

NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free.