Chapter 5. Mechanics

Tinkering with a Basketball Hoop, and a Carnival Ball Game

A tinkerer’s ball game in action
Figure 5-1. A tinkerer’s ball game in action

Mechanics is the area of physics involving force, motion, and energy; in other words, just the sorts of things auto mechanics think about when they try to fix your car. Many of the things you do that are a lot of fun involve serious mechanics: roller coasters, martial arts, fast cars, sports, trampolines, pillow fights, etc. Tinkering with mechanics may be tinkering in its most elemental form. Fooling around with some cool gadget, trying to understand it, trying to control it, and make it work better: these are the flesh and ...

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