Prof Jo Hermans is Emeritus Professor of Physics at Leiden University in the Netherlands. In addition to his academic research and teaching, he is active in promoting science to the general public. His books have been translated worldwide. He is a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Everyday Physics is written in a very accessible style with fantastic use of pictures. It provides satisfyingly clear explanations and it covers a lot of ground. A lovely book to have.

• Part A - Outdoor LifeHow does GPS navigation work? (With a nod to Albert Einstein)Why are some mountain winds so warm?What is wind chill?Why is ice so slippery?Waves at the beachHow fast do raindrops fall?Why don’t fog drops fall?Skydiving: how fast can you fall?How high will the sun rise today?How hot does the sun feel?Parallel light beams from the sunSummer and winter, why such a big difference?Why do you walk the way you do?Part B - Bicycle and CarThe human engineThe human energy equivalent of a vacuum cleanerHow do you keep your temperature constant?How efficient is cycling?What forces affect a cyclist?Can you cycle at 100 km/ h?How fast can you cycle on the moon?Is cycling really harder with a side wind?Minimizing your journey timeThe cyclist’s soggy backCan you get less wet by cycling faster?Rolling resistance, air resistance and fuel consumptionHow many cars per hour can a road take?Part C - Light and ColourCosy candlelightWhy are incandescent bulbs so inefficient?Luminous ideas: fluorescent lights and LEDsWhy is the sky blue and the setting sun is red?Two kinds of smoke from the same cigarette?Swimming pools are deeper than they lookSunlight filtering through the leaves of treesHow sharply can you see?Your eye is more sensitive than a cameraPuddles on a dry roadSeeing the sun after sunsetTransparent windowpanes and opaque lace curtainsSeeing clearly underwaterWhat makes rainbows?Why are soap bubbles so colourful?Why are CDs so colourful?How does a hologram work?Why does the sea look so blue?What’s special about Polaroid glasses?Part D - Sound and HearingWhat do your ears hear?Why isn’t there more noise pollution?The energy-cost of talkingHow can you tell where a sound is coming from?Discriminating between different voices: the cocktail party effectDo you hear better at night?Can the wind blow sound to you?Do noise barriers work?Can you hear whether the curtains are closed?Doh-re-mi: the physics of musical scalesWhy orchestras go out of tunePart E - In and Around the HouseWhy do eggs explode in the microwave?Can you cool your home with your fridge?Curve balls, backspin and top spinHow much power can you get from solar energy?The mystery of the wandering carpetsCommon misconceptions about the radiometerIs thick glass a better insulator than thin glass?Is there a vacuum inside double glazing windows?Can you feel energy consumption?Is a black central heating radiator better than a white one?Does black paint get hotter than white?Does Baby really need a hot water bottle?The lid on the saucepanWhy does the air get so dry in winter?Why don’t you die of heat in the sauna?The wine-mixing problemThe wandering tea leaves

Prof Jo Hermans is Emeritus Professor of Physics at Leiden University in the Netherlands. In addition to his academic research and teaching, he is active in promoting science to the general public. His books have been translated worldwide. He is a Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Everyday Physics is written in a very accessible style with fantastic use of pictures. It provides satisfyingly clear explanations and it covers a lot of ground. A lovely book to have.

• Part A - Outdoor LifeHow does GPS navigation work? (With a nod to Albert Einstein)Why are some mountain winds so warm?What is wind chill?Why is ice so slippery?Waves at the beachHow fast do raindrops fall?Why don’t fog drops fall?Skydiving: how fast can you fall?How high will the sun rise today?How hot does the sun feel?Parallel light beams from the sunSummer and winter, why such a big difference?Why do you walk the way you do?Part B - Bicycle and CarThe human engineThe human energy equivalent of a vacuum cleanerHow do you keep your temperature constant?How efficient is cycling?What forces affect a cyclist?Can you cycle at 100 km/ h?How fast can you cycle on the moon?Is cycling really harder with a side wind?Minimizing your journey timeThe cyclist’s soggy backCan you get less wet by cycling faster?Rolling resistance, air resistance and fuel consumptionHow many cars per hour can a road take?Part C - Light and ColourCosy candlelightWhy are incandescent bulbs so inefficient?Luminous ideas: fluorescent lights and LEDsWhy is the sky blue and the setting sun is red?Two kinds of smoke from the same cigarette?Swimming pools are deeper than they lookSunlight filtering through the leaves of treesHow sharply can you see?Your eye is more sensitive than a cameraPuddles on a dry roadSeeing the sun after sunsetTransparent windowpanes and opaque lace curtainsSeeing clearly underwaterWhat makes rainbows?Why are soap bubbles so colourful?Why are CDs so colourful?How does a hologram work?Why does the sea look so blue?What’s special about Polaroid glasses?Part D - Sound and HearingWhat do your ears hear?Why isn’t there more noise pollution?The energy-cost of talkingHow can you tell where a sound is coming from?Discriminating between different voices: the cocktail party effectDo you hear better at night?Can the wind blow sound to you?Do noise barriers work?Can you hear whether the curtains are closed?Doh-re-mi: the physics of musical scalesWhy orchestras go out of tunePart E - In and Around the HouseWhy do eggs explode in the microwave?Can you cool your home with your fridge?Curve balls, backspin and top spinHow much power can you get from solar energy?The mystery of the wandering carpetsCommon misconceptions about the radiometerIs thick glass a better insulator than thin glass?Is there a vacuum inside double glazing windows?Can you feel energy consumption?Is a black central heating radiator better than a white one?Does black paint get hotter than white?Does Baby really need a hot water bottle?The lid on the saucepanWhy does the air get so dry in winter?Why don’t you die of heat in the sauna?The wine-mixing problemThe wandering tea leaves