REVIEW: 'How everything is arranged. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of devices and mechanisms, "David Macaulay

If you think you know everything about the mechanisms, you are wrong. And no matter how well you may study physics, in any case, there are areas with which you are unfamiliar. Illustrated book "How things work" - this is not a simple children's book, a fascinating encyclopedia in which people of all ages will open something new for myself. I present a book review.

So, if you are an adult, educated person, you may find that none of the existing mechanisms will not surprise you. we often do not even suspect how little we know about the world in which we live and the devices that we use every day.

You know exactly how the transmission in your car? And how the escalator, where every day you go down in the subway? Are you sure you know how to work a video camera, an air purifier, the headphones from your player?

Of course, if you are interested in something, you can easily zaguglit and learn just about the device, but the question is: "How exactly will be filed information, and how easy is it to you to understand?"

The illustrated encyclopedia of all the mechanisms versed with the basics and gradually all the more complicated. In this case, you will not find examples and dry formulas - all of the information supplied in an understandable and easy manner, and funny stories about mammoth add ease to your lessons.

And yet, for whom this book?

For all, except, perhaps, professional physicists, engineers, and just technically competent and savvy people. They probably will not be interesting.

But for future engineers and physicists, it will just be a wonderful gift. Children 10-12 years (and perhaps earlier), this book will open the fascinating world of devices and mechanisms, and if the lessons at school may seem tedious, this book will help to awaken an interest in science.

But then again, not to say that the book was just for kids, and they certainly need additional explanations from you. In any case, together will be fun to disassemble, how that works, especially if you are not completely sure.

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Encyclopedia divided into 5 parts:

1. Mechanics. It tells about the different mechanisms with the basics. Starting from the inclined planes of different types of levers and gears and ending with such complex mechanisms and devices such as automobile clutch, electric starter, Combine Harvester and drilling.
2. Harnessing the elements. Here, everything is about the different elements and the laws of physics, as well as devices that are based on their action. Submarines, sailboats, water meters, installation to move in space, devices operating with the use of heat, temperature changes, and more.
3. Working with the waves. In this section you can learn about light, sound, and devices based on the transmission of waves. Musical instruments, amplifiers, record players, photo and video cameras, telecommunications, satellite communications, etc.
4. Electricity and automation. Starting with the basics - what electricity is, how it happens and how occurs, the author proceeds to the principle of operation devices such as an electric motor drive, an electric generator, an ignition system, automatic transmission and etc.
5. Digital world. In this section, you will learn the basics of digital technology and computer device, without which modern life. As light and sound are converted into bits as arranged all so familiar devices, like a computer mouse, keyboard, scanner, digital camera down, what processor, how the modem and other knowledge. I bet not many Internet users generally know how it all works.
6. Eureka! This is the last section of the book where you can read about the history of the creation of devices and mechanisms.

How things work in the encyclopedia

Throughout the book working principle "from simple to complex." For example, to understand how a lever works? Here is a device that is based on this principle: scissors, pliers, wheelbarrows, platform scales, piano, typewriter, etc.

We understand how hydraulic machines work? Here you have to study the hydraulic brake and power steering. Almost all the examples you can find in our daily lives, making them more interesting to study.

Been developing

Thus, the encyclopedia, recognized as the best training program back in 1999 (or rather, its electronic version, but actually it does not change), in my opinion, is really just wonderful.

She is fascinating, relatively simple and easy to understand (though not everywhere, where something has to to think and understand), and fun - an explanation of the author accompany stories about manipulation mammoths.

If you really know everything, I would advise to buy her children, because if you are asked, "What arranged phone? "or" How does a jet engine? "explain more clearly and better you can hardly can.

Well, if you - a real humanist, whose childhood was sick of all the exact sciences, the encyclopedia will come in handy for you personally.

And finally, if you have a question, "Why do I need to know the structure of the clutch based on what computer work and how a nuclear reactor works?", It has two answers:

1. Because while you're learning something new, you stay young and do not lose the taste for life.
2. Because unusual mental activity twice as useful for brain development than usual.

"How things work. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of devices and mechanisms, "David Macaulay

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