the physics of art and the art of physics
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/2/2019 The Physics of Art and the Art of Physics
1/1
ThePhysicsofArtandtheArtofPhysics
Introduction
IthasoftenbeensaidthatPhysicsisthefusionofscience,math,andart.Insomanycases,themere
productionof,anddisplayofaworkofart,nomatterthemediumused,ishighly-dependentupon
science,andinparticular,physics.
Afteracertainhighleveloftechnicalskillisachieved,scienceandarttendtocoalesceinesthetics,plasticity,andform.The
greatestscientistsarealwaysartistsaswell.-AlbertEinstein
Inthisproject,youwillbeaskedtoanalyzethelinkbetweenartandphysics.
Youmayselectanymedia(sculpture,paint,photography,print,music,architecture,pottery,
performance,etc.).Youmustthenanalyze,indetail,someaspectofthephysicsbehindeitherthe
production,display,orsubjectmatterofthechosenwork.Theworkmaybeofyourowncreation,or
thecreationofanotherartist,famousorbeginner-butyoumusthaveaccesstoeithertheworkofartitself,orhigh-qualityimagesorrecordingsofthechosenworkanditmustbeschool-appropriate.
Youranalysisoftheconstructionofthework,orthedisplayofthework,MUSTincludeadetailed
analysisofsomeaspectofphysicsinvolvedinthework.Itishighlyrecommendedthatthefacetof
physicsthatyouchoosetoanalyzeisnarrowerinscope,notbroad.
Example:Whenanice-skaterskates,therearemanythingsthatcanbeanalyzed:1)thereisphysics
explainingthereasontheskaterglideseffortlesslyontheice,and2)thereisphysicsbehindtheskaters
abilitytospinfasterashis/herarmsareretractedinwardswhilespinning.Choosingoneofthesetopics
toanalyzeindetailwilllikelyyieldabettergradethanabroadviewofbothsubjectsduetodepthof
research.
Inadditiontodepth,theanalysisitselfshouldexhibitsomecreativity-forexample,anevaluationofthe
skatersabilitytoskateonicecouldbeenhancedbyadiscussionofhowthecross-sectionoftheice
skatebladecanaffectabilitytoskate(i.e.howhollow-groundvs.semi-hollowgroundbladesaffect
skating).
Yourartselectionandanalysismustbeschoolappropriateoritwillnotbegraded.
Product
UltimatelyyourcompleteprojectmustbeuploadedontoourclassWikiandyouwillbeaskedtoview
multipleentries(otherstudentsprojects)andcommenton/contributetotheirwork.Itissuggested
thatyourprojectincludesketchesanddiagramsinthetextorvideoanalysisofyoursubject.Youmust
alsoincludeapropercitationofallreferencesused.
GradingGuidelines(Seeattachedrubric.)