What work of art, music, science, mathematics, or literature has surprised, unsettled, or challenged you, and in what way?
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I might have marveled at how magnet attracts iron, I might have wondered at the scene of rainbow, however, the moment I was truly surprised by the magic of physics was when my teacher showed us that experiment to explain the circular motion.
She showed us a cup with a string attached to it. She poured some water in the cup, and then holding the end of the string, she started to swing it, and finally made the cup do a vertical circular motion. The water in the cup did not come out! I was amazed and pondered why. However, when she slowed down, the water spilled even before it got to the highest point. So the speed matters! Only with enough speed can the cup keep rotating, thus can the water be kept from splitting. The teacher started to explain: "When the speed is fast enough, the centripetal force caused by the speed equals or is larger than the gravity of the water. Thus the centripetal acceleration equals or is larger than the gravitational acceleration and that causes the weightlessness of the water. So the water doesn't drop. On the contrary..."
When the teacher finished the class, I was still in a state of astonishment. Just enough speed can keep water from gravitating to the ground. I realized that physics was no longer a subject of tests, but a magician who can create a miracle. The invention of the light bulb, telephone, movie and so on. As long as the requirements are satisfied, marvels can be created. It was exciting that the same principle also applies to life. Just enough effort to climb up a hill, just enough effort to achieve something, just enough something to make a change. That change might be small, might be huge, but that is something. From that day on, I have become more enthusiastic about physics and life. I learn, I explore, and deep down my heart, I know that, as long as I try, I can make a change, and someday, I can create a miracle.
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I am an international student so just feel free to criticize my grammar, usage of words. And I am not sure whether this topic is good or not. Just help me out!
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I might have marveled at how magnet attracts iron, I might have wondered at the scene of rainbow, however, the moment I was truly surprised by the magic of physics was when my teacher showed us that experiment to explain the circular motion.
She showed us a cup with a string attached to it. She poured some water in the cup, and then holding the end of the string, she started to swing it, and finally made the cup do a vertical circular motion. The water in the cup did not come out! I was amazed and pondered why. However, when she slowed down, the water spilled even before it got to the highest point. So the speed matters! Only with enough speed can the cup keep rotating, thus can the water be kept from splitting. The teacher started to explain: "When the speed is fast enough, the centripetal force caused by the speed equals or is larger than the gravity of the water. Thus the centripetal acceleration equals or is larger than the gravitational acceleration and that causes the weightlessness of the water. So the water doesn't drop. On the contrary..."
When the teacher finished the class, I was still in a state of astonishment. Just enough speed can keep water from gravitating to the ground. I realized that physics was no longer a subject of tests, but a magician who can create a miracle. The invention of the light bulb, telephone, movie and so on. As long as the requirements are satisfied, marvels can be created. It was exciting that the same principle also applies to life. Just enough effort to climb up a hill, just enough effort to achieve something, just enough something to make a change. That change might be small, might be huge, but that is something. From that day on, I have become more enthusiastic about physics and life. I learn, I explore, and deep down my heart, I know that, as long as I try, I can make a change, and someday, I can create a miracle.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
I am an international student so just feel free to criticize my grammar, usage of words. And I am not sure whether this topic is good or not. Just help me out!