The Way Things Work facts for kids
Book cover for The Way Things Work
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| Author | David Macaulay Neil Ardley |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Educational |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
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Publication date
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1988 |
| Pages | 400 |
| ISBN | 0-395-42857-2 |
| OCLC | 17917341 |
| 600 19 | |
| LC Class | T47 .M18 1988 |
The Way Things Work is a super cool book from 1988 by David Macaulay. Neil Ardley wrote the technical parts. It's a fun way to learn how everyday machines do their job.
The book explains simple machines like levers and gears. It also covers more complex ones, such as radio telescopes and automatic car transmissions. Each page has big, clear pictures that show how a machine works.
These pictures are not just helpful, they're also funny! They often show woolly mammoths using or being part of the machines. The book even tells silly stories about how mammoths supposedly helped invent things.
This popular book later became a short TV show. There was also an interactive CD-ROM game and a board game. For a while, there was even a ride at the San Francisco Metreon based on the book, but it closed in 2001.
Contents
Newer Versions of the Book
The New Way Things Work
A newer version of the book, called The New Way Things Work, came out in 1998. This edition added new information about how computers and digital technology work.
However, some pages from the first book were removed. For example, it didn't include:
- Two pages about how a mechanical coin-operated parking meter works.
- Pages explaining the difference between a calculator and a computer.
- Details about binary math and logic gates.
- Explanations of half adders and full adders (parts of computer circuits).
- Information about pocket calculators.
The Way Things Work Now
In October 2016, an even more updated book was released. It's called The Way Things Work Now. This version has been greatly changed and improved.
What You'll Learn: Book Sections
The book is divided into different parts, each focusing on a type of machine or scientific idea.
Part One: How Things Move
This section explores the basics of movement and simple machines.
- Introduction
- Slanted Surfaces (like ramps)
- Levers (like seesaws)
- The Wheel and Axle (like on a car)
- Gears and Belts (how they connect and move things)
- Cams and Cranks (for turning motion into up-and-down motion)
- Pulleys (for lifting heavy things)
- Screws (for holding things together or lifting)
- Spinning Wheels
- Springs (for bouncing and storing energy)
- Friction (the force that slows things down)
Part Two: Using Nature's Power
This part looks at how we use natural forces.
- Introduction
- Floating (why things float)
- Flying (how planes stay in the air)
- Pressure Power (like in hydraulics)
- Using Heat (how heat makes things work)
- Nuclear Power (energy from atoms)
Part Three: Working with Waves
This section explains how waves are used in technology.
- Introduction
- Light and Images (how we see and create pictures)
- Photography (how cameras capture images)
- Printing (how books and newspapers are made)
- Sound and Music (how sound travels and is recorded)
- Talking from Far Away (like phones and radio)
Part Four: Electricity and Automation
Learn about electricity and machines that work by themselves.
- Introduction
- Electricity (the power that runs our devices)
- Magnetism (how magnets work)
- Sensors and Detectors (machines that sense things)
Part Five: The Digital World
This part dives into how computers and digital devices work.
- Making Binary digits (the 0s and 1s computers use)
- Storing Bits (how computers remember information)
- Processing Bits (how computers think)
- Sending Bits (how computers share information)
- Using Bits/Digital Systems (how all these parts work together)
- Epilogue
Other Helpful Sections
- Eureka! — This section tells stories about how different machines were invented.
- Technical Terms — A helpful list of important words and what they mean.
- Index — A guide to find specific topics in the book.
See also
In Spanish: Cómo funcionan las cosas para niños
