The Way Things Work Now

INDEX mud, drilling rig 87 phonemes 363 pulleys 54-61, 376 rotating wheels 70-7, 377 music 222-3, 384 photocopier 260-1, 386 pulse-code modulation 389 rotor blades: helicopter photodiode 200, 201, 272, 297, pumps 120-5, 379 brass instruments, 225, 384 114-17, 118 electric guitar 229 305, 325, 337 Q steam turbine 161 electric keyboards 228, 316 photography, 202-9, 383 wind turbine 35 percussion instruments 226-7 quadcopter 118 rudder: aeroplane 108-9 string instruments 226-7 colour 204, 206, 325, 383 quartz, piezoelectricity 264-5 helicopter 116 synthesizer 228, 316 digital 118, 203, 204-5, 318, quartz clock 265 ship 100, 101, 103, 104 woodwind instruments 224 319, 326, 332 film 202, 383, 389 R S N negative 202 SLR camera 204-5, 383 rack and pinion gears 37, 43 sails 378 nail clippers 23 piano 26-7, 375 radar 243, 300-1, 302, 388 windmill 34 nail extractor 22 piezoelectricity 264-5 radar speed trap 291 windsurfer 102 navigation 77, 354-5, 387 PIN number 316 radiation: heat 142, 144, 146 yacht 102, 103 Nero 382 pistons: automatic neutron bomb 170 transmission 306-7 nuclear 167, 168, 169, salad spinner 39 neutrons 168, 169, 170, 172, car engine 49, 51, 156 170, 171 sardine can 32 hydraulic machines 128, 129 radiator 152 Sasson, Steven 389 175 pixel 203, 206, 207, 208, 221, radio, digital 244 satellites 165, 248-9, 250, 271, Newsham, Richard 379 246, 247, 325, 361 radio receiver 244 Newton, Sir Isaac 382 planetary gears 39, 45 radio signals 245 354-5, 381, 385, 389 Niepce, Joseph 383 planets, space probes 252-3 radio telescope 250, 385 Sax, Adolphe 384 NOT gate 341 plasma, nuclear fusion 175 radio transmitter 242-3 scales, electronic 323 nuclear fission 168, 170, 381 platform scales 25 radio waves 236, 240, 242, scanner: body 303, 304 nuclear fusion 167, 170 pliers 22 243, 244, 250, 252, 385 nuclear magnetic resonance plimsoll line 99 body scanner 304 computer 326-7 Pliny 382 quadcopter (drone) 118 ultrasound 299 (NMR) 304 plough 16, 374 radar 300 scissors 14, 20, 22 nuclear power 166-75, 381 plutonium 168, 170, 252 satellites 248 screen, computer 221, 247, 361 nuclear reactor 172-3, 175, 381 pneumatic drill 127 radioactivity 173, 174 screwdriver 32 nuclear weapons 170-1 pneumatic machines 126-7, radioisotope thermal generator screwjack 64 numbers: alphanumeric 379 252 screws 43, 62-9, 376 polarized light 194, 195, 209, rafts 94-5, 378 search engine 351, 352, 353 display 361 246 ram, hydraulic 129 seat belt 75 binary 315, 388 Polo, Marco 378 ramps 10-11 seismic waves 292-3 calculator 388 Polybius 384 random-access memory (RAM) seismograph 292-3, 387 digital machines 315 post mill 34 331, 332 self-winding watch 264 nutcracker 20, 22 potter’s wheel 72 rarefaction, sound waves, 218, semiconductor 230, 231, 271, nuts and bolts 62, 64 power brakes 86, 127, 130 224, 226 272, 341 power drill 44, 66 ratchet 74 sensors and detectors 203, 257, O power station 33, 160, 172-3, reaction 100, 101, 106, 137, 290-309, 364, 365, 387 387 164 service provider, 350 Oersted, Hans 386 power steering 129 reactor, nuclear 172-3, 175 sewing machine 52-3, 376 offset lithography 211, 216 power supply 284-5 read-only memory (ROM) 333 shadoof 56, 376 oil, lubrication 88 precession 70, 76, 77 Reber, Grote 385 shaver, electric 14 oil pump 124, 307 precipitator 262 reciprocating pump 122-3 ships 94-5, 98-101, 103, 119, oil rig 87 pressure 120-41, 379 record player 72, 234-5, 384 378 operating system, digital pressure gauge 134 recordings: sound, 230-3, 322, shock absorber 80-1 pressurized water reactor 172 334, 335, 384 Shockley, William 389 machines 345 primary colours 184-5, 325 video, 206-7, 244-5, 322, 334 short wave, radio 243, 244, optical fibres 187, 237, 351 printer, ink-jet 360 reduction gears 38, 135 245 orbiter 252 printer, laser 361 Reeves, Alec 389 signal input, digital machines oscillator, telecommunications printing 210, 214-15, 282, reflecting telescope 190 322 360-1, 384 reflection, sounds 223 signal output, digital machines 236, 237, 242 printing plate 210, 212-13 refracting telescope 190 362 Otis, Elisha 376 printing press 214-15, 384 refraction 188 signals, telecommunications overshot waterwheel 32 prisms, binoculars 192 refrigerator 152-3, 380 236, 243, 244, 245 probes, space 252-3, 385 remote control unit 272-3 signatures, bookbinding 218, P processor, computer 200, 241, resistance 18, 70, 270, 341 219 244, 317, 319, 320, 323, 340, resonator, xylophone 227 silencer, petrol engine 157 papermaking 212-13, 384 345 Roberval enigma 24 silicon: microchip 342 parachute 83, 253, 377 image 203, 206, 207 robot 366-7, 389 solar cell 271 Parsons, Charles 380 program 257, 318, 331, 333, rocket 156, 164-5, 381 Singer, Isaac 376 Pascal, Blaise 379, 388 341, 345 rod thermostat 154 single-coil detector 302 password, digital machines 332 projector 208, 365 roller blind 74 single-lens reflex (SLR) camera pedal-powered planes 110 3D 209 Röntgen, Wilhelm 388 204-5 pendulum: clocks, 42 propellant 138, 147, 164, 165, rotary bit 87 single-rotor helicopter 116 292 rotary motion 31 siphon 132-3 seismograph, 292-3 propeller 96, 98, 100, 101, 104, rotary pump 123, 124-5 slave cylinder, hydraulic pens 141 108, 126, 378 rotary vane pump 124 machines 128, 129 percussion instruments 226-7 protons 166, 167, 168, 169 smartphone 240-1, 320, 321, periscope 184 334, 350, 363, 385 peristaltic pump 125 smoke detector 295 perpetual motion 89 petrol engine, 140-1, 156-7, 380 Pettit Smith, Francis 378 [399]

INDEX software 201, 214, 215, 240, swashplate, helicopter 114-15 turbofan 162 wedges 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 63 282, 354, 368 swing-wing aircraft 111 turntable 72, 234 weighing machines 19, 22, swipe card 336, 370 tweezers 23 solar cell 195, 267, 271 synchromesh 41, 85 twin-rotor helicopter 117 24-5, 78, 374 solar fusion 175 synthesizer 228, 316 two-stroke engine 156 weight: electronic scales 323 solar heater 144 two-way switch 286-7 solar panel 144, 175, 251, 252, T typesetting 214 pressure and 120 tyre, car 83 welding torch 147 253 tacking, sailing boat 102 wheelbarrow 20, 22 solenoid 151, 288 tap 32, 65, 146 U wheels 30-5, 54, 70-7, 375, 377 solid-fuel rocket 164 telecommunications 238-53, Whittle, Frank 380 solid-state drive (SSD) 332, ultrasound scanner 299 wide-angle lens 188, 189 384 ultraviolet light 182, 215, 251, wind turbine 35 334, 349, 368 telegraph 384, 385 windmill 34, 375, 387 sonar 119, 298-9, 388 telephone 238-9, 384-5 252, 342 windscreen wipers 49 sound 222-35 universal motor 280 windsurfer 102 mobile phone 238 universe 250, 251 wings: aeroplane 107, 108, amplifier 230-1 modem 350 upthrust 94, 104, 105 digital 240, 244, 324, 362 smartphone 240-1, 320, 321, uranium 92, 168, 170, 172 110, 112-13, 378 loudspeaker 232 334, 350, 363, 385 flapping 111 microphone 228 telephoto lens 188, 189 V forward-swept 111 modems 350 telescope 188, 190-1, 382 wood screw 64 musical instruments 224-7 radio 250, 385 vacuum cleaner 130, 379 woodwind instruments 224 sound waves 179, 222, 223, space 251 vacuum flask 145, 380 World Wide Web 350, 352-3, 228, 232, 324, 362 television 184, 195, 207 valves: brass instruments 221 389 telecommunications 236-47, camera 188, 206 worm gears 37, 46, 47, 49, 135 384 satellites 248, 250 car engines 49 Wright brothers 378 sound waves 179, 222, 223, temperature gauge, car 270 rocket engines 165 228, 232, 324, 362 Thales 386 van Leeuwenhock, Anton 383 XYZ sonar 298 thermistor 270, 323 vertical take-off aircraft 110 space probes 252-3, 385 thermometer 155, 270, 323, VHF radio 244 X-rays 243, 296-7, 304, 388 space telescope 251 380-1 vibrations, sound waves 218, xylophone 227 spacecraft 89, 137, 164-6, thermonuclear weapons 169, 219, 224 yacht 102, 103 252-3, 385 170 vice 64 Yale, Linus 374 spanner 32 thermostat 150, 152, 154, 350 video, camera 206-7, 208 zipper 17, 374 spectacle lenses 188, 382 thimble, micrometer 64 video games console 328 zoom lens 186, 382 speech recognition 363 Thompson, Earl A. 388 video recorder, digital 335 Zworykin, Vladimir 385 speed trap 300 Thomson, J.J. 386 violin 226, 227 speedometer 46 thread, screw 62, 63 virtual reality 364 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sperry, Elmer 377 three-bit converter 362 Volta, Alessandro 386 spin drier 71 thrust, flight 107, 108, 115, voltage, 266, 285 DK would like to thank: spinnaker sail 103 116, 165 voltage multiplier 263 Carron Brown for proofreading spoiler 112-13 thrusters, jet pack 137 von Liebig, Justus 382 and indexing; Camilla Hallinan spray can 138 thunderstorms 262-3, 386 von Linde, Karl 380 and Vicky Richards for editorial sprays 136-7 toaster 151 spring sails, windmill 34 toilet 132-3, 380 W assistance; Mik Gates for springs 78-81, 377 tokamak 175 design assistance. sprinkler 47 torque converter 308-9 watch 42, 264, 377 spur gears 15, 37, 38, 40, 42, torsion bar 81 water: aqualung 131 135 torus, nuclear fusion 175 stabilizers: car 270; ship 98, 99 tower crane 56, 58 clock 375 stapler 80-1 traffic lights 302 floating 94-103, 378 starter motor 73, 169, 288 trains, maglev 283 heating 146 static electricity 258, 261 transducers 298 hydroelectric turbine 33 steam power 160-1, 380, 387 transformers: electricity 285 hydrofoil 119 steam turbine 161, 380 nuclear fusion 175 lawn sprinker 47 steel converter 148-9, 380 transistor 220, 230-1, 333, 334, meter 135 steering, car 43, 129 341, 342-3, 389 pressure 120, 379 steering wheel 32 transmission, automatic shadoof 56, 376 stepper motor 282-3 306-9, 388 sonar 298-9 stereo 229, 231, 233, 364 transmitter, tap 32, 65 storage, bits 329 telecommunication 237, water closet 380 string instruments 226-7 242-3 water pistol 123, 136 submarine 97, 378, 388 trimmer, electric 14 waterwheel 32, 33, 375 submersible 96 tritium 169, 170, 174, 175 Watson-Watt, Robert 388 suction 100, 101, 106, 120, trolley 22, 58 Watt, James 375, 377, 380, 387 121, 130, 140, 384 trombone 225 wave bands, radio 244 Sun 142, 144, 167, 169, 175 trumpet 225, 384 wavelength, radio waves 243, sun gears, 39, 45 Tsiolkovsky Konstantin 381 244, 303 sunglasses, polarized 194 turbine: hydroelectric 33 weapons, nuclear 170 supermarket checkout 370-1 lawn sprinkler 47 weather radar 300 supersonic airliner 111 steam 161, 380 weather satellite 249 suspension, car 80-1 wind 35 web offset press 216 Sutton, Thomas 383 web site 326, 350 Swan, Joseph Wilson 382 [400]