8/2/2019 The Physics of Art and the Art of Physics

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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.)