Offbeat Physics: Machines, Meditations and Misconceptions is a collection of articles on various topics in classical physics that have intrigued the author and their students throughout the years.
The book is divided into three parts. Part I -- Machines, comprises chapters that explain or model the workings of a number of machines (understood in a broad sense) on the basis of physical principles. These machines can be as simple as a rolling wheel or as complex as a jet engine. Then in Part II -- Meditations, the authors go beyond the standard examples, experiments and approximations discussed ad nauseam in most physics textbooks, but which are not always very exciting or realistic. For example, what happens when colliding bodies are not perfectly rigid -- as we know real bodies are not? Finally, Part III -- Misconceptions aims to correct misconceptions that students may have about physical phenomena or clarify issues that are often present
