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Science Lessons from Bitter Cold

By Jack Williams

The strong winds and bitter cold that the new year 2010 brought to large parts of the United States has put wind chill in the news. This, like any outbreak of cold, windy weather, offers high school physics teachers in places where people are talking about wind chill an opportunity to relate the laws of thermodynamics to everyday life. Elementary and middle... »

Ask Jack: Wind Chill

By Jack Williams

Q:  If the temperature is above 32 degrees and the wind chill is below 32 degrees, will water freeze? —Kirsten H., Somerville, MA A:  No. Most people are aware that they feel colder when the wind is blowing, but this is because the wind carries away the layer of air around you that your body’s heat has warmed. The big danger of... »