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The Physics of Light DVD

$49.99 $39.99
Item #: WC4142
The Physics of Light While the terms ""quantum physics"" and ""Theory of Relativity"" are used casually every day, not many people know what they really mean. Yet these theories have had a profound impact not only on science and technology, but also on our world view. This intriguing 6-part documentary series explores the concepts of physics from familiar theories, such ... More
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The Physics of Light

While the terms ""quantum physics"" and ""Theory of Relativity"" are used casually every day, not many people know what they really mean. Yet these theories have had a profound impact not only on science and technology, but also on our world view.

This intriguing 6-part documentary series explores the concepts of physics from familiar theories, such as Newton's Law of Gravity, to the latest in scientific research, like string theory and M-theory. By connecting all of this research with the medium of light, we can gain a deeper understanding not only of our immediate reality, but of the unseen realities that are hidden beyond our perception. Starting with Einstein's Theory of Relativity, Physics of Light explores the true nature of light, peers inside the atom, and looks ahead to the most cutting edge theories in physics.

Episodes include…
Light and Time - The Special Theory of Relativity
Light and Space - The Theory of General Relativity
In Pursuit of Light
Light and Atoms
Light and Quantum Physics
Light and Strings

Producer: Yeon Hyu Lee
Production Year: 2015
Director: Hyung Joon Kim, Si Joon Kim
Narrator: Young Doo Jung
Writers: Mi Ran Kim
Discs: 2
Subtitles: Y
Subtitle Language: English (SDH)
DVI: N
Audio Format: Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen

10 Reviews
A
Al
Anonymous User
5.0 star rating
07/31/22
Really quite great.
Review by Al on 07/31/22 review stating Really quite great.
This is though provoking, exemplary, and easily understandable (if you actually TRY to understand it, though) . All the episodes are in a stream - you have to have watched one to really start to understand the others. Their examples are a conglomeration of the very best - the most genius, the most simple and relatable explanations from eras of science. Graphics are a little cheesy, admittedly, but they help to paint a picture. Very good, and it would be great to buy because you can keep watching it. This is just one of those things that you pick up something you missed every time you watch it again.
L
Lindscmt
Anonymous User
5.0 star rating
07/31/22
Excellent!
Review by Lindscmt on 07/31/22 review stating Excellent!
The Physics of Light attempts, with great success, to explain the rather complicated subject of light/physics. By means of dramatized examples and explanations, and an exploration of the brilliant minds of the past, this documentary presents lucid concepts that can be understood by the layperson. The documentary was made in South Korea with American English voiceover. The translation from Korean to English is well done: literate, interesting, engrossing. (Let us enter the mind of the genius, referring to Einsteins observations.) If you want to understand more about physics, do not miss The Physics of Light. Its the best documentary Ive seen on the topic.
r
richard
Verified Buyer
5.0 star rating
06/30/22
great doc
Review by richard on 06/30/22 review stating great doc
great doc
T
Tk
Anonymous User
1.0 star rating
06/28/22
Not recommended, there are better alternatives
Review by Tk on 06/28/22 review stating Not recommended, there are better alternatives
I just finished watching this series. I wish I had not. The video production is excellent, but the content and organization is poor. The analogies used are not well chosen nor well presented, and they are not likely to help viewers understand the underlying physics concepts. I applaud their efforts at attempting to explain some very difficult concepts and their history, but this could have been written much better. I would suggest some of the NOVA videos on physics as an alternative.
E
Einstein1879
Anonymous User
2.0 star rating
06/28/22
Fairly entertaining and informative
Review by Einstein1879 on 06/28/22 review stating Fairly entertaining and informative
Not too bad, the analogies could have been a bit more clear and some ideas in the series could also have been explained better. With his monologue being translated by the narrator, the host of the documentary seemed a bit pointless other than his small demonstrations. It seems like his segments would have been more engaging had he been speaking in english directly to the audience. Also is it just me or is the host wearing glasses without any lenses?
G
Geff
Anonymous User
2.0 star rating
06/28/22
Why do many shows like this have constant pauses?
Review by Geff on 06/28/22 review stating Why do many shows like this have constant pauses?
This show could be half the length if it did not pause all the time. Maybe that is the reason so it could be longer. It does not give me time to think it just distracts me.
J
Jess
Anonymous User
3.0 star rating
06/28/22
Good but with errors and redundancy
Review by Jess on 06/28/22 review stating Good but with errors and redundancy
About an hour of Einstein staring into space. Ditto Newton and others. Another scene of guy diving used about 10 minutes. Horrible error on speed of light being 310 KPS repeated 5 times in a brief period. Is speed of light constant? Same episode seemed to offer opposite conclusions. What was very good was the graphic depictions of various famous thought experiments. A bit over 3 stars for interest.
E
Elite K.
Anonymous User
3.0 star rating
06/28/22
Screwed up something most laypeople would miss re: twins
Review by Elite K. on 06/28/22 review stating Screwed up something most laypeople would miss re: twins
In the opening scene it shows two twins, one in a fast moving space craft and one on earth. It says tha time flows more slowly for the moving twin. However, it fails show that either twin is justified in saying the other is the moving one, which would mean each twin would see the other as having a slower clock. Its only when the twin in the space craft breaks the symmetry by turning around to return, changing reference frames (while the earth bound twin remains in the same reference frame throughout the trip), that we get the effect where the twin on earth has aged more. At the destination point prior to returning to earth, BOTH twins up until that point have seen the other twins clock as running at half the speed of her own clock. Granted, I dont think explaining this would have worked very well with the target audience, but its still a blatant physics error.
J
Johnathan
Anonymous User
5.0 star rating
06/28/22
Excellent explanation of complicated topics
Review by Johnathan on 06/28/22 review stating Excellent explanation of complicated topics
I thought this series gave an excellent description of the problems that various thinkers have had to solve on the way to the scientific realizations we take for granted today. It described the ideas of Galileo, and his thoughts on gravity, and why they were such a break with the traditional Greek thought accepted up to that point. They even explain the Greek thinking! Then, they move into Einstein, and what he was thinking about all of light and gravity, and how he stood on the shoulders of giants before him. And thats just in the first episode. This is an awesome find, and as a lay fan of physics, I learned several things I had not heard covered in myriad other places. This series is well worth the expense!
J
John
Anonymous User
4.0 star rating
09/01/20
Very Good Introduction to the History of Light
Review by John on 09/01/20 review stating Very Good Introduction to the History of Light
The Physics of Light is a good overview of the history of those who brought the world to the present understanding of light and how it interacts with the world. It was a bit of a surprise to learn that it was actually a Korean production. The english voice over was done well. The video is geared to maybe 8th or 9th grade science. The demonstrations are well done requiring minimal background in math or science. A very good introduction to the subject.

Highlighted Customer Reviews


J
Johnathan reviewed The Physics of Light DVD
5 star rating
Excellent explanation of complicated topics
Review by Johnathan review stating Excellent explanation of complicated topics
I thought this series gave an excellent description of the problems that various thinkers have had to solve on the way to the scientific realizations we take for granted today. It described the ideas of Galileo, and his thoughts on gravity, and why they were such a break with the traditional Greek thought accepted up to that point. They even explain the Greek thinking! Then, they move into Einstein, and what he was thinking about all of light and gravity, and how he stood on the shoulders of giants before him. And thats just in the first episode. This is an awesome find, and as a lay fan of physics, I learned several things I had not heard covered in myriad other places. This series is well worth the expense!
L
Lindscmt reviewed The Physics of Light DVD
5 star rating
Excellent!
Review by Lindscmt review stating Excellent!
The Physics of Light attempts, with great success, to explain the rather complicated subject of light/physics. By means of dramatized examples and explanations, and an exploration of the brilliant minds of the past, this documentary presents lucid concepts that can be understood by the layperson. The documentary was made in South Korea with American English voiceover. The translation from Korean to English is well done: literate, interesting, engrossing. (Let us enter the mind of the genius, referring to Einsteins observations.) If you want to understand more about physics, do not miss The Physics of Light. Its the best documentary Ive seen on the topic.
A
Al reviewed The Physics of Light DVD
5 star rating
Really quite great.
Review by Al review stating Really quite great.
This is though provoking, exemplary, and easily understandable (if you actually TRY to understand it, though) . All the episodes are in a stream - you have to have watched one to really start to understand the others. Their examples are a conglomeration of the very best - the most genius, the most simple and relatable explanations from eras of science. Graphics are a little cheesy, admittedly, but they help to paint a picture. Very good, and it would be great to buy because you can keep watching it. This is just one of those things that you pick up something you missed every time you watch it again.

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