Physics and Philosophy, for the Kindergarten Set

So I've spent some quality time with my six-year-old niece the past two days. Since she's in first grade, she's into learning - which makes it much easier for me to relate to her; I'm self-consciously awkward around young children, and besides, learning is what I do best! Well, at least I like to think so. Anyhow, I'm glad she's moved out of the Let's Pretend! phase that really taxes whatever is left of my creativity. Making up a story about fairies? Not exactly my mileu. Now she's content to be drilled on subtraction questions or telling time or rhyming words. This I can do.

That said, a lot of my material would kill with other audiences, but I'm afraid it's lost on the youth. Maybe it's best we don't have children yet... So on the car ride home from Epcot this evening, she wanted to know whether we would beat the other car (containing my husband, parents-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew). I told her we could go faster in my little Civic, faster than their lumbering minivan. Here's how the rest of the conversation went:

Why?

Because it's harder to get heavier things to move.

Why?

It's inertia.

What's inertia?

[slipping right into Physics Teacher Mode]
It's Isaac Newton's First Law -
things that are standing still will stay still
unless something pushes on them. So if...

But we're moving, what's pushing on us?

The car's engine.

What's pushing the engine?

Gasoline.

What's driving the gasoline?

Our money!

What drives the money?

Capitalism.

What drives capitalism?

Power.

What drives power?

Well, that's a good question.
There are a lot of people asking that very thing.

They should just look it up on the internet.

Indeed. Google gets 'em young, it seems.

Aside from Fun With Primary Schoolers, it was a beautiful evening. Perfect weather. Early spring in Florida is actually quite lovely. Not too humid. Clear. Pleasant for strolling around out-of-doors. I've been hungry for Japanese food for a few days. I met the group at Epcot, and I thought it would be nice to eat at the Japan pavilion; I figured I had no chance in convincing this group to go eat Japanese. As we tried to decide where to eat, my sister in law suggested either China or Japan. Sensing a vulnerability in the defenses, I took the opportunity to strike. Japan it was! Hooray for spicy tuna rolls, sukiyaki beef, vegetable tempura, and green tea! While we were waiting for fireworks at Epcot, I got creative with my camera's long exposures.