Alice and Bob in Wonderland

Alice and Bob in Wonderland are animations produced by the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. They are based around the questions that Alice has about the physical world and how these can lead to "powerful ideas" in physics, such as energy-mass equivalence and relativity. Topics include time travel, the structure of the atom, the age of the Universe, gravity, energy and mass. They are best suited as starting points to introduce topics within secondary physics.

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Why Doesn't the Moon Fall Down?

This animated clip investigates the idea of orbits. It begins with Alice and Bob wondering why the Moon doesn’t fall to the Earth but an apple does. Alice throws an apple hard enough that it goes into orbit around the Earth. This clip could provide a lead in to topics such as gravitational force, acceleration,...

Why Is It Dark at Night?

Alice wonders why it’s dark at night. If we are in an infinite Universe, why isn’t the sky full of starlight. Bob suggests that for some reason the light from the very distant stars hasn’t reached us yet. This leads on to the idea that the universe has a beginning and an age. This clip could provide a lead in to...

Is That Star Really There?

Alice wonders if a star in the sky is really there. Alice and Bob explain that the light we are seeing now is how the star looked many years ago. This leads them on to the idea that if we look out far enough into the Universe, then we may be able to see back towards the beginning of the Universe.

This...

Where Does Energy Come From?

Alice wonders where her energy to be alive comes from. This leads them through food to plants to sunlight to fusion and finally that energy comes from mass. Alice declares that they are “eating the Sun”.

This clip could provide a lead in to topics such as the fusion, energy-mass equivalence and mass...

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