| Description |
208 pages : frontispiece ; 18 cm |
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text txt rdacontent |
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unmediated n rdamedia |
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volume nc rdacarrier |
| Note |
"Ace SF, 52460"--cover. |
| Contents |
At the center of gravity -- Jupiter trap -- The men and the mirror -- They fly so high -- The bottled men. |
| Summary |
In the story, Colbie and Deverel inadvertently slip onto the frictionless surface of an enormous concave mirror built by unknown alien beings, and must use the laws of physics to come up with a way to avoid oscillating in a pendulum motion back and forth across the mirror until eventually the small amounts of friction brings them to a stop in the center. Although the physics of the story can be criticized, the story is a textbook example of the kind of science-fiction called a "science puzzle" story (a variety of gedanken or 'idea' subgenre tale), in which the set up of the story is a puzzle which must be solved using (real) science. Many later examples could be cited, including Hal Clement's story "Dust Rag," and Larry Niven's "Neutron Star." |
| Subject |
Short stories.
|
|
Short stories. (OCoLC)fst01117043
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| Genre/Form |
Science fiction.
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