June 1, 2001

In This Physics Course, Students Go to the Opera

By ZOE INGALLS

Physics pop quiz: What do a diva's vocal cords, a Boeing 747's wing, and a Swiss scientist named Daniel Bernoulli have in common?

That's easy, says Daniel M. Boye, a professor of physics here at Davidson College: lift.

It was Bernoulli who, in the 18th century, identified the phenomenon that makes it possible for an airplane to fly. The same principle also makes the vocal cords vibrate and enables an opera singer to hit a high C.

This is basic stuff for a physicist. Mr.