Let's face it: many gamers are science nuts. Depending on where you are, you might call them geeks, nerds, techies, gearheads, wizards, or whatever. Some of them are actually students or professionals in a scientific or engineering field. Others just like to apply whatever science education they have to anything they can: old Star Trek episodes, science fiction books, your role-playing game.

Gamers love to try and apply science (physics in particular) to magic. Fantasy RPG magic in particular often looks and feels like modern science, with old guys in stained robes clattering about odd-smelling laboratories and hunched over arcane equipment. So when a PC wants to use a spell in a new and interesting way, they will often try and back up the rationale behind their application with science.

Presented here are some of the basic physical principles you learned in high school and have perhaps half-forgotten. When possible, I've mentioned the sorts of spells and situations to which your players are likely to try and apply them.