An analysis of the LIGO discovery based on Introductory Physics
  Binary black hole mergers are analyzed using concepts from introductory
physics. Drawing upon Newtonian mechanics, dimensional considerations, and
analogies between gravitational and electromagnetic waves, we are able to
explain the principal features of LIGO's data and make order of magnitude
estimates of key parameters of the event by inspection of the data. Our
estimates of the black hole masses, the distance to the event, the initial
separation of the pair, and the stupendous total amount of energy radiated are
all in good agreement with the best fit values of these parameters obtained by
the LIGO-VIRGO collaboration.
