Overview

An Enlightening Way to Navigate through Mind-Boggling Physics Concepts Physics Curiosities, Oddities, and Novelties highlights unusual aspects of physics and gives a new twist to some fundamental concepts. The book covers both classical and modern physics in an engaging, straightforward style. The author presents perplexing questions that often lack satisfying answers. He also delves into the stories of famous and eccentric past scientists. Many examples reveal interesting ideas, including how: *Newton had trouble determining the mass of the moon *An electric motor is an electric generator run in reverse *Time travel that violates causality is not possible *Schrodinger's cat may be both dead and alive, and there may be two of each one of us to observe the two possibilities *Particle physics and the basic laws of thermodynamics can appear simple yet are very complicated Accessible to nonspecialists and beginning students, this book provides insight into physics using minimal mathematics and jargon. It summarizes many fascinating aspects of physics employing only essential formulas. Some familiar formulas are written in standard form while other equations are written in words for greater clarity.

Full Product Details

Author:   John Kimball
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Inc
Imprint:   CRC Press Inc
ISBN:  

9781466576360

ISBN 10:   1466576367
Pages:   380
Publication Date:   31 March 2015
Audience:   General/trade ,  College/higher education ,  General ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Electronic book text
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

Newton and Mechanics Introduction Newton's Equation Gravity Solar System and Beyond Causality and Chaos Momentum, Angular Momentum, and Energy Introduction Momentum Angular Momentum Energy Thermal Physics Introduction Ideal Gas Entropy Phase Transitions Random Walks Electromagnetism Introduction Electrostatics Electricity in Practice Magnetism Unification of Electricity and Magnetism: Maxwell and Faraday Waves Introduction Common Features of Waves Sound Waves in Air Light Waves and Geometric Optics Electromagnetic Waves Quantum Introduction What Good Is Quantum Mechanics? Problems with Classical Physics Photons Particles and Waves What Is 137? Magnetism and Spin Many Particles Materials and Devices Introduction Materials Devices and Applications Relativity Introduction Special Relativity General Relativity The Meaning of It All Nucleus Introduction Nuclear Properties Radioactivity Fission, Fusion, Nuclear Power, and Bombs Nuclear Theory Particle Physics Introduction Experiment and Theory Dirac Equation Quantum Electrodynamics Beyond QED: The Standard Model The Future of Physics Nobel Laureates: A Short Summary Alfred Nobel Recipients Some Curiosities Traits of Nobel Prize Winners Annotated Bibliography

Reviews

... concise, clear, and insightful ... a useful, interesting, and accessible resource for physics teachers and interested students of all levels. -David Bittel, Physics Teacher, Bristol Eastern High School All of the physical concepts are expressed in terms of common language. ... good as a reference for students [and] as popular reading for those having curiosity about physics and mathematics ... -Ching-Yao Fong, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of California, Davis This book introduces important physical concepts in a casual and entertaining way. ... I recommend it to high school students curious about science and to anyone interested in qualitative physics. -Oleg Lunin, University at Albany, SUNY As a teacher of physics, I like this book a lot. It lightens the subject nicely. I shall follow the author's advice and not try to teach my dog calculus. Whether to apply this to all my students is still undecided. PS: I think the author should be encouraged to be kinder about Aristotle. -Philip B. Allen, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University

Author Information

John Kimball is a professor emeritus of physics at the University at Albany, SUNY. His research has largely focused on condensed matter physics, including high-energy electron-positron pair production in crystals, exact solutions of a kinetic model of magnetism, relations between chaos and symmetry, and studies of magnetic impurities. Dr. Kimball is an enthusiastic sailor and author of the highly praised book Physics of Sailing. He earned a PhD from the University of Chicago.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions