Best of
Physics

1959

The Great Physicists from Galileo to Einstein


George Gamow - 1959
    His talents are vividly revealed in this exciting and penetrating explanation of how the central laws of physical science evolved — from Pythagoras' discovery of frequency ratios in the 6th century B.C. to today's research on elementary particles.Unlike many books on physics which focus entirely on fact and theory with little or no historic detail, the present work incorporates fascinating personal and biographical data about the great physicists of past and present. Thus Dr. Gamow discusses on an equal basis the trail of Galileo and the basic laws of mechanics which he discovered, or gives his personal recollections about Niels Bohr along with detailed discussion of Bohr's atomic model. You'll also find revealing glimpses of Newton, Huygens, Heisenberg, Pauli, Einstein, and many other immortals of science.Each chapter is centered around a single great figure, or at most two, with other physicists of the era and their contributions forming a background. Major topics include the dawn of physics, the Dark Ages and the Renaissance, Newtonian physics, heat as energy, electricity, the relativistic revolution, quantum theory, and the atomic nucleus and elementary particles.As Dr. Gamow points out in the Preface, the aim of this book is to give the reader the feeling of what physics is, and what kind of people physicists are. This delightfully informal approach, combined with the book's clear, easy-to-follow explanations, will especially appeal to young readers but will stimulate and entertain science enthusiasts of all ages. 1961 edition."The whole thing is a tour de force covering all the important landmarks." — Guardian

Open Channel Hydraulics


Chow Ven Te - 1959
    Covering both theory and practice, it attempts to bridge the gap that generally exists between the two. Theory is introduced first and is then applied to design problems. In many cases the application of theory is illustrated with practical examples. Theory is frequently simplified by adopting theoretically less rigorous treatments with sound concepts, by avoiding use of advanced mathematical manipulations, or by replacing such manipulations with practical numerical procedures. To facilitate understanding of the subject matter, the treatment is mostly based on the condition of one- or two-dimensional flow. The book deals mainly with American practice but also includes related information from many countries throughout the world. Material is divided into five main sections for an orderly and logical treatment of the subject: Basic Principles. Uniform Flow, Varied Flow, Rapidly Varied Flow, and Unsteady Flow. There are 67 illustrative examples, 282 illustrations, 319 problems, and 810 references. This classic textbook was the first English-language book on the subject in two decades. Open-Channel Hydraulics is a valuable text for students of engineering mechanics. hydraulics. civil. agricultural. sanitary. and mechanical engineering, and a helpful compendium for practicing engineers. Dr. Ven Te Chow was a Professor of Hydraulic Engineering and led the hydraulic engineering research and teaching programs at the University of Illinois. Through many years of experience as a teacher, engineer, researcher, writer. lecturer, and consultant, he became an internationally recognized leader in the fields of hydraulics, hydrology and hydraulic engineering. Dr. Ven Te Chow authored two technical books and more than 60 articles and papers in scientific an engineering magazines and journals. He was a member of lAHR, ASCE, AGU, AAAS, SEE, and Sigma Xi, and had been Chairman of the American Geophysical Union's Permanent Research Committee on Runoff.

Mathematics and the Physical World


Morris Kline - 1959
    . . . This is an enlarging and a brilliant book." ― Scientific American"Dr. Morris Kline has succeeded brilliantly in explaining the nature of much that is basic in math, and how it is used in science." ― San Francisco ChronicleSince the major branches of mathematics grew and expanded in conjunction with science, the most effective way to appreciate and understand mathematics is in terms of the study of nature. Unfortunately, the relationship of mathematics to the study of nature is neglected in dry, technique-oriented textbooks, and it has remained for Professor Morris Kline to describe the simultaneous growth of mathematics and the physical sciences in this remarkable book.In a manner that reflects both erudition and enthusiasm, the author provides a stimulating account of the development of basic mathematics from arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, to calculus, differential equations, and the non-Euclidean geometries. At the same time, Dr. Kline shows how mathematics is used in optics, astronomy, motion under the law of gravitation, acoustics, electromagnetism, and other phenomena. Historical and biographical materials are also included, while mathematical notation has been kept to a minimum. This is an excellent presentation of mathematical ideas from the time of the Greeks to the modern era. It will be of great interest to the mathematically inclined high school and college student, as well as to any reader who wants to understand ― perhaps for the first time ― the true greatness of mathematical achievements.

Principles Of Modern Physics


Robert B. Leighton - 1959
    

Theory of Flight


Richard von Mises - 1959
    Mises' classic avoids the formidable mathematical structure of fluid dynamics, while conveying — by often unorthodox methods — a full understanding of the physical phenomena and mathematical concepts of aeronautical engineering. "An outstanding textbook." — Scientific, Medical and Technical Books.

Plenty of Room at the Bottom


Richard P. Feynman - 1959
    Feynman to the American Physical Society in Pasadena on December 1959, which explores the immense possibilities afforded by miniaturization.

The Science of Mechanics in the Middle Ages


Marshall Clagett - 1959