Best of
Physics

1971

Fundamentals of Astrodynamics


Roger R. Bate - 1971
    Air Force Academy and designed as a first course emphasizes the universal variable formulation. Develops the basic two-body and n-body equations of motion; orbit determination; classical orbital elements, coordinate transformations; differential correction; more. Includes specialized applications to lunar and interplanetary flight, example problems, exercises. 1971 edition.

Causality and Chance in Modern Physics


David Bohm - 1971
    In Causality and Chance in Modern Physics, Professor Bohm criticizes these notions. He argues that determinism and statistical 'laws o chance' are two inseparable sides of a single, deeper and more comprehensive structure of law, going beyond either of them.In support of this notion, a new interpretation of the quantum theory is given, based on the assumption of such a structure, in the form of a sub-quantum mechanical level which has both new kinds of causal laws and new kinds of statistical fluctuations. This approach makes possible further insight into the meaning of the quantum theory and suggests ways of extending the theory in new directions. The notion of an inseparable union of statistical and causal aspects is then extended to the whole field of natural law.This work has been unavailable for some years, and for this new edition Professor Bohm has written a fresh introduction which considers developments (such as the recent experiments of Aspect in Paris) which have taken place since it first appeared.

Newtonian Mechanics


Anthony Philip French - 1971
    Part I, The Approach to Newtonian Dynamics, is intended to serve two purposes. First, it does discuss the basic concepts of kinematics and dynamics, more or less from scratch. Second, it seeks to place the study of mechanics squarely in the context of the world of physical phenomena and of necessarily imperfect physical theories.Part II, Classical Mechanics at Work, is undoubtedly the heart of the book. The initial emphasis is on Newton's second law applied to individual objects. Later, the emphasis shifts to systems of two or more particles, and to the conservation laws for momentum and energy. A fairly lengthy chapter is devoted to the subject that deserves pride of place in the whole Newtonian scheme-the theory of universal gravitation and its successes, which can still be appreciated as a pinnacle in man's attempts to discover order in the vast universe in which he finds himself.Part III, Some Special Topics, concerns itself with the problems of noninertial frames, central-force motions, and rotational dynamics.

Practical Quantum Mechanics


Siegfried Flügge - 1971
    Since that early date, many excellent books have been written introducing into the general framework of the theory and thus indispensable to a deeper understanding. It seems, however, that the more practical side has been somewhat neglected, except, of course, for the flood of special monographs going into broad detail on rather restricted topics. In other words, an all-round introduction to the practical use of quantum mechanics seems, so far, not to exist and may still be helpful. It was in the hope of filling this gap that the author has fallen in with the publishers' wish to bring the earlier German editions up to date and to make the work more useful to the worldwide community of science students and scientists by writing the new edition in English. From the beginning there could be no doubt that the work had to be much enlarged. New approximation methods and other developments, especially in the field of scattering, had to be added. It seemed necessary to include relativistic quantum mechanics and to offer, at least, a glimpse of radiation theory as an example of wave field quantization."

Statistical Fluid Mechanics, Volume I: Mechanics of Turbulence


Andrei Sergeevich Monin - 1971
    1971 edition.

PSSC Physics


Uri Haber-Schaim - 1971
    In this 5th edition, "we decided to further streamline the course....The most prominent example of such change is greater emphasis on the particle nature of light and the energetics of light relative to the wave motion of light"--Preface.