Best of
Physics

1999

Concepts of Physics (Part 1)


H.C. Verma - 1999
    

Concepts of Physics (Part 2)


H.C. Verma - 1999
    

Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines


Jim Al-Khalili - 1999
    His first was that nothing can travel faster than light-the ultimate speed limit. This simple fact leads to the unavoidable conclusion that space and time must be linked together forever as Spacetime. With his second monumental insight, Einstein showed how Spacetime is warped and stretched by the gravity of all objects in the Universe and even punctured by black holes. But such possible twisting of Spacetime allowed a magic not even Einstein could have imagined: time-travel.Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili finally lays science fiction to rest as he opens up Einstein's Universe. Leading us gently and light-heartedly through the dizzying world of our space and time, he even gives us the recipe for a time machine, capable of taking us Back to the Future, to Alice's Wonderland, or on a trip with the Terminator.

The Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity


Fred Adams - 1999
    In The Five Ages of the Universe, Adams and Laughlin demonstrate that we can now understand the complete life story of the cosmos from beginning to end. Adams and Laughlin have been hailed as the creators of the definitive long-term projection of the evolution of the universe. Their achievement is awesome in its scale and profound in its scientific breadth. But The Five Ages of the Universe is more than a handbook of the physical processes that guided our past and will shape our future; it is a truly epic story. Without leaving earth, here is a fantastic voyage to the physics of eternity. It is the only biography of the universe you will ever need.

The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory


Brian Greene - 1999
    Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter—from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas—is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.Today physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are feverishly working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the Unified Field Theory that eluded Einstein for more than thirty years. Finally, the century-old antagonism between the large and the small-General Relativity and Quantum Theory-is resolved. String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe, from the frantic dancing of subatomic quarks to the majestic swirling of heavenly galaxies, are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy, a billionth of a billionth the size of an atom. In this brilliantly articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind twentieth-century physics' search for a theory of everything.Through the masterful use of metaphor and analogy, The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated viscerally accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.

The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe


Julian Barbour - 1999
    Although the laws of physics create a powerful impression that time is flowing, in fact there are only timeless `nows'. In The End of Time, the British theoretical physicist Julian Barbour describes the coming revolution in our understanding of the world: a quantum theory of the universe that brings together Einstein's general theory of relativity - which denies the existence of a unique time - and quantum mechanics - which demands one. Barbour believes that only the most radical of ideas can resolve the conflict between these two theories: that there is, quite literally, no time at all. The End of Time is the first full-length account of the crisis in our understanding that has enveloped quantum cosmology. Unifying thinking that has never been brought together before in a book for the general reader, Barbour reveals the true architecture of the universe and demonstrates how physics is coming up sharp against the extraordinary possibility that the sense of time passing emerges from a universe that is timeless. The heart of the book is the author's lucid description of how a world of stillness can appear to be teeming with motion: in this timeless world where all possible instants coexist, complex mathematical rules of quantum mechanics bind together a special selection of these instants in a coherent order that consciousness perceives as the flow of time. Finally, in a lucid and eloquent epilogue, the author speculates on the philosophical implications of his theory: Does free will exist? Is time travel possible? How did the universe begin? Where is heaven? Does the denial of time make life meaningless? Written with exceptional clarity and elegance, this profound and original work presents a dazzlingly powerful argument that all will be able to follow, but no-one with an interest in the workings of the universe will be able to ignore.

The Magic Furnace: The Search for the Origins of Atoms


Marcus Chown - 1999
    Every flower you pick contains atoms blasted into space by stellar explosions that blazed brighter than a billion suns. Thus begins The Magic Furnace, an eloquent, extraordinary account of how scientists unraveled the mystery of atoms, and helped to explain the dawn of life itself. The historic search for atoms and their stellar origins is truly one of the greatest detective stories of science. In effect, it offers two epics intertwined: the birth of atoms in the Big Bang and the evolution of stars and how they work. Neither could be told without the other, for the stars contain the key to unlocking the secret of atoms, and the atoms the solution to the secret of the stars. Marcus Chown leads readers through the major theories and experiments that propelled the search for atomic understanding, with engaging characterizations of the major atomic thinkers-from Democritus in ancient Greece to Binning and Rohrer in twentieth-century New York. He clarifies the science, explaining with enthusiasm the sequence of breakthroughs that proved the existence of atoms as the alphabet of nature and the discovery of subatomic particles and atomic energy potential. From there, he engagingly chronicles the leaps of insight that eventually revealed the elements, the universe, our world, and ourselves to be a product of two ultimate furnaces: the explosion of the Big Bang and the interior of stars such as supernovae and red giants. Chown successfully makes these massive concepts accessible for students, professionals, and science enthusiasts. His story sheds light on all of us, for in essence, we are all stardust.

The New World of Mr Tompkins


George Gamow - 1999
    Tompkins is back! The mild-mannered bank clerk with the short attention span and vivid imagination has inspired, charmed, and informed young and old alike since the publication of the hugely successful Mr Tompkins in Paperback (by George Gamow) in 1965. Now, this highly affable character returns to embark on a set of adventures that explore the extreme edges of the universe--the smallest, the largest, the fastest, and the farthest. Just by following the experiences and dreams of Mr. Tompkins, readers discover and come to know the merry dance of cosmic mysteries, including: Einstein's theory of relativity, bizarre effects near light-speed, the birth and death of the universe, black holes, quarks, space warps and antimatter, the fuzzy world of the quantum, and that ultimate cosmic mystery--love. The story of Mr. Tompkins' journey to the frontiers of modern physics will delight and inform all readers. Russell Stannard is a best-selling popular science writer and the author of the critically acclaimed Uncle Albert series of science books for children.

Molecular Thermodynamics


Donald A. McQuarrie - 1999
    Although many of the chaptersin iMolecular Thermodynamics/i are similar to chapters in the physicalchemistry text, new material has been added throughout along with threeentirely new chapters. The text includes five short "MathChapters," eachwith a special set of problems that will help students review and summarizethe mathematical tools required to master the material. Worked examples andchapter-ending problems with solutions are also included throughout thebook.

Geometry, Topology and Physics (Graduate Student Series in Physics)


M. Nakahara - 1999
    Although not primarily research texts, they point out the direction which research is currently taking and where it is expected to lead.

Lise Meitner and the Dawn of the Nuclear Age


Patricia Rife - 1999
    Rife asks the central question of why, given the priority evidence of Meitner's role in the interpretation of nuclear fission, was she too not awarded the Nobel Prize?

Godel Meets Einstein: Time Travel in the Godel Universe


Palle Yourgrau - 1999
    In the 'Godel Universe' the philosophical fantasy of time travel becomes a scientific reality. For Godel, however, the reality of time travel signals the unreality of time. If Godel is right, the real meaning of the Einstein revolution had remained, for half a century, a secret. Now, half-century after Godel met Einstein, the real meaning of time travel in the Godel universe can be revealed

Symmetries in Physics: Philosophical Reflections


Katherine Brading - 1999
    The contributors cover all the fundamental symmetries of modern physics, such as CPT and permutation symmetry, as well as discussing symmetry-breaking and general interpretational issues. Classic texts are followed by new review articles and shorter commentaries for each topic. Suitable for courses on the foundations of physics, philosophy of physics and philosophy of science, the volume is a valuable reference for students and researchers.

Gravitational N-Body Simulations


Sverre J. Aarseth - 1999
    The first half of the book presents and explains the fundamental mathematical tools needed to describe the dynamics of a large number of mutually attractive particles. Particular attention is given to the techniques needed to model known planetary and astrophysical phenomena such as Hubble motion. The second half of the book demonstrates how to develop clear and elegant algorithms for models of gravitational systems.

Physics for Scientists & Engineers (CHS 1-37)


Douglas C. Giancoli - 1999
    Physics is a description of reality, and thus each topic begins with concrete observations and experiences that readers can directly relate to. We then move on to the generalizations and more formal treatment of the topic. Not only does this make the material more interesting and easier to understand, but it is closer to the way physics is actually practiced. Key Topics: INTRODUCTION, MEASUREMENT, ESTIMATING, DESCRIBING MOTION: KINEMATICS IN ONE DIMENSION, KINEMATICS IN TWO OR THREE DIMENSIONS; VECTORS, DYNAMICS: NEWTON'S LAWS OF MOTION, USING NEWTON'S LAWS: FRICTION, CIRCULAR MOTION, DRAG FORCES, GRAVITATION AND NEWTON'S6 SYNTHESIS, WORK AND ENERGY, CONSERVATION OF ENERGY, LINEAR MOMENTUM, ROTATIONAL MOTION, ANGULAR MOMENTUM; GENERAL ROTATION, STATIC EQUILIBRIUM; ELASTICITY AND FRACTURE, FLUIDS, OSCILLATIONS, WAVE MOTION, SOUND, TEMPERATURE, THERMAL EXPANSION, AND THE IDEAL GAS LAW KINETIC THEORY OF GASES, HEAT AND THE FIRST LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS, SECOND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS ELECTRIC CHARGE AND ELECTRIC FIELD, GAUSS'S LAW, ELECTRIC POTENTIAL, CAPACITANCE, DIELECTRICS, ELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE, ELECTRIC CURRENTS AND RESISTANCE, DC CIRCUITS, MAGNETISM, SOURCES OF MAGNETIC FIELD, ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION AND FARADAY'S LAW, INDUCTANCE, ELECTROMAGNETIC OSCILLATIONS, AND AC CIRCUITS MAXWELL'S EQUATIONS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES, LIGHT: REFLECTION AND REFRACTION, LENSES AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS, THE WAVE NATURE OF LIGHT; INTERFERENCE, DIFFRACTION AND POLARIZATION, SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY EARLY QUANTUM THEORY AND MODELS OF THE ATOM Market Description: This book is written for readers interested in learning the basics of physics.

Quantum Fields and Strings; A Course for Mathematicians


Pierre Deligne - 1999
    Advances in many different areas have been inspired by insights from physics. In 1996-97 the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, New Jersey) organized a special year-long programme designed to teach mathematicians the basic physical ideas which underlie the mathematical applications. The purpose was to create and convey an understanding, in terms useful to mathematicians, of some fundamental notions of physics and develop the sort of intuition common among physicists for those who are used to thought processes stemming from geometry and algebra.

New Understanding Physics for Advanced Level


Jim Breithaupt - 1999
    Written with great clarity and extensively illustrated, hundreds of experiments are discussed and worked examples are presented throughout.

Science: Key Stage Two: The Study Book


Richard Parsons - 1999
    

The Philosopher's Tree: A Selection of Michael Faraday's Writings


Michael Faraday - 1999
    It is designed to show the relationships between his many activities, especially with the Royal Institution, for whose bicentenary this collection is published.

The Solar System


Dana Backman - 1999
    Fascinating, engaging, and visually vibrant, this text will help you answer two fundamental questions: What are we? And how do we know?

Sands, Powders, and Grains: An Introduction to the Physics of Granular Materials


Jacques Duran - 1999
    It covers the basic properties of flow, friction, and fluidization of uniform granular materials; discusses mixing and segregation of heterogeneous materials (the famous "brazil-nut problem"); and concludes with an introduction to numerical models. The presentation begins with simple experiments and uses their results to build concepts and theorems about materials whose behavior is often quite counter-intuitive; presenting in a unified way the background needed to understand current work in the field. Developed for students at the University of Paris, the text will be suitable for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduates; while also being of interest to researchers and engineers just entering the field.

Cosmology And Particle Astrophysics


Lars Bergström - 1999
    The inclusion of worked examples, end of chapter summaries, and problems (with answers) in each chapter make this book an excellent introduction to particle astrophysics for undergraduate students. Readership: Undergraduate and postgraduate students of astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, theoretical physics and mathematical physics, and those carrying out research in these fields.

Marine Geophysics


E.J.W. Jones - 1999
    Exploration of the oceans using geophysical methods has had a profound effect on the way we view the structure of the earth and its behaviour through geological time. Geophysics has also played a vital role in the search for petroleum and other natural resources lying beneath the seabed. This volume looks at: * the means of locating observations accurately and determining in detail the morphology of the sea floor * the powerful seismic techniques for imaging the Earth's interior from shallow coastal areas to deep-sea trenches * the gravity and magnetic fields over the oceans, heat flow, electrical and radiometric methods and measurements in offshore boreholes * geophysical observations on the development of the modern oceans, the structure of their deep basins, and the nature of their aseismic and seismically active margins. This book will be of interest to marine scientists and advanced undergraduates and postgraduates following courses on, or undertaking research in, geophysics, marine geology, oceanography, physical sciences, remote sensing, marine surveying and offshore engineering.

An Introduction to Modern Cosmology


Andrew R. Liddle - 1999
    An Introduction to Modern Cosmology introduces models of the expanding universe and explores all the successes of the hot big bang, including the cosmic microwave background and nucleosynthesis. A brief discussion of the inflationary cosmology is also included. No prior knowledge of astronomy is assumed and the book's general approach tends to avoid relativity, deriving the crucial results using newtonian theory. This allows a discussion of all the evidence in favour of the hot big bang in a treatment which is based in physics rather than mathematics.

Introduction to Seismology


Peter Shearer - 1999
    It clearly explains the fundamental concepts, emphasizing intuitive understanding over lengthy derivations. Topics include all that is needed for a comprehensive first course in seismology: stress/strain theory, seismic wave equation, ray theory, tomography, reflection seismology, surface waves, source theory, anisotropy and earthquake prediction. Detailed exercises follow each chapter, giving students the opportunity to apply the techniques they have learned to compute results of interest and to illustrate some of Earth's seismic properties. In several cases, computer subroutines are provided to assist with these exercises. Numerous illustrations accompany the text, including examples of seismograms and images of the global seismic wavefield. This textbook is ideal for any introductory course in seismology taught to upper-division undergraduates or first-year graduate students, and is especially suited for a one-semester class on seismology.

Seeking Ultimates: An Intuitive Guide to Physics


Peter Theodore Landsberg - 1999
    The book starts with everyday concepts such as temperature, and proceeds to energy, the Periodic Table, and then to more advanced ideas. The author examines the nature of time and entropy, chaos, quantum theory, cosmology, and some aspects of mathematics, confirming that our understanding is necessarily incomplete. Using references to historical figures in science as well as thought-provoking illustrations, Seeking Ultimates encourages you to consider your scientific knowledge in a new light. You will be able to reassess your belief in truths as presented (such as mathematical theorems) and to reconsider philosophical issues of theology and happiness. A comprehensive glossary explains in clear language the technical terms so that nonscientists can enjoy the text.

Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence


Dieter Biskamp - 1999
    Applications are provided for astrophysical and laboratory systems. Magnetic turbulence is the natural state of most astrophysical systems, such as stellar convection zones, stellar winds or accretion discs. It is also found in laboratory devices, most notably in the reversed field pinch.

Mathematical Theory of Quantum Fields


Huzihiro Araki - 1999
    It starts with a general probabilistic description of physics, which encompasses both classical and quantum physics. The basic key physical notions are clarified at this point. It then introduces operator algebraic methods for quantum theory, and goes on to discuss the theory of special relativity, scattering theory, and sector theory in this context.

Riemann, Topology, And Physics


Michael Monastyrsky - 1999
    In his relatively short lifetime, this great mathematician made outstanding contributions to nearly all branches of mathematics; today Riemanna (TM)s name appears prominently throughout the literature."The book is highly recommendablea "for students and scientific workersa "not only for the valuable information in it, but also for its spirit: history and higher mathematics are not dry here; they become alive and motivate further studies."a "ZAA"This is a new translation of a book first published in English in 1987... Translated from Russian...it consists of two separate but related works. The first is an account of the life and work of Riemann, the second an account of several different topics in physics which are illuminated by the introduction of topological ideas. The discussion of Riemann is even better in the new edition. The mathematical account is richer and various errors have been corrected... The second half has been revised in a similar fashion... It has also been enriched by a new chapter which starts with von Neumann algebras and the work of Vaughn Jones... The book does three things very well: it reminds us of the range and depth of Riemanna (TM)s interests, which are emblematic of what the author values in mathematical physics; describes some of the many successes of Russian mathematicians and physicists; and it provides a lucid account of some modern work in which topology is genuinely applied. Books like this are vital for the health of mathematics and it is to be hoped that more will be written."---Mathematical Reviews

Introduction to Signals and Systems


Douglas K. Lindner - 1999
    It is intended to bridge between network courses and senior-level DSP, communication, and control courses. The engineering content is emphasized by the way the material is organized in a system signal framework.

Science Desk Reference (Wiley)


Scientific American - 1999
    Now, Scientific American is proud to present an accessible, one-volume reference covering all the sciences. Whether you want to examine the tiniest microbes, the properties of the earth's core, or the farthest reaches of space, this handy desk reference is the resource to turn to for the answers you need. * Over 500 biographies of key science figures * Thousands of glossary terms * Hundreds of useful Web sites * Tables, charts, diagrams, and illustrations * Sidebars featuring fascinating facts, mnemonic aids, and quizzes * Essays exploring ideas in-depth

The Quantum Mechanics of Minds and Worlds


Jeffrey Alan Barrett - 1999
    The standard theory of quantum mechanics is one of the most successful physical theories ever, predicting the behavior of the basic constituents of all physical things; no other theory has ever made such accurate empirical predictions. However, if one tries to understand the theory as a complete and accurate framework for the description of behavior of all physical interactions, it becomes evident that the theory is ambiguous, even logically inconsistent. To deal with this dilemma, in the 1950s, Hugh Everett III initiated the quantum measurement problem. Barrett gives a careful and challenging examination and evaluation of Everett's work and of those who have followed him. Barrett's informal approach and engaging narrative make this book accessible and illuminating for philosophers, physicists, and anyone interested in the interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Monte Carlo Methods in Statistical Physics


Mark Newman - 1999
    It includes methods for both equilibrium and out of equilibrium systems, and discusses in detail such common algorithms as the Metropolis and heat-bath algorithms, as well as more sophisticated ones such as continuous time Monte Carlo, cluster algorithms, multigrid methods, entropic sampling and simulated tempering. Data analysis techniques are also explained starting with straightforward measurement and error-estimation techniques and progressing to topics such as the single and multiple histogram methods and finite size scaling. The last few chapters of the book are devoted to implementation issues, including lattice representations, efficient implementation of data structures, multispin coding, parallelization of Monte Carlo algorithms, and random number generation. The book also includes example programs which show how to apply these techniques to a variety of well-known models.

How to Build a Time Machine


Hazel Richardson - 1999
    guides. Witty text and cartoon drawings teach students everything they need to know to understand some of the most exciting and complicated areas of current science. Step-by-step experiments in each book give readers the opportunity for a hands-on learning experience.

The Geometry of Spacetime: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity


James J. Callahan - 1999
    Soon afterwards, Hermann Minkowski recast special relativity essentially as a new geometric structure for spacetime. These ideas are the subject of the first part of the book. The second part develops the main implications of Einstein's general relativity as a theory of gravity rooted in the differential geometry of surfaces. The author explores the way an individual observer views the world and how a pair of observers collaborate to gain objective knowledge of the world. To encompass both the general and special theory, he uses the geometry of spacetime as the unifying theme of the book. To read it, one needs only a first course in linear algebra and multivariable calculus and familiarity with the physical applications of calculus.

Introductory Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics


J. Richard Elliot - 1999
    Appendices summarize models for process simulators, and computer programs for calculators, spreadsheets and Fortran. DEGREES DEGREES DEGR