Relativity and quantum physics touch the very basis of physical reality, altering our commonsense notions of space and time, cause and effect. Both have reputations for complexity. But the basic ideas behind relativity and quantum physics are, in fact, simple and comprehensible by anyone. As Professor Wolfson points out, the essence of relativity can be summed up in a single sentence: The laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion. The same goes for quantum theory, which is based on the principle that the "stuff " of the universe-matter and energy-is not infinitely divisible but comes in discrete chunks called "quanta." Profound ... Beautiful ... Relevant Why should you care about these landmark theories? Because relativity and quantum physics are not only profound and beautiful ideas in their own right, they are also the gateway to understanding many of the latest science stories in the media. These are the stories about time travel, string theory, black holes, space telescopes, particle accelerators, and other cutting-edge developments. Consider these ideas: Although Einstein's theory of general relativity dates from 1914, it has not been possible to test certain predictions until recently. The Hubble Space Telescope is providing some of the most striking confirmations of the theory, including certain evidence for the existence of black holes, objects that warp space and time so that not even light can escape. Also, the expansion of the universe predicted by the theory of general relativity is now a known rate. General relativity also predicts an even weirder phenomenon called "wormholes" that offer shortcuts to remote reaches of time and space. According to Einstein's theory of special relativity, two twins would age at different rates if one left on a high-speed journey to a distant star and then returned. This experiment has actually been done, not with twins, but with an atomic clock flown around the world. Another fascinating experiment confirming that time slows as speed increases comes from measuring muons at the top and bottom of mountains. A seemingly absurd consequence of quantum mechanics, called "quantum tunneling," makes it possible for objects to materialize through impenetrable barriers. Quantum tunneling happens all the time on the subatomic scale and plays an important role in electronic devices and the nuclear processes that keep the sun shining. Some predictions about the expansion of the universe were so odd that Einstein himself tried to rewrite the mathematics in order to eliminate them. When Hubble discovered the expansion of the universe, Einstein called the revisions the biggest mistake he had ever made. An intriguing thought experiment called "Schrödinger's cat" suggests that a cat in an enclosed box is simultaneously alive and dead under experimental conditions involving quantum phenomena. From Aristotle to the Theory of Everything Professor Wolfson begins with a brief overview of theories of physical reality starting with Aristotle and culminating in Newtonian or "classical" physics. Then he outlines the logic that led to Einstein's theory of special relativity, and the simple yet far-reaching insight on which it rests. With that insight in mind, you move on to consider Einstein's theory of general relativity and its interpretation of gravitation in terms of the curvature of space and time. Professor Wolfson then shows how inquiry into matter at the atomic and subatomic scales led to quandaries that are resolved-or at least clarified-by quantum mechanics, a vision of physical reality so at odds with our experience that it nearly defies language. Bringing relativity and quantum mechanics into the same picture leads to hypotheses about the origin, development, and possible futures of the entire universe, and the possibility that physics can produce a "theory of everything" to account for all aspects of the physical world. Fascinating Incidents and Ideas Along the way, you'll explore these fascinating incidents and ideas: In the 1880s, Albert Michelson and Edward Morley conducted an experiment to determine the motion of the Earth relative to the ether, which was a supposedly imponderable substance pervading all of space. You'll learn about their experiment, its shocking result, and the resulting theoretical crisis. In 1905, a young Swiss patent clerk named Albert Einstein resolved the crisis by discarding the ether concept and asserting the principle of relativity-that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in uniform motion. Relativity implies that the time order of events can be different in different reference frames. Does this wreak havoc with cause and effect? And why does Einstein assert that nothing can go faster than light? Shortly after publishing his 1905 paper on special relativity, Einstein realized that his theory required a fundamental equivalence between mass and energy, which he expressed in the equation E=mc2. Among other things, this famous formula means that the energy contained in a single raisin could power a large city for a whole day. Historically, the path to general relativity followed Einstein's attempt to incorporate gravity into relativity theory, which led to his understanding of gravity not as a force, but as a local manifestation of geometry in curved spacetime. Quantum theory places severe limits on our ability to observe nature at the atomic scale because it implies that the act of observation necessarily disturbs the thing that is being observed. The result is Werner Heisenberg's famous "uncertainty principle." Are quarks, the particles that make up protons and neutrons, the truly elementary particles? What are the three fundamental forces that physicists identify as holding particles together? Could they be manifestations of a single, universal force? A Teaching Legend On his own Middlebury College campus, Professor Wolfson is a teaching legend with an infectious enthusiasm for his subject and a knack for conveying difficult concepts in a way that fosters true understanding. He is the author of an introductory text on physics, a contributor to the esteemed publication Scientific American, and a specialist in interpreting science for the nonspecialist. In this course, Professor Wolfson uses extensive illustrations and diagrams to help bring to life the theories and concepts that he discusses. Thus we highly recommend our DVD version, although Professor Wolfson is mindful of our audio students and carefully describes visual materials throughout his lectures. Professor Richard Wolfson on the Second Edition of Einstein's Relativity: "The first version of this course was produced in 1995. In this new version, I have chosen to spend more time on the philosophical interpretation of quantum physics, and on recent experiments relevant to that interpretation. I have also added a final lecture on the theory of everything and its possible implementation through string theory. The graphic presentations for the DVD version have also been extensively revised and enhanced. But the goal remains the same: to present the key ideas of modern physics in a way that makes them clear to the interested layperson."

     "Provocative, original, and unsettling." -- The New York Review of Books "An excellent writer, a creative thinker." -- Nature

    A wealth of accompanying figures and exercises illustrate and develop the material in more depth. They describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than familiar "classical" computers, and the real-world implementation of quantum computers. Their book concludes with an explanation of how quantum states can be used to perform remarkable feats of communication, and of how it is possible to protect quantum states against the effects of noise.

    Just about everyone has at least heard of Albert Einstein's formulation of 1905, which came into the world as something of an afterthought. But far fewer can explain his insightful linkage of energy to mass. David Bodanis offers an easily grasped gloss on the equation. Mass, he writes, "is simply the ultimate type of condensed or concentrated energy," whereas energy "is what billows out as an alternate form of mass under the right circumstances." Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the "dominion of matter" with "a great stillness"--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening. Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

    This newest edition expands on the strengths of earlier versions, helping students bridge the gap between concepts and reasoning. Students are shown, rather than told about, how physics works and are given the opportunity to apply concepts to real-world problems. Each chapter and concept has been scrutinized to ensure clarity, currency, and accuracy while checkpoints, problem solving tactics, and sample problems help students make sense of new concepts. As always, Fundamentals of Physics covers every aspect of basic physics, from force and motion to relativity and will prepare today's students to be tomorrow's scientists.

    The first edition of this best-selling book received worldwide acclaim for its lucid style and wide-ranging exploration of the universe. This eagerly awaited second edition updates and greatly extends the first with seven new chapters that explore early scientific cosmology, Cartesian and Newtonian world systems, cosmology after Newton and before Einstein, special relativity, observational cosmology, inflation and creation of the universe. All chapters conclude with a section entitled Reflections containing provocative topics that will foster lively debate. The new Projects section, also at the end of each chapter, raises questions and issues to challenge the reader.

    This undergraduate textbook provides a clear, methodical introduction to the theory of stellar structure and evolution. Starting from general principles and axioms, step-by-step coverage leads students to a global, comprehensive understanding of the subject. Throughout, the book uniquely places emphasis on the basic physical principles governing stellar structure and evolution. All processes are explained in clear and simple terms with all the necessary mathematics included. Exercises and their full solutions allow students to test their understanding. This book requires only a basic background in physics and mathematics and assumes no prior knowledge of astronomy. It provides a stimulating introduction for undergraduates in astronomy, physics, planetary science and applied mathematics taking a course on the physics of stars.

    Written by an experienced author team, with the same straightforward approach as the successful New for You GCSE series.

    This volume presents Albert Einstein's 1912 manuscript on the special theory of the relativity, one of the most revolutionary and influential scientific documents of the twentieth century.

    An extensive index allows the required formulas to be located swiftly and simply, and an unique tabular format crisply identifies all the variables involved. All students and professionals in physics, applied mathematics, engineering and other physical sciences will want to have this essential reference book within easy reach.

    This concise introductory paperback surveys and relates basic physics to living systems, encompassing solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, sound, electricity, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. The new edition has been updated with a discussion of atomic force microscopy, use of lasers in medical diagnostics and the applications of nanotechnology in biology and medicine. Applied health workers, even with little formal background in physics, will learn how biological systems can be analyzed quantitatively, how physical and engineering analysis techniques have helped advance the life sciences, and also the limits of quantitative analysis as applied to living systems. End-of-chapter exercises and extensive reference sections add to the book’s value in academic and clinical settings. Provides practical techniques for applying knowledge of physics to the study of living systems Presents material in a straight forward manner requiring very little background in physics or biology Includes many figures, examples and illustrative problems and appendices which provide convenient access to the most important concepts of mechanics, electricity, and optics in the body

    In this groundbreaking book, Adrian Bejan considers the design and optimization of engineered systems and discovers a relationship to the generation of geometric form in natural systems. The idea that shape and structure spring from the struggle for better performance in both engineering and nature is the basis of his new constructal theory: the objective and constraints principle in engineering is the same mechanism underlying the geometry in natural flow systems. From heat exchangers to river channels, Bejan draws many parallels between the engineered and natural worlds. Numerous illustrations, examples, and homework problems make this an ideal text for engineering design courses. Its provocative ideas will also appeal to a broad range of readers in engineering, natural sciences, economics, and business.

    In each chapter the authors' commentary introduces the reprints.

    Feynman’s three volume Lectures on Physics has been known worldwide as the classic resource for students and professionals alike. Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as Einstein’s general relativity, superconductivity, and quantum mechanics, Fenyman’s lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. Responding to the tremendous clamour for the original audio tapes from which the Lectures on Physics were transcribed, Perseus Books is releasing Feynman’s original recordings, remastered for modern audio equipment and re-organized for cohesiveness and convenience. All 111 lectures will be available over the coming years.

    Through the nature of its style and contents it is ideal for both A- and AS-Level Mechanics. Key Points: * Clear text and style * Includes worked examples so that students can work alone * Exercises and examination questions

    It is rich storytelling and, above all, a celebration of the human mind in its quest for beauty in all things."--Alan Lightman, author of Einstein's Dreams"This is a wonderfully lucid account of the extraordinary discoveries that have made the last years a golden period for observational cosmology. But Mario Livio has not only given the reader one clear explanation after another of what astronomers are up to, he has used them to construct a provocative argument for the importance of aesthetics in the development of science and for the inseparability of science, art, and culture."--Lee Smolin, author of "The Life of the Cosmos""What a pleasure to read! An exciting, simple account of the universe revealed by modern astronomy. Beautifully written, clearly presented, informed by scientific and philosophical insights."--John Bahcall, Institute for Advanced Study"A book with charm, beauty, elegance, and importance. As authoritative a journey as can be taken through modern cosmology."--Allan Sandage, Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington

    This concise book tells the fascinating story of how 20th century physicists revealed layer upon layer of structure within the atom to reach the basic particles of matter, and culminates in descriptions of current theories which form the Standard Model and the discovery of the top quark. It contains many illustrations and photographs, including the famous "Particle Chart", and integrates the stories of the individual scientists throughout. The book is a collaboration among eminent physicists at LBL, CERN and high school teachers to develop a novel book for teaching particle physics to students. It can thus be used as a supplement for courses in advanced high school and physics courses.

    Schwinger was one of the most important and influential scientists of the twentieth century. The list of his contributions is staggering, from his early work leading to the Schwinger action principle, Euclidean quantum field theory, and the genesis of the standard model, to later valuable work on magnetic charge and the Casimir effect. He also shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics with Richard Feynman. However, even among physicists, understanding and recognition of his work remains limited. This book by Mehra and Milton, both of whom were personally acquainted with Schwinger, presents a unique portrait that sheds light on both his personality and his work through discussion of his lasting influence on science. Anyone who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of one of the great physicists of this century needs to read this book.

    No other book on the market today can match the success of Halliday, Resnick and Walker's Fundamentals of Physics In a breezy, easy-to-understand style the book offers a solid understanding of fundamental physics concepts, and helps readers apply this conceptual understanding to quantitative problem solving.

    The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is a definitive historical study of that scientific work and the human struggles that accompanied it from the beginning. Drawing upon such materials as the resources of the Archives for the History of Quantum Physics, the Niels Bohr Archives, and the archives and scientific correspondence of the principal quantum physicists, as well as Jagdish Mehra's personal discussions over many years with most of the architects of quantum theory, the authors have written a rigorous scientific history of quantum theory in a deeply human context. This multivolume work presents a rich account of an intellectual triumph: a unique analysis of the creative scientific process. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is science, history, and biography, all wrapped in the story of a great human enterprise. Its lessons will be an aid to those working in the sciences and humanities alike.

    Containing many new entries, and now with biographies of key scientists, it covers all the commonly encountered terms and concepts of physics. -- Over 4,000 clear and concise entries -- New entries include group theory, radioisotope imaging, fractional quantum Hall effect, and Lorentz force -- Feature articles on important topics -- Chronologies chart discoveries in main fields of the subject

    One of these is a graduate-level survey of statistical physics; the other, a rather personal perspective on critical behavior. Thus, this book defines a progression starting at the book-learning part of graduate education and ending in the midst of topics at the research level. To supplement the research-level side the book includes some research papers. Several of these are classics in the field, including a suite of six works on self-organized criticality and complexity, a pair on diffusion-limited aggregation, some papers on correlations near critical points, a few of the basic sources on the development of the real-space renormalization group, and several papers on magnetic behavior in a plain geometry. In addition, the author has included a few of his own papers.

    This accessible, straightforward treatment of classical thermodynamics focuses on the derivation of the fundamental laws of thermodynamics and other topics of interest to scientists and engineers. Although this book is designed for second courses in thermodynamics, there is nonetheless an intensive discussion of basic topics that is intended to reinforce students' understanding of the material. This text reinforces and extends the knowledge the reader has gained from an earlier exposure to thermodynamics. *Inclusion of topics relevant to chemistry, but often omitted from thermodynamics texts-Helps students to extend the applications of fundamental concepts; gives instructors the option to assign these topics. *Several important pedagogical features-Includes problems at the end of each chapter. *Terms and concepts defined in a clear, rigorous, and understandable manner. *Modern symbols and current nomenclature, such as the notation recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. *Clear indication of the conditions under which a particular e

    To a certain extent, this is the case even in some of the established textbooks. In this book of worked problems enough details are provided so that the beginner will understand the solution in each particular case. With this step-by-step guidance, students (after first attempting the solution themselves) can develop their skills and confidence in their ability to work out particle theory problems. Besides being a problems/solutions addition to the well established textbook by Cheng & Li, this book introduces several new topics. It provides the reader with a self-contained approach to the subject, suitable even for those not familiar with the textbook. All problems have been given a descriptive title, enabling the reader to select according to his preferences.

    This authoritative textbook helps readers develop the necessary toolkit of theory. The book is modular in design, allowing the reader to pick and chose a selection of chapters, if necessary. After reviewing the basics of dynamics, electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics, the book carefully develops a solid understanding of radiative processes, spectra, fluid mechanics, plasma physics and MHD, dynamics of gravitating systems, general relativity, nuclear physics, and other key concepts. Throughout, the reader's understanding is developed and tested with problems and helpful hints. This welcome volume provides graduate students with an indispensable introduction to and reference on all the physical processes they will need to successfully tackle cutting-edge research in astrophysics and cosmology. It can be used alone or in conjunction with two companion volumes, which cover stars and stellar systems, and galaxies and cosmology (both forthcoming).

    The book consists of two parts: Part I provides a general introduction to turbulent flows, how they behave, how they can be described quantitatively, and their fundamental physical processes. Part II is concerned with different approaches for modeling, or simulating, turbulent flows. Key appendices present the necessary mathematical techniques. While primarily intended for engineering graduate students, this book will also be valuable to students in applied mathematics, physics, oceanography and atmospheric sciences, as well as to researchers and practicing engineers.

    2000, Pages 300-335Abstract:Richard Feynman's observation that quantum mechanical effects could not be simulated efficiently on a computer led to speculation that computation in general could be done more efficiently if it used quantum effects. This speculation appeared justified when Peter Shor described a polynomial time quantum algorithm for factoring integers. In quantum systems, the computational space increases exponentially with the size of the system which enables exponential parallelism. This parallelism could lead to exponentially faster quantum algorithms than possible classically. The catch is that accessing the results, which requires measurement, proves tricky and requires new non-traditional programming techniques. The aim of this paper is to guide computer scientists and other non-physicists through the conceptual and notational barriers that separate quantum computing from conventional computing. We introduce basic principles of quantum mechanics to explain where the power of quantum computers comes from and why it is difficult to harness. We describe quantum cryptography, teleportation, and dense coding. Various approaches to harnessing the power of quantum parallelism are explained, including Shor's algorithm, Grover's algorithm, and Hogg's algorithms. We conclude with a discussion of quantum error correction.

    They are grouped by topic: path integral approach to the foundations of quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, renormalized quantum electrodynamics, theory of superfluid liquid helium, theory of the Fermi interaction, polarons, gravitation, partons, computer theory, etc. Comments on Feynman's topics are provided by the editor, together with biographical notes and a complete bibliography of Feynman's publications.

    This book relates the story of Einstein and the rebirth of the ether, demonstrating how Einstein came to reject the 19th century ether. It details three relativistic ether models developed by Einstein and Einstein's treatment of spacetime as a material entity-a "new ether"

    It has always been essential to the understanding of material properties, and as devices become smaller it is also essential for studying their behavior. Nevertheless, only a small fraction of graduate engineers and materials scientists take a course giving a systematic presentation of the subject. The courses for physics students tend to focus on the fundamentals and formal background, rather than on application, and do not fill the need. This invaluable text has been designed to fill the very apparent gap.The book covers those parts of quantum theory which may be necessary for a modern engineer. It focuses on the approximations and concepts which allow estimates of the entire range of properties of nuclei, atoms, molecules, and solids, as well as the behavior of lasers and other quantum-optic devices. It may well prove useful also to graduate students in physics, whose courses on quantum theory tend not to include any of these applications. The material has been the basis of a course taught to graduate engineering students for the past four years at Stanford University.Topics Discussed: Foundations; Simple Systems; Hamiltonian Mechanics; Atoms and Nuclei; Molecules; Crystals; Transitions; Tunneling; Transition Rates; Statistical Mechanics; Transport; Noise; Energy Bands; Electron Dynamics in Solids; Vibrations in Solids; Creation and Annihilation Operators; Phonons; Photons and Lasers; Coherent States; Coulomb Effects; Cooperative Phenomena; Magnetism; Shake-off Excitations; Exercise Problems.

    It is a dramatically new view of where we have been and where we are as a result of the development of nuclear weapons. There is an indepth study of Stanley Kubrck's movie sub titled; "How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb". The book is erudite in that it examines all the relevent literature. And it has wonderful drawings by David Levine of all the major players. But, above all, this is a hopeful book for as the author puts it; "...if nothing can be done it may seem that nothing NEED be done. Naturally enough, those who take comfort in that view tend to leave the arena of debate to those who want to do something. Thus the more believers in the power of deterrence, the fewer advocates for action. Dr.Strangelove and the Hideous Epoch reviews the debate's history from the viewpoint of that less representative side and argues the the end of the hideous epoch...is now within view."

    This engaging book presents a view of the process, mainly in the words of people who participated. It combines anecdotal descriptions and personal reminiscences with more technical accounts of the trailblazers, covering the birth of the theory and its first years — the origin of the idea, four-dimensional field theory realization, and supergravity. The eyewitnesses convey to us the drama of one of the deepest discoveries in theoretical physics in the 20th century. This book will be equally interesting and useful to young researchers in high energy physics and to mature scholars — physicists and historians of science.

    Scientists of the future will treat Nature not as a collection of dead objects but as Someone you can make love to. "I want to woo Her, not view Her Pet Reality until She purrs" In "Physics on all Fours" Nick attempts thru verse to set the mood and direction of a new science--quantum tantra--that makes deep and embarrassingly intimate connections with the Cosmos. "Physics on all Fours" will tease your senses, seduce your mind and make you a total pushover for the hot erotic physics of the future.

    This book fills that gap. The style is tutorial, simple, and completely self-contained. Solid State Physicsexplains to readers the newest advances in the area of condensed matter physics with rigorous, but lucid mathematics. Examples are an integral part of the text, and they are carefully designed to apply the fundamental principles illustrated in the text to currently active topics of research.

    How has modern astrophysics changed all that?https://www.audible.com/pd/Why-Does-S...