Chaos: Making a New Science
James Gleick - 1987
From Edward Lorenz’s discovery of the Butterfly Effect, to Mitchell Feigenbaum’s calculation of a universal constant, to Benoit Mandelbrot’s concept of fractals, which created a new geometry of nature, Gleick’s engaging narrative focuses on the key figures whose genius converged to chart an innovative direction for science. In Chaos, Gleick makes the story of chaos theory not only fascinating but also accessible to beginners, and opens our eyes to a surprising new view of the universe.
The Physics Book: From the Big Bang to Quantum Resurrection, 250 Milestones in the History of Physics
Clifford A. Pickover - 2011
Following the hugely successful The Science Book and The Math Book comes a richly illustrated chronology of physics, containing 250 short, entertaining, and thought-provoking entries. In addition to exploring such engaging topics as dark energy, parallel universes, the Doppler effect, the God particle, and Maxwells demon, the books timeline extends back billions of years to the hypothetical Big Bang and forward trillions of years to a time of “quantum resurrection.” Like the previous titles in this series, The Physics Book helps readers gain an understanding of major concepts without getting bogged down in complex details.
One, Two, Three...Infinity: Facts and Speculations of Science
George Gamow - 1947
. . full of intellectual treats and tricks, of whimsy and deep scientific philosophy. It is highbrow entertainment at its best, a teasing challenge to all who aspire to think about the universe." — New York Herald TribuneOne of the world's foremost nuclear physicists (celebrated for his theory of radioactive decay, among other accomplishments), George Gamow possessed the unique ability of making the world of science accessible to the general reader.He brings that ability to bear in this delightful expedition through the problems, pleasures, and puzzles of modern science. Among the topics scrutinized with the author's celebrated good humor and pedagogical prowess are the macrocosm and the microcosm, theory of numbers, relativity of space and time, entropy, genes, atomic structure, nuclear fission, and the origin of the solar system.In the pages of this book readers grapple with such crucial matters as whether it is possible to bend space, why a rocket shrinks, the "end of the world problem," excursions into the fourth dimension, and a host of other tantalizing topics for the scientifically curious. Brimming with amusing anecdotes and provocative problems, One Two Three . . . Infinity also includes over 120 delightful pen-and-ink illustrations by the author, adding another dimension of good-natured charm to these wide-ranging explorations.Whatever your level of scientific expertise, chances are you'll derive a great deal of pleasure, stimulation, and information from this unusual and imaginative book. It belongs in the library of anyone curious about the wonders of the scientific universe. "In One Two Three . . . Infinity, as in his other books, George Gamow succeeds where others fail because of his remarkable ability to combine technical accuracy, choice of material, dignity of expression, and readability." — Saturday Review of Literature
Linear Algebra
Stephen H. Friedberg - 1979
This top-selling, theorem-proof text presents a careful treatment of the principal topics of linear algebra, and illustrates the power of the subject through a variety of applications. It emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between linear transformations and matrices, but states theorems in the more general infinite-dimensional case where appropriate.
Computer Science Illuminated
Nell B. Dale - 2002
Written By Two Of Today'S Most Respected Computer Science Educators, Nell Dale And John Lewis, The Text Provides A Broad Overview Of The Many Aspects Of The Discipline From A Generic View Point. Separate Program Language Chapters Are Available As Bundle Items For Those Instructors Who Would Like To Explore A Particular Programming Language With Their Students. The Many Layers Of Computing Are Thoroughly Explained Beginning With The Information Layer, Working Through The Hardware, Programming, Operating Systems, Application, And Communication Layers, And Ending With A Discussion On The Limitations Of Computing. Perfect For Introductory Computing And Computer Science Courses, Computer Science Illuminated, Third Edition's Thorough Presentation Of Computing Systems Provides Computer Science Majors With A Solid Foundation For Further Study, And Offers Non-Majors A Comprehensive And Complete Introduction To Computing.
Street-Fighting Mathematics: The Art of Educated Guessing and Opportunistic Problem Solving
Sanjoy Mahajan - 2010
Traditional mathematics teaching is largely about solving exactly stated problems exactly, yet life often hands us partly defined problems needing only moderately accurate solutions. This engaging book is an antidote to the rigor mortis brought on by too much mathematical rigor, teaching us how to guess answers without needing a proof or an exact calculation.In Street-Fighting Mathematics, Sanjoy Mahajan builds, sharpens, and demonstrates tools for educated guessing and down-and-dirty, opportunistic problem solving across diverse fields of knowledge--from mathematics to management. Mahajan describes six tools: dimensional analysis, easy cases, lumping, picture proofs, successive approximation, and reasoning by analogy. Illustrating each tool with numerous examples, he carefully separates the tool--the general principle--from the particular application so that the reader can most easily grasp the tool itself to use on problems of particular interest. Street-Fighting Mathematics grew out of a short course taught by the author at MIT for students ranging from first-year undergraduates to graduate students ready for careers in physics, mathematics, management, electrical engineering, computer science, and biology. They benefited from an approach that avoided rigor and taught them how to use mathematics to solve real problems.Street-Fighting Mathematics will appear in print and online under a Creative Commons Noncommercial Share Alike license.
Vibrations and Waves
Anthony P. French - 1971
Generous support from a number of foundations provided the means for assembling and maintaining an experienced staff to co-operate with members of the Institute's Physics Department in the examination, improvement, and development of physics curriculum materials for students planning careers in the sciences. After careful analysis of objectives and the problems involved, preliminary versions of textbooks were prepared, tested through classroom use at M.I.T. and other institutions, re-evaluated, rewritten, and tried again. Only then were the final manuscripts undertaken.
Quantum Theory
David Bohm - 1951
Although it presents the main ideas of quantum theory essentially in nonmathematical terms, it follows these with a broad range of specific applications that are worked out in considerable mathematical detail. Addressed primarily to advanced undergraduate students, the text begins with a study of the physical formulation of the quantum theory, from its origin and early development through an analysis of wave vs. particle properties of matter. In Part II, Professor Bohm addresses the mathematical formulation of the quantum theory, examining wave functions, operators, Schrödinger's equation, fluctuations, correlations, and eigenfunctions.Part III takes up applications to simple systems and further extensions of quantum theory formulation, including matrix formulation and spin and angular momentum. Parts IV and V explore the methods of approximate solution of Schrödinger's equation and the theory of scattering. In Part VI, the process of measurement is examined along with the relationship between quantum and classical concepts.Throughout the text, Professor Bohm places strong emphasis on showing how the quantum theory can be developed in a natural way, starting from the previously existing classical theory and going step by step through the experimental facts and theoretical lines of reasoning which led to replacement of the classical theory by the quantum theory.
All the Mathematics You Missed
Thomas A. Garrity - 2001
This book will offer students a broad outline of essential mathematics and will help to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. The author explains the basic points and a few key results of all the most important undergraduate topics in mathematics, emphasizing the intuitions behind the subject. The topics include linear algebra, vector calculus, differential and analytical geometry, real analysis, point-set topology, probability, complex analysis, set theory, algorithms, and more. An annotated bibliography offers a guide to further reading and to more rigorous foundations.
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
David R. Lide - 1984
This edition contains NEW tables on Properties of Ionic Liquids, Solubilities of Hydrocarbons in Sea Water, Solubility of Organic Compounds in Superheated Water, and Nutritive Value of Foods. It also updates many tables including Critical Constants, Heats of Vaporization, Aqueous Solubility of Organic Compounds, Vapor Pressure of Mercury, Scientific Abbreviations and Symbols, and Bond Dissociation Energies. The 88th Edition also presents a new Foreword written by Dr. Harold Kroto, a 1996 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry.
Introduction to Modern Optics
Grant R. Fowles - 1968
The first half of the book deals with classical physical optics; the second principally with the quantum nature of light. Chapters 1 and 2 treat the propagation of light waves, including the concepts of phase and group velocities, and the vectorial nature of light. Chapter 3 applies the concepts of partial coherence and coherence length to the study of interference, and Chapter 4 takes up multiple-beam interference and includes Fabry-Perot interferometry and multilayer-film theory. Diffraction and holography are the subjects of Chapter 5, and the propagation of light in material media (including crystal and nonlinear optics) are central to Chapter 6. Chapters 7 and 8 introduce the quantum theory of light and elementary optical spectra, and Chapter 9 explores the theory of light amplification and lasers. Chapter 10 briefly outlines ray optics in order to introduce students to the matrix method for treating optical systems and to apply the ray matrix to the study of laser resonators.Many applications of the laser to the study of optics are integrated throughout the text. The author assumes students have had an intermediate course in electricity and magnetism and some advanced mathematics beyond calculus. For classroom use, a list of problems is included at the end of each chapter, with selected answers at the end of the book.
Introductory Functional Analysis with Applications
Erwin Kreyszig - 1978
With these new unabridged and inexpensive editions, Wiley hopes to extend the life of these important works by making them available to future generations of mathematicians and scientists.Currently available in the Series: Emil ArtinGeometnc Algebra R. W. CarterSimple Groups Of Lie Type Richard CourantDifferential and Integrai Calculus. Volume I Richard CourantDifferential and Integral Calculus. Volume II Richard Courant & D. HilbertMethods of Mathematical Physics, Volume I Richard Courant & D. HilbertMethods of Mathematical Physics. Volume II Harold M. S. CoxeterIntroduction to Modern Geometry. Second Edition Charles W. Curtis, Irving ReinerRepresentation Theory of Finite Groups and Associative Algebras Nelson Dunford, Jacob T. Schwartzunear Operators. Part One. General Theory Nelson Dunford. Jacob T. SchwartzLinear Operators, Part Two. Spectral Theory--Self Adjant Operators in Hilbert Space Nelson Dunford, Jacob T. SchwartzLinear Operators. Part Three. Spectral Operators Peter HenriciApplied and Computational Complex Analysis. Volume I--Power Senes-lntegrauon-Contormal Mapping-Locatvon of Zeros Peter Hilton, Yet-Chiang WuA Course in Modern Algebra Harry HochstadtIntegral Equations Erwin KreyszigIntroductory Functional Analysis with Applications P. M. PrenterSplines and Variational Methods C. L. SiegelTopics in Complex Function Theory. Volume I --Elliptic Functions and Uniformizatton Theory C. L. SiegelTopics in Complex Function Theory. Volume II --Automorphic and Abelian Integrals C. L. SiegelTopics In Complex Function Theory. Volume III --Abelian Functions & Modular Functions of Several Variables J. J. StokerDifferential Geometry
Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics
Herbert B. Callen - 1985
Presents essential ideas on critical phenomena developed over the last decade in simple, qualitative terms. This new edition maintains the simple structure of the first and puts new emphasis on pedagogical considerations. Thermostatistics is incorporated into the text without eclipsing macroscopic thermodynamics, and is integrated into the conceptual framework of physical theory.
Modern Quantum Mechanics
J.J. Sakurai - 1985
DLC: Quantum theory.
Calculus: An Intuitive and Physical Approach
Morris Kline - 1967
In-depth explorations of the derivative, the differentiation and integration of the powers of x, and theorems on differentiation and antidifferentiation lead to a definition of the chain rule and examinations of trigonometric functions, logarithmic and exponential functions, techniques of integration, polar coordinates, much more. Clear-cut explanations, numerous drills, illustrative examples. 1967 edition. Solution guide available upon request.