Physics: A Very Short Introduction

Physics: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Sidney Perkowitz
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192543563
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet. This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of how this pervasive science came to be and how it works: who funds it, how physicists are trained and how they think, and how physics supports the technology we all use. Sidney Perkowitz presents the theories and outcomes of pure and applied physics from ideas of the Greek natural philosophers to modern quantum mechanics, cosmology, digital electronics and energy production. Considering its most consequential experiments, including recent results in elementary particles, gravitational waves and materials science, he also discusses outside the lab, the effects of physics on society, culture, and humanity's vision of its place in the universe. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Physics: A Very Short Introduction

Physics: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Sidney Perkowitz
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192543563
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 169

Get Book Here

Book Description
Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet. This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of how this pervasive science came to be and how it works: who funds it, how physicists are trained and how they think, and how physics supports the technology we all use. Sidney Perkowitz presents the theories and outcomes of pure and applied physics from ideas of the Greek natural philosophers to modern quantum mechanics, cosmology, digital electronics and energy production. Considering its most consequential experiments, including recent results in elementary particles, gravitational waves and materials science, he also discusses outside the lab, the effects of physics on society, culture, and humanity's vision of its place in the universe. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Particle Physics: a Very Short Introduction

Particle Physics: a Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Frank Close
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019287375X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
Following the discovery of the Higgs boson, Frank Close has produced this major revision to his classic and compelling introduction to the fundamental particles that make up the universe.

Quantum Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Quantum Theory: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: John Polkinghorne
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191577677
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 145

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Book Description
Quantum Theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. The main text makes no use of equations, but there is a Mathematical Appendix for those desiring stronger fare. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Philosophy of Physics

Philosophy of Physics PDF Author: David Wallace
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198814321
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 169

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Book Description
Philosophy of physics is concerned with the deepest theories of modern physics - quantum theory, our theories of space, time and symmetry, and thermal physics - and their strange, even bizarre conceptual implications. This book explores the core topics in philosophy of physics, and discusses their relevance for both scientists and philosophers.

Nuclear Physics: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Physics: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Frank Close
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 019102872X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 137

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Book Description
Nuclear physics began long before the identification of fundamental particles, with J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron at the end of the 19th century, which implied the existence of a positive charge in the atom to make it neutral. In this Very Short Introduction Frank Close gives an account of how this area of physics has progressed, including the recognition of how heavy nuclei are built up in the cores of stars and in supernovae, the identification of quarks and gluons, and the development of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). Exploring key concepts such as the stability of different configurations of protons and neutrons in nuclei, Frank Close shows how nuclear physics brings the physics of the stars to Earth and provides us with important applications, particularly in medicine. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The History of Physics

The History of Physics PDF Author: J. L. Heilbron
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019968412X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
Originally published in 2015 as: Physics: a short history from quintessence to quarks.

Nothing: A Very Short Introduction

Nothing: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Frank Close
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199225869
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
What is 'the void'? What remains when you take all the matter away? Can empty space - 'nothing' - exist? This text explores the science & history of the elusive void - from Aristotle's theories to black holes & quantum particles, & why our very latest discoveries about the vacuum can tell us extraordinary things about the cosmos.

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction

Nuclear Power: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: John Maxwell Irvine
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199584974
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Following the increasing cost of fossil fuels and concerns about the security of their future supply. However, the term 'nuclear power' causes anxiety in many people and there is confusion concerning the nature and extent of the associated risks.

Relativity: A Very Short Introduction

Relativity: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Russell Stannard
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199236224
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 129

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Book Description
Einstein's theory of relativity shattered the world of physics - replacing Newtonian ideas of space and time with bizarre and counterintuitive conclusions: a world of slowing clocks and stretched space, black holes and curved space-time. This Very Short Introduction explores and explains the theory in an accessible and understandable way.

Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of Science PDF Author: Samir Okasha
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198745583
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
What is science? -- Scientific inference -- Explanation in science -- Realism and anti-realism -- Scientific change and scientific revolutions -- Philosophical problems in physics, biology, and psychology -- Science and its critics.