Book Description
The periodic table is one of the most potent icons in science. It lies at the core of chemistry and embodies the most fundamental principles of the field. The one definitive text on the development of the periodic table by van Spronsen (1969), has been out of print for a considerable time. The present book provides a successor to van Spronsen, but goes further in giving an evaluation of the extent to which modern physics has, or has not, explained the periodic system. The book is written in a lively style to appeal to experts and interested lay-persons alike. The Periodic Table begins with an overview of the importance of the periodic table and of the elements and it examines the manner in which the term 'element' has been interpreted by chemists and philosophers. The book then turns to a systematic account of the early developments that led to the classification of the elements including the work of Lavoisier, Boyle and Dalton and Cannizzaro. The precursors to the periodic system, like Dobereiner and Gmelin, are discussed. In chapter 3 the discovery of the periodic system by six independent scientists is examined in detail. Two chapters are devoted to the discoveries of Mendeleev, the leading discoverer, including his predictions of new elements and his accommodation of already existing elements. Chapters 6 and 7 consider the impact of physics including the discoveries of radioactivity and isotopy and successive theories of the electron including Bohr's quantum theoretical approach. Chapter 8 discusses the response to the new physical theories by chemists such as Lewis and Bury who were able to draw on detailed chemical knowledge to correct some of the early electronic configurations published by Bohr and others. Chapter 9 provides a critical analysis of the extent to which modern quantum mechanics is, or is not, able to explain the periodic system from first principles. Finally, chapter 10 considers the way that the elements evolved following the Big Bang and in the interior of stars. The book closes with an examination of further chemical aspects including lesser known trends within the periodic system such as the knight's move relationship and secondary periodicity, as well at attempts to explain such trends.
Customer Reviews:
A book that honors "one of the most powerful icons in science".......2007-04-12
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"In spite of the central...role of the periodic table [of the elements], very few authors have felt drawn to write books on its evolution. There is no book that deals adequately with the historical, and especially the conceptual, aspects of the periodic system [that holds that there is a fundamental relationship among the elements] or its significance in chemistry and science generally. It is with the aim of injecting a more philosophical treatment to understanding the periodic system that [this book] has been undertaken...this book is not intended as a work of historical scholarship...the reader is [taken] on an interdisciplinary tour of the many areas of science that are connected with the periodic system, including physics, mathematics, computational methods, history and philosophy of science, and of course, chemistry."
The above is found in the introduction to this fascinating, extremely well researched book by Dr. Eric Scerri, a professor of chemistry and history & philosophy of science at UCLA. This book is fittingly dedicated to the 100TH anniversary of the death of Dimitri Mendeleev (1834 to 1907).
The periodic table of the elements--what is it? Simply, it is basically a two-dimensional representation of a periodic system (that is explained above). The aim of this book is to bring the story of the periodic table "up to date."
This book from my own personal perspective can roughly be divided into five parts:
(I) An overview of the periodic system. (1 chapter)
(II) The development of the periodic table. (4 chapters)
(III) The nucleus and the periodic table: radioactivity, atomic number (the number of protons contained in the nucleus of the atom of an element), and isotopy (isotopes are any of two or more forms of an element having the same number of protons but differing in the number of neutrons). (1 chapter)
(IV) Electronic explanations for the elements of the periodic table: physics versus chemistry. (3 chapters)
(V) Astrophysics, element formation, other chemical trends that defy neat explanations, and three fundamental questions regarding the periodic table. (1 chapter)
One of the key features of this book, as mentioned above, is that it is well researched. However, Scerri goes one step beyond mere information gathering. He actually questions the information he has found. Here are just three examples:
(1) "The notion that the periodic table was deduced from quantum theory by [physicist Niels] Bohr [as the historical record implies] is something of an exaggeration."
(2) "This, I submit, suggests remarkable foresight and intuition on the part of [chemical writer] Gmelin, as does the way in which he uses his system to ground the presentation of the chemistry of these elements. Yet Gmelin's contribution to the classification of the elements has not been sufficiently appreciated of chemistry, or even historians of the periodic system."
(3) Clearly [chemist Dimitri] Mendeleev was spectacularly successful in [his] predictions [of new elements] but perhaps not quite to the extent that is implied by the more selective tables of comparison that regularly appear in chemistry textbooks and even histories of chemistry."
Another feature of this book is the inclusion of the actual writings of key people involved in the development of the periodic table. I found all of these interesting.
Yet another feature is that it is jam-packed with charts, tables, diagrams, etc. so readers can see for themselves what is going on. Some of these tables, etc. are actual copies from historical documents. As well, there are black and white portraits of some of those who contributed to some aspect of the formation and understanding of the periodic table.
The majority of the chapters end with a conclusion that consolidates all the information in a particular chapter. I found these most helpful.
Finally, I feel that this book can be read by all who are interested in the periodic table. However, the author assumes some science background. Many terms are defined in the book's main narrative but many are not. Thus, it would have been helpful if an appendix explaining key terms was also included. As well, a glossary would have been most helpful. Of course, any difficulties can be resolved by referring to a good, standard dictionary or even a basic science dictionary (especially for part IV above).
In conclusion, there are elements of the periodic table that are named after admired others. Examples include Einsteinium and Mendelevium. Eric Scerri has written a comprehensive book that honors the periodic table. Perhaps when a new element is discovered it should be named "Scerrium."
(first published 2006; acknowledgements; introduction; 10 chapters; main narrative 285 pages; notes; index)
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Beautiful Patterns.......2007-01-05
Humans are exquisitely good at finding patterns. Sometimes those patterns turn out to be illusory, such as the constellations. Sometimes they turn out to be very real, such as the patterns illustrated by the periodic table of the elements. Eric Scerri, in his book The Periodic Table, has done an excellent job of presenting a "warts and all" history of the periodic table. Instead of presenting the "heroes only" version of the history of the periodic table [speaking of illusory patterns] found in most high school and college textbooks, he gives us a full historical view with all the players, big and small, and shows how even ideas that turned out to be wrong had a positive effect on getting us to the periodic table we use today. Although scientists may someday show that the periodic table ultimately reduces to quantum mechanics, Professor Scerri shows us why we can't say that with the level of certainty with which it is often presented in chemistry classes [the next time I find chemistry among my preps at the high school where I teach, I will be much better prepared to deal with the periodic table]. The interested lay reader should find the book quite accessible, but a knowledge of high school chemistry, especially in the later chapters where electron configurations are presented [idea for the paperback - include an appendix that covers some chemistry basics like electron configurations], will help. Knowledge of the terminology used in the study of philosophy will also help the reader. This book should be of interest to folks with an interest in the history and philosophy of science, even if they don't have a specific interest in chemistry and the periodic table, especially fans of Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. I strongly suggest that The Periodic Table become required reading for all high school chemistry teachers! John Emsley is still my favorite writer on chemical topics, but Eric Scerri moves to a place not far behind.
An instant classic.......2007-01-03
The Periodic Table is one of the most iconic symbols in our culture. Every person interested in the physical world in which we live will want to read this book. It is also a masterful history of the people involved in the establishment of the periodic law of chemistry. The gradual growth in awareness of the regularities of the elements is the main theme of this work. It is already a classic in its first year in print!
A brilliant achievement.......2006-12-28
Scerri's work is a rich and fascinating account of the history, development and current significance of the Periodic Table: if you have any interest in chemistry you should read it. In his book he describes how the Period System was discovered (giving due credit to Mendeleev, but also to many others who deserve their place in the history of discovery),showing how it was received by other chemists. The most interesting part for me is in the brilliant later chapters, where the role of the Periodic System in influencing Bohr's ideas on the atom, and the nature of the relationship between quantum theory and empirical evidence is presented as clearly as you will find anywhere. Chemistry emerges not (as Dirac once claimed) entirely reduced to physics, but as a still-developing science in which quantum mechanics plays an important but not yet wholly reductive role.
Book Description
Entertaining, rigorous introduction to the development of quantum theory traces the subject's history, from Max Planck's revolutionary discovery of quanta and Niels Bohr's model of the atom to anti-particles, mesons, and Enrico Fermi's nuclear research. Numerous line drawings. 1966 edition.
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2007-08-17
If one can't explain a concept to an educated layman it only means we dont understand it. This is a difficult task and not everyone can do it. Dr. Gamow gets across the essence & beauty of Quantum Mechanics so artfully that one is truly captured with awe. Only a master of the subject can accomplish such a job. Its also a great book for those who want to read about the history of development of QM.
The thirty golden years in physics.......2006-01-10
I really can't think of anyone else who can explain Quantum Physics in simpler terms than George Gamow did in this book. He explains some of the major breakthroughs in Quantum Theory made by Max Planck, Neils Bohr, Pauli Wolfgang, Werner Heisenberg, Paul Dirac, Erwin Schrodinger and the likes in the first 3 decades of the 20th century. You don't need to have any pre-knowledge on the subject to understand this book, because George Gamow had done an exceptional job in explaining those mind-boggling theories so clearly that most people should be able to grasp the physical concepts behind them. Another thing that adds to the pricelessness of this book is that George Gamow put in a lot of his firsthand personal accounts of some of the scientific giants as well as their amusing little stories that give readers a chance to see the less-known yet more approachable sides of them. Despite the fact that some tiny errors and out-dated information can be found here and there, "Thirty Years That Shook Physics" is still a very readable layman's guide to Quantum Physics.
A great book from the master!.......2003-06-02
A reprinted Dover edition of a lovely set of biographies of the physicists of the Golden Period, from the pen of George Gamow. The original 1966 edition has been out of print for a number of years. This 1985 edition is beautifully reproduced, and it includes fascinating pictures, sketches, and poems, done by Gamow himself. He was born in Odessa, in what was then Russia, --before the Soviet Union. The story of his escape to the West is straight out of a thriller. Only it is real! Later in the US, Gamow was referred to by a journalist,--- some time during the Cold War, as "the only scientist in America with a real sense of humor". With his lovely books, we have now all come to experience how Gamow can take the most technical stuff and make it simple. Fun too! The book:--Intellectual treats, whimsy, but deep. It contains penetrating and personal biographies of Niels Bohr, Paul Ehrenfest, Wolfgang Pauli, Werner Heisenberg, Albert Einstein, and recollections from the conferences in the 1930ties in Copenhagen, Brussels, and in the Solvay Institute. Illustrated with lovely drawings by Gamow himself. A book with pictures and conversations! Much of it can be understood by a child, and other parts might require a little concentration. All of it is great fun. The author Gamow started in nuclear physics, during the Golden Age of Physics, worked with Niels Bohr, then later in the US, on the Manhattan Project during WWII, and after the war, he was professor in Boulder Colorado. He has a building on campus named after him! The books he wrote are pearls, and they have been equally popular with my parent's generation as with mine. Luckely some have been reprinted! Other Gamow titles: Biography of Physics, Atomic Energy [dedicated to the hope of lasting peace], Physics of the Strapless Evning Gown,...We are lucky that Dover has reprinted some of them. Gamow's list of scientific accomplishments includes a 1948 landmark paper on the origin of chemical elements, the Big Bang model, and later work with F. Crick on DNA and genetic coding.-- Do more Gamow editions, Dover!
The story of quantum theory:.......2003-01-22
The first three decades of the twentieth century saw history's most concentrated burst of human knowledge of nature. The world described by the greatest of scientists, Isaac Newton, changed quickly to a very strange and startling world described notably by Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Pauli, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, Fermi, and a few others. George Gamow was one of these individuals. His lucent knowledge of the important ideas of the quantum theories and of the men who developed these ideas, makes for very interesting reading.
In his "Thirty Years that Shook Physics," Gamow the physicist is also found to be Gamow the artist -- his excellent drawings augment the narrative -- and Gamow the light hearted humorist. Because of the author's close friendships with Bohr and Pauli (and to a lesser extent, Dirac) the reader will meet not only the thoughts of these characters, but the characters themselves. It seems that quantum physicists like to have fun too. The book concludes with an illustrated text of a play composed and performed at the 1932 Copenhagen conference, although it can be followed it is something of an 'inside joke', if you will.
The book was written in 1965 and Gamow, noting difficulties with quantum theory, expected to see a new and equally radical revolution in physical theories before the end of the century. Although quantum theory has been hugely successful in its application, a new theory is still anticipated. [M-theory?] This book is an excellent account of the emergence of quantum theory, presented in the words of one of its principals.
Quantum Theory Plus Gamowian Humor - A Great Combination.......2002-05-19
George Gamow's "Thirty Years That Shook Physics" is an exceptional book, an entertaining look at the physicists (including himself) that participated in the unveiling of quantum theory.
His book is enlivened by unique photos of the great physicists and mathematicians, their families and friends. We see Niels Bohr and his wife on a motorcycle, Wolfgang Pauli and George Gamow (in lederhosen) on a steamer on a Swiss Lake, Werner Heisenberg in swim trunks, Enrico Fermi playing tennis without a shirt, George Gamow and Leon Rosenfeld resting on a snow covered peak (supposedly discussing nuclear physics), and Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein chatting at a technical session in Brussels.
Many contemporary books on physics for the layman, following publisher's dictates, scrupulously avoid all mathematics. Writing in the 1960's, Gamow assumed that algebraic equations, graphs, and diagrams of experimental setups would actually help clarify explanations and not send readers fleeing in panic. Algebra is necessary; more advanced math is not. Gamow is fun to read, but be prepared to think.
It is amusing how many of the Amazon reviewers mention that they first encountered Gamow in their youth. I too read Gamow, reveling in the excitment of scientific work and discovery.
Gamow adds a bit of fun and comedy to science. We all learn (but may have forgotten) about the Pauli Exclusion Principle that only two electrons with opposite spins can occupy the same quantum orbit. Gamow also introduces us to a lessor known observation, the Pauli Effect, which states that the mere presence of Wolfgang Pauli, a theoretical physicist, near a laboratory ensured that the experimental apparatus would break.
Gamow concludes his history of quantum theory with a light-hearted play created by students of Niels Bohr and presented one evening during technical meetings in 1932 in Copenhagen. "The theme of this dramatic masterpiece has Pauli (Mephistopheles) trying to sell to the unbelieving Ehrenfest (Faust) the idea of a weightless neutrino (Gretchen)."
Gamow has remained in print since the 1960's, due largely to his unique style and for his obvious enthusiasm for physics and for people that do physics. I heartily recommend this book for the layman, and for any student of science, high school or college.
Recently, his popular "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" and "Mr. Tompkins Explores the Atom" have been released again, with some updates for recent discoveries. A typical review claims: "will vastly fascinate the whimsical, and is also scientific". Don't miss Gamow.
Book Description
All atomic particles have a particular "spin," analogous to the earth's rotation on its axis. The quantum mechanical reality underlying spin is complex and still poorly understood. Sin-itiro Tomonaga's The Story of Spin remains the most complete and accessible treatment of spin, and is now available in English translation. Tomonaga tells the tale of the pioneers of physics and their difficult journey toward an understanding of the nature of spin and its relationship to statistics. His clear unfolding of the tale of spin is invaluable to students of physics, chemistry, and astronomy, and his description of the historical development of spin will interest historians and philosophers of science.
"This piece of the history of physics will provide excellent and exciting reading. . . . It also provides the personal touch of an expert in the field that is so often lacking in the physics literature. I recommend it very highly."—Fritz Rohrlich, Physics Today
Sin-itiro Tomonaga was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965.
Customer Reviews:
From the clouds to the ground.......2007-03-08
A story about the hardships involved in the beginning of the 1900s with the birth of Quantum Mechanics. As a physicist one only hears about the great physicists in text books with theory's, experiments, and equations named after them. One even wonders if these scientists were humans or superhumans because colleagues speak of them so 'godly'. Tomonaga brings these great physicists 'down' to earth and describes the atmosphere at the time of incredible struggle. He brings to the forefront the pains the scientists went through, the frictions between mentor and apprentice, the battle to look for a pattern in the data, and the incredible enlightenment accompanied by the resolution of a problem.
This story is not simply of spin. It is also about LIFE, finding meaning in the struggle. Tomonaga spells out for you the hardships involved for every scientist working on problems; thinking outside the box, the everlasting obstacle. But it is in this where nature speaks truth as Tomonaga describes.
For scientists and laypeople alike, this story is about people trying to figure out nature, quantum nature. The scientists are not superhumans, filled with the spirits or god(s). Real people who really struggled, who cried and cursed to find a solution.
A great book about the great human stuggle written by one who solved a great problem.
A Wonderful Overview.......2006-04-26
This is a series of twelve lectures of the physics of the spin angular momentum, and essentially quantum mechanical notion allied only metaphorically to the macroscopic world. Not, perhaps, in all its implications-the theory of ferromagnetism gets short shrift- but in its essential physical aspects.
The topics include spectroscopy, Thomas precession (which one of my undergraduate professors could never fully believe), relativistic quantum mechanics, and statistical physics. It's all very rewarding.
Expounding on "the wide range of physics with varying degrees of difficulty" that understanding spin requires, the translator's preface quotes the Feynman Lectures, "It appears to be one of the few places in physics where there is a rule which can be stated very simply, but for which no one has found a simple and easy explanation. The explanation is deep down in relativistic quantum mechanics. This probably means that we do not have a complete understanding of the fundamental principle involved." The translator, Takeshi Oka, is a professor at the Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago, and the introduction is from 1996. We can trust his assessment of the situation and conjecture that it probably hasn't changed much since then.
The approach is collegial rather than academic and to anyone with a modest physics or mathematics background (e.g., someone with physics minor or an elementary understanding of vectors and differential equations), the treatments should be sufficiently accessible to use as an introduction. For an educated reader with no mathematical background, I think only lectures 9 and 11 will be a total wash, although another six will be rough going (but. I'd hope, rewarding).
Although the lectures aren't overly mathematical, at least in the sense that a physicist would use the term, the lectures contain mathematics. Some equations are shown, others swiftly derived and one or two proofs are introduced. Many times, Tomonaga introduces ideas to explain why a particular aspect of the mathematics, i.e., spinors, was needed or created. The intuitive descriptions of the mathematics and intimate explanations of how ideas were derived are invaluable for understanding the nature of spin.
a truly beautiful mind :).......2005-12-31
Mr. Tomonaga deserves that expression more than others because of his sensitivity and sweetness (if such things can be said about physicists ;) .. the book speaks for itself and is a 'must read' for anyone interested in physics or the history of physics :) enuf said ;)
Nice.......2003-03-04
Although you can find the same story in other sources, this one is definitely a time-saving reading. The informal style is a plus for those who are not familiar with quantum theory.
Spin: a beautiful history of Quantum Mechanics.......2002-04-29
This is one of my favourite physics books. I have always had difficulties understanding the nature of spin and this book explains it with unsurpassable style. There are so many aspects to spin that it requires the brilliant exposition of someone like Tomonaga to unpack all its subtleties: spin is not simply the self-rotation of the electron, it is also a subtle property of isotropic space. As well, spin is at the heart of particle statistics in quantum field theory. In nuclear physics, the concept of spin was also coopted into a description of iso-tropic space! Not only does Tomonaga describe the theoretical aspects of spin, but he patiently recounts the breakthough (now obscure) experiments that measured it. Some of the highlights of the book include an discussion of the nature of vectors and tensors and an immensely readable history of second quantisation that leads to quantum field theory.
It is interesting to contrast Tomanaga's style with the other 2 physicists who shared the Nobel prize in electrodynamics with him. From the folksy iconoclasm of Richard Feynman to the brutal formalistic abstraction of Julian Schwinger (who broke the back of Physical Review with his third paper on electrodynamics which is one of the most equation heavy paper ever written). Then there is Tomonaga, who epitomises simplicity and clarity, with a clear-eyed reverence for the rich history of physics. He is above all, a sympathetic teacher - he tells you when something is difficult - for instance, explaining how Dirac stumbled on second quantisation "Why must you quantize it once more as the name second quantization suggests? We mortals stand bewildered here. Howerver, there is no use being bewildered, so let us try to discover why we feel bewildered." It's no wonder that Freeman Dyson said that it was only with the framework of Tomonaga, could he weave Feynman and Schwinger together into a comprehensible whole.
However, this book is not just a text-book on spin, in its pages, there is a superb history of quantum mechanics. Tomonaga gives a blow-by-blow account of the development of quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and nuclear physics, as it relates to spin. Through the recreation of the arguments and counter-arguments of the old masters of quantum mechanics, he has brought to life these characters that so dominated physics in the golden era of the 20's and 30's.
Customer Reviews:
A forgotten history of science.......2005-10-12
Written in the style of the 'DaVinci Code' this history of forgetten science is quite fascinating. The title could definitely use the word 'history' in it. I certainly didn't expect a history lesson when I ordered the book.
While the author obviously has a grasp of his subject, I personally find the science as he describes it very hard to comprend through his writing style. I think he should consider re-writing the book to allow laypeople to understand what the heck science he's writing about. What is a spiral field? How does and why does it turn?... in what directions?... give everyday examples... why do people think it turns? etc. etc. I certainly intend to re-read the book a number of times to see if I can understand what the heck he's talking about.
Compelling Subject.......2000-09-18
This book is for those who care more about substance than style. Dr. Ginzburg's subject-the toroidal spiral field and its study by scientists beginning with Archimedes-is fascinating and its significance hard to overestimate. Dr. Ginzburg clearly believes the toroidal spiral field is the mathematical representation of what can also be called the "universal field," insofar as it constitutes the essence of the structure of the unverse: nothing less. Readers of The Tao of Physics, The Physics of Immortality, The Dancing Wu Li Masters and Wholeness and the Implicate Order will profit from this book.
Dr. Ginzburg (who maintains an interesting related web site: Helicola@aol.com) has self-published this work, which suffers from a lack of editorial polish, although this detracts far less than might be feared from the fundamental importance of the work. While much of the book is a fictionalized account of the transmission of the apocryphal "Archimedes File," in which is found the initial discovery of the importance of the toroidal spiral field, the story-telling method employed makes for an entertaining introduction to profound subject matter and incidentally provides a pleasant "tour" of the evolution of the physical sciences through the early Twentieth Century. The book would also have benefitted from footnoting, but given that it is not presented as an academic text, this is easily overlooked as well.
What matters here is the message, as Dr. Ginzburg well knows. Dr. Ginzburg has a passion or his subject and is committed to making toroidal spiral field theory beter known. "The scientist... who sees geometry as the divine proportion of created things," wrote Claudio Magris in Danube, describing Kepler, who himself wrote that "[i]t is the geometrician who approaches closest to the design of the Deity." Dr. Ginzburg is seeking to reveal that design-which he believes to be the toroidal spiral field-to his readers, and has written a book which will compel its readers to think long and carefully about what they have read.
"The term 'particle' has no physical meaning," Dr. Ginzburg gives as the conclusion of Peter Tait, a Scots physicist who died in 1901. "What we perceive as a particle is actually a toroidal spiral field." If this is true-and this reviewer believes it to be so-,the implications are enormous. It is hard to imagine a more exciting field of inquiry and speculation: physics melding into metaphysics. Dr. Ginzburg hopes to continue his tale of the Archimedes File and its place in the Twentieth Century, in the Twenty Fist, today and tomorrow. It is to be hoped that he does, and that deserved attention is given to his work.
Revolutionary and exciting new physics insights........2000-02-02
Unified Spiral Field and Matter. Author: Vladimir B. Ginzburg Publisher: Helicola Press 1999, ISBN: 0-9671432-0-9. Subject: A Story of a Great Discovery.
Unified Spiral Field and Matter is an independent continuation and expansion of a previous 1996 publication, Spiral Grain of the Universe, by Dr. Vladimir B. Ginzburg. It is a unique and a brilliant book, for the layman, as well as the learned.
Like the 1996 book, the Unified Spiral Filed and Matter presents the reader with a story of a great discovery. This is the discovery of the spiral nature of the material Universe. It presents the reader with a discovery, which accentuates the rotational movements of everything in the observable Universe. From the smallest grains of matter to the galaxies, and the role this plays in its construction. The insight climaxes in the creation of models of the fundamental particles of matter, in the form of spirals, which Dr. Ginzburg classifies as Vortices, Spheruses, Helixes and Toruses and which he then describes graphically and mathematically, explaining their dynamics in the terms of contemporary physics.
The book's novel approach in presenting such ideas to the general public is in Dr. Ginzburg's brilliant account of the history of the idea of spirals. This he traces back to Archimedes, and then through the past 2200 years, in the thinking of some of histories profoundest natural philosophers, thinkers, discoverers and physicists. This part of the book is not just a most enjoyable reading for the inquisitive thinker, but thoroughly informative and provocative to the intellect, at the same time as it serves as the accumulative foundation for the groundbreaking discoveries in the theorisations of the Unified Spiral Filed and Matter.
Dr. Ginzburg's ideas may prove to be as close to the fundamental truths regarding the construction principles of the material Universe, as anything being currently presented in physics. This in particular when it comes to our understanding of what forces holds the fundamental particles together.
The Unified Spiral Field and Matter is a brilliant exposition of fundamental ideas and issues in mathematics, physics and the creation of particle field-concepts. I recommend this reading to anyone interested in the big questions in particle physics and humanities possibilities for the construction of the all important and ultimate Theory of Everything.
Paul J. Einarsson.
The path toward understanding the universe.......1999-12-04
I found this book easy to read and understand. It was exciting to follow the line of possessors of the Archimedes file, the events that brought the file to each in succession and the importance of each possessor in bringing us closer to an understanding the structure of the universe. It was quite informative about the attitudes and personalities of so many great scientists.
A fascinating history of secret scientific discoveries.......1999-10-29
If modern science has ever put you in mind of what orbital mechanics must have been like before Copernicus, this book is a "must read." Russian scientist Vladimir Ginzburg traces the history of something called The Archimedes File -- a so-far secret compilation of the "best" ideas of history's best scientists... each of whom contributed a small piece to a theory which, now that it is approaching completion, promises to revolutionize our understanding of matter, energy and time. As he follows the File's development over the centuries, Ginzburg explains how it came into the possession of each of its inheritors (Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo and Faraday being perhaps the best-known), and how each incorporated its general implications into their world-famous equations. More important, however, is what each one DIDN'T tell the world. As Ginzburg relates, the equations we know, while clearly advancing humanity's understanding of such fields as orbital mechanics, sub-atomic particles, cosmology, light and electricity, are only part of the story. The best part is how each of these men -- recognized as giants in their own fields -- realized that their "very best" work represented only a tiny contribution to this theory-to-end-all-theories, and were content to let their contribution remain secret -- waiting for the day when this cosmic theory would reach completion, and could be presented to the world. That day, says Ginzburg, is now at hand. This book is the second of three; the first simply traced the history of the File, while this one introduces and explains the equations that were added to it over the ages. The thinking reader is left with one over-riding question: does this File actually exist, or is it merely a convenient fiction developed to support and help introduce Ginzburg's own work? Ginzburg promises to answer this question in the third book. The only reason for not awarding the book five stars is that English is not Ginzburg's native language; while the text is clear, and the tale absorbingly told, errors in syntax sometimes interfere with the flow. I await the arrival of the third book, and in the meantime urge readers to familiarize themselves with a theory which, if proven true, will rival the discovery of fire in its significance.
Book Description
Nonmathematical but thorough explanation of work of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Pauli, Heisenberg, Dirac, etc. "Of the books attempting an account of the history and contents of modern atomic physics . . . this is the best." — Henry Margenau, Professor of Physics, Yale University. "Postscript 1959."
Customer Reviews:
Strange Story of the Quantum.......2004-05-12
This book is absolutly amazing, with very clear language that anyone could almsot understand. The beginning of the book does really start off as some dramatic book, but in the end, when all the dots are connected, you get the clearest explanation of why quantum world is random, but not the psuedo-random like the toss of a coin. At the points when the things really need to be explained as clearly as possible to the reader, the author does just that and leaves the story writting outline aside, while making sure that the reader really comperhands all the unusual quantum phenomena.
Hoffmann Loses and Finds Form.......2003-12-01
In Hoffmann's metaphorical language, exploration of the microcosm is like approximating a circle by means of polygons of greater and greater numbers of sides. You can't go on ad infinitum. The quantum is a minimum discernable action (energy acting over time) placing a limit on precision. You can never get as precise as the circle and therefore it disappears from reality. There are only polygons. But if there are no circles, why does the universe bother to approximate them?
Hoffmann does not ask or answer that last question, but he discovers form in another way. A supposed particulate object can possess a quantum without any formal precision; that is, you can't know its position or momentum exactly. Particles disappear into a smear and without them so do atoms (and molecules, etc.). In Hoffmann's analogy, you can see flowing water or water molecules, but you can't see both. The flow disappears when you try to discover of what it consists (where does the fire go when it goes out?). Similarly spacetime disappears among the indeterminate particles. This supposed event causes Hoffmann some regret, but why should it? He believes, it seems, in the perceived forms and cannot give them up for any indiscernable smears of action. We don't get any such affirmation, however. He obeys the unspoken protocol never to mix physics and metaphysics.
Physics can be Fun.......2003-04-07
I truly enjoyed this book. I enjoy physics, and this book I believe is great for anyone who wants to know about the history of the quantum.
Hoffman wrote this book as if he is speaking directly to you, with a sense of humor and wit.
Are physicist right-well, most of the time.
Wave or Particle...Particle or Wave? (no strings yet!).......2003-02-24
This wonderful book written by Hoffman in 1947 (and updated in 1958) is timeless. That seems like a rather strange statement considering we are talking about physics, which seems to upend itself every 10 years! I am an avid fan of books on physics, astrophysics and cosmology. I have one major deficit and that is I have little math background. Hoffman's ability to write about complex concepts in a nonmathematical format is superb. His historical accounting of how classical physics was astounded by quantum physics is both stimulating and entertaining. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the origins of today's popular thoughts in physics.
A droll depiction of violet (and other) catastrophes.......1997-05-07
Hoffman writes with attention to scientific detail as well as with a wry sense of humor:
Is light a wave or a particle? Yes!
Is the electron here or there? Yes!
Do physicists really know what they're talking about? Yes!
Average customer rating:
- mathematical consistent review of gauge theories
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Quantum Gauge Theories : A True Ghost Story
Gunter Scharf
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Quantum Theory
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Quantum Theory
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ASIN: 0471414808 |
Book Description
An innovative new treatment of particle physics using quantum gauge theory as its basis
If regarded as operator theories, ghost fields play a very important role in quantum gauge theory, which forms the basis of modern particle physics. The author argues that all known forces in nature-electromagnetism, weak and strong forces, and gravity-follow in a unique way from the basic principle of quantum gauge invariance. Using that as a starting point, this volume discusses gauge theories as quantum theories, as part of a streamlined modern approach. The simplicity of using only this one method throughout the book allows the reader a clear understanding of the mathematical structure of nature, while this modern and mathematically well-defined approach elucidates the standard theory of particle physics without overburdening the reader with the full range of various ideas and methods. Though the subject matter requires a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, the book's unprecedented and uncomplicated coverage will offer readers little difficulty. This revolutionary volume is suitable for graduate students and researchers alike and includes a completely new treatment of gravity as well as important new ideas on massive gauge fields.
Customer Reviews:
mathematical consistent review of gauge theories.......2004-11-28
Common textbooks on quantum (gauge) theories usually refer to 'renormalization' as to be essential for the physical interpretation of these theories. prof. scharf gives like in his first book (finite quantum electrodynmaics) a unique but mathematical consistent formulation of the matter. no undefined nor infinite quantities appear. instead only finite 'normalization' constants have to be used as consequences of ambiguities within the 'splitting'-procedure of distributions.
a clear description then is given - without refering to neither the canonical nor the path-integral formalism - how to 'translate' the clasical gauge-freedom of the vector-potential to quantum fields. here the well-known 'ghost-fields'
(Geisterfelder in german) appear.
the author adds short but elegant discussions of massless (pure gluon-interaction) and massive (standard-model) gauge-fields. in a last chapter even spin-2 fields necessary for quantum-gravitation are presented.
i hope that this book will serve as a bridge between the various 'phenomenological' descriptions of the matter given in most textbooks and the more mathematical ones which in most cases are hard to accees for ordinary physicists.
A.P. Schaffarczyk
University of Applied Sciences
Kiel, Germany
Average customer rating:
- Excellent non-technical overview of QM.
- It is very reader friendly book on a difficult subject
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The story of quantum mechanics
V Guillemin
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B0006BUS1O |
Book Description
Written by a renowned Harvard physicist, this introduction to the evolution of quantum physics also explores the subject's philosophical implications. Topics include the development of physics from antiquity onward, research pertaining to elementary particles, and the relationship between physical science and issues of philosophy and religion. 48 illustrations. 1968 edition.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent non-technical overview of QM........2007-02-16
This is one of the best "intro" books for those of us whose math skills are limited. Dr. Guillemin takes us from the genesis of QM all the way to it's philosophical implications. There are quite a few diagrams to explain things along the way.
The material covered is wide in scope and thus gives one a great overview of Quantum Mechanics. The math involved is quite easy to follow. However, do not think this is a quick easy read. To really appreciate the text one's full attention is required.
I wanted to read this book for many years and finally got around to it. Excellent introduction albeit a little dated.
It is very reader friendly book on a difficult subject.......2001-05-03
This is a very fine book on the subject written for people interested in science. No hard core technical or mathematical knowledge is necessary to read this book except common understanding of modern physics. Author takes you through the beginning of concept of Atom and introduces you Quantum Mechanical concepts as solutions to the problems of Classical Physics in explaining the nature of the things. Every aspect of the Quantum Physics is covered including Elementary Particles and Feynman Diagrams, Group Theory. The book is finished with a nice chapter on the Philosphical implications of the Quantum Theory, very nice. It is not up to date but for a beginner it is very much readable book, I hope you can find a copy of it. I may prefer Reznicks book but this book for someone who hates formulas and is interested in concepts.
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