Let There Be Light: The Story of Light from Atoms to Galaxies, 2nd Edition 2nd Revised edition
Author(s): Ann Breslin (Author), Alex Montwill (Author)
Publisher: Imperial College Press
Publication Date: 9 Mar. 2013
Edition: 2nd Revised edition
Language: English
Print length: 450 pages
ISBN-10: 184816758X
ISBN-13: 9781848167582
Book Description
This book is the first of its kind devoted to the key role played by light and electromagnetic radiation in the universe. Readers are introduced to philosophical hypotheses such as the economy, symmetry and the universality of natural laws, and are then guided to practical consequences such as the rules of geometrical optics and even Einstein’s well-known but mysterious relationship, E = mc2. Most chapters feature a pen picture of the life and character of a relevant scientific figure. These ‘Historical Interludes’ include, among others, Galileo’s conflicts with the Inquisition, Fourier’s taunting of the guillotine, Neils Bohr and World War II, and the unique character of Richard Feynman. This second edition has been revised to present information in a more accessible style. Most of the mathematical jargon and equations from the first edition have been transformed into layman’s terms. More historical materials have been included to account for the application and understanding of the phenomena of light from pre-historic to present times. The book will be of interest to students and teachers, as well as general readers interested in physics.
Editorial Reviews
Review
I found it wonderful: interesting and amusing … I appreciated the easy but accurate way the arguments are presented, the very nice figures and drawings, the historical interludes with `gossips’ scarcely known, etc. The choice of the arguments is also interesting. –Professor Giorgio Romano, Università INFN, Salerno
The combined effort has given us this wonderful survey of how light comes into physics and how it is even today impossible to really understand. –Sveinn Bjarman, Uppsala University, Sweden
The book has a pleasant and light narrative flow, with excellent illustrations, photos, and occasional well-chosen historical interludes. Topics are, nevertheless, treated with a good degree of rigour… This may be the book that affords the struggling student a glimpse of the beauty that makes the serious study of physics so worthwhile. –Professor Frank Imbusch, National University of Ireland, Galway
From the Back Cover
This book is the first of its kind devoted to the key role played by light and electromagnetic radiation in the universe. Readers are introduced to philosophical hypotheses such as the economy, symmetry and the universality of natural laws, and are then guided to practical consequences such as the rules of geometrical optics and even Einstein’s well-known but mysterious relationship, E = mc2. Most chapters feature a pen picture of the life and character of a relevant scientific figure. These ‘Historical Interludes’ include, among others, Galileo’s conflicts with the Inquisition, Fourier’s taunting of the guillotine, Neils Bohr and World War II, and the unique character of Richard Feynman.
This second edition has been revised to present information in a more accessible style. Most of the mathematical jargon and equations from the first edition have been transformed into layman’s terms. More historical materials have been included to account for the application and understanding of the phenomena of light from pre-historic to present times.
The book will be of interest to students and teachers, as well as general readers interested in physics.
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