Author(s): Alex Montwill (Author), Ann Breslin (Author)
Publisher: Imperial College Press
Publication Date: 22 Jan. 2012
Edition: Illustrated
Language: English
Print length: 260 pages
ISBN-10: 1848166478
ISBN-13: 9781848166479
Book Description
Quantum theory revolutionized physics at the beginning of the last century. Einstein was one of its originators, but as the implications of the theory emerged, he began to have doubts. Are the most basic physical processes based on probability? Is the Universe governed by chance? Do physical objects have an independent existence or do they exist only in our perception? The ramifications may appear bizarre but they are central to understanding this much misunderstood subject. “The Quantum Adventure” deals with the birth and growth of quantum mechanics. It explains the classical dilemma which faced physics at the start of the 20th Century and goes on to show how quantum mechanics emerged and flourished. Difficult and abstract concepts are treated with minimal mathematics and maximal physical imagery. Snippets of information about the dramatis personae are woven into the text and add color to what is traditionally perceived as a complex and challenging topic. It is a must-read for anyone interested in quantum physics.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“It gave a good account of the development of quantum mechanics and the world of the very small, which is certainly accessible to the interested layman.”– Prof Donald H Davis, University College London
“It Includes some unusual background on the historical developments that produced the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian approaches to classical mechanics.” —CHOICE
From the Back Cover
Quantum theory revolutionized physics at the beginning of the last century. Einstein was one of its originators, but as the implications of the theory emerged, he began to have doubts. Are the most basic physical processes based on probability? Is the Universe governed by chance? Do physical objects have an independent existence or do they exist only in our perception? The ramifications may appear bizarre but they are central to understanding this much misunderstood subject.
The Quantum Adventure deals with the birth and growth of quantum mechanics. It explains the “classical dilemma” which faced physics at the start of the 20th Century and goes on to show how quantum mechanics emerged and flourished. Difficult and abstract concepts are treated with minimal mathematics and maximal physical imagery. Snippets of information about the dramatis personae are woven into the text and add color to what is traditionally perceived as a complex and challenging topic. A must-read for anyone interested in quantum physics.
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