A Universe of Atoms, An Atom in the Universe

More About This Textbook

Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Related Subjects
Table of Contents

Overview

The essays in this book are based on researches the author has undertaken on a wide range of topics, some using equipment no more elaborate than what is found in an ordinary kitchen, others making elegant use of sophisticated experimental apparatus. Presenting a personal odyssey in physics, Mark Silverman investigates processes that seem to violate fundamental physical laws (but do not), or for which no visualizable mechanism can be given, or that appear to be well understood but turn out to be subtly devious. Written in an engagingly personal style, the essays will be of interest to students of physics and related disciplines as well as to professional scientists. Though they deal with subtle concepts, the discussions use little mathematics, and anyone with some college physics will be able to read the book with pleasure.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

From the reviews of the second edition:

"Mark Silverman has written a collection of very wide ranging essays for a very specialized audience. The title does justice to the breadth of topics, which range from physics toys to radioactive statistics, from planetary atoms to dark matter and the fate of the Universe. … the book has something for everyone … ." (Dr. B. Sauer, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 45 (6), 2005)

"This book is the second, revised and enlarged, edition of Silverman’s ‘And Yet it Moves’. … This book is a real tour de force in that it presents, without unnecessary mathematical equations, a journey into many fields of both classical and modern physics. … Undergraduate, graduate, and even post-graduate students will enjoy this book of beautifully written essays. I warmly recommend this book." (André Hautot, Physicalia, Vol. 26 (1), 2004)

"This collection of essays is the second edition of the And Yet It Moves, updated and enlarged by several additional chapters. … the best choice is advanced level students and the general research and teaching readership in physics and related fields. Those interested in the epistemology of science … will find a lot of points helpful in clarifying and systematizing. … The book is well written … . Each chapter ends with references, and the book concludes with the relevant bibliographies and index of authors." (Petar V. Grujic, Europhysics News, Vol. 36 (2), March/April, 2005)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780387954370
Publisher: Springer New York
Publication date: 12/13/2007
Edition description: 2nd ed. 2002
Edition number: 2
Pages: 417
Product dimensions: 9.21 (w) x 6.14 (h) x 0.94 (d)

	Preface
	Introduction: The Fire Within	1
Ch. 1	The Wirbelrohr's Roar	7
Ch. 2	Musical Bottles, Flying Balloons, and Hot Stoves: The Uncommon Physics of Common Things	30
Ch. 3	The Unimaginably Strange Behavior of Free Electrons	63
Ch. 4	Quantum Beats and Giant Atoms	127
Ch. 5	And Yet It Moves: Exotic Atoms and the Invariance of Charge	181
Ch. 6	Reflections on Light	203
Ch. 7	Two Worlds, Large and Small: Earth and Atom	245
Ch. 8	Computers, Coins, and Quanta: Unexpected Outcomes of Random Events	279
Ch. 9	A Universe of Atoms: Symmetry, Unity, Gravity, and the Problem of "Missing Mass"	325
Ch. 10	Science and Wonder	386
	Selected Papers by the Author	396
	About the Author	409
	Index	411

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review

( 0 )

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Poor

Below Average

Good

Very Good

Exceptional

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble

A Universe of Atoms, An Atom in the Universe / Edition 2