Title search results
Showing 1 - 20 of 791 items
Boltzmann's Atom: The Great Debate That Launched a Revolution in Physics
By David Lindley. 2001
In 1900 many eminent scientists did not believe atoms existed, yet within just a few years the atomic century launched…
into history with an astonishing string of breakthroughs in physics that began with Albert Einstein and continues to this day. Before this explosive growth into the modern age took place, an all-but-forgotten genius strove for forty years to win acceptance for the atomic theory of matter and an altogether new way of doing physics. Ludwig Boltz-mann battled with philosophers, the scientific establishment, and his own potent demons. His victory led the way to the greatest scientific achievements of the twentieth century.Now acclaimed science writer David Lindley portrays the dramatic story of Boltzmann and his embrace of the atom, while providing a window on the civilized world that gave birth to our scientific era. Boltzmann emerges as an endearingly quixotic character, passionately inspired by Beethoven, who muddled through the practical matters of life in a European gilded age.Boltzmann's story reaches from fin de siècle Vienna, across Germany and Britain, to America. As the Habsburg Empire was crumbling, Germany's intellectual might was growing; Edinburgh in Scotland was one of the most intellectually fertile places on earth; and, in America, brilliant independent minds were beginning to draw on the best ideas of the bureaucratized old world.Boltzmann's nemesis in the field of theoretical physics at home in Austria was Ernst Mach, noted today in the term Mach I, the speed of sound. Mach believed physics should address only that which could be directly observed. How could we know that frisky atoms jiggling about corresponded to heat if we couldn't see them? Why should we bother with theories that only told us what would probably happen, rather than making an absolute prediction? Mach and Boltzmann both believed in the power of science, but their approaches to physics could not have been more opposed. Boltzmann sought to explain the real world, and cast aside any philosophical criteria. Mach, along with many nineteenth-century scientists, wanted to construct an empirical edifice of absolute truths that obeyed strict philosophical rules. Boltzmann did not get on well with authority in any form, and he did his best work at arm's length from it. When at the end of his career he engaged with the philosophical authorities in the Viennese academy, the results were personally disastrous and tragic. Yet Boltzmann's enduring legacy lives on in the new physics and technology of our wired world.Lindley's elegant telling of this tale combines the detailed breadth of the best history, the beauty of theoretical physics, and the psychological insight belonging to the finest of novels.Dieses Buch macht die überraschende Vielfalt der Personen und Tätigkeiten in der Radioaktivitätsforschung sichtbar. Dabei wird der Begriff der wissenschaftlichen…
Arbeit neu konzeptualisiert. Neben die Forschungsarbeit im Labor treten scheinbare Rand-, Neben- und Routinetätigkeiten, die für die Radioaktivitätsforschung als Disziplin von zentraler Bedeutung waren.Badeärzte, Industriechemiker und Bergbaubeamte waren an der Erforschung der neuen Substanzen und Strahlen ebenso beteiligt wie eine vergleichsweise hohe Zahl von Frauen. Die erste umfassende Studie zur deutschsprachigen Radioaktivitätsforschung im vorderen Teil des Buches offenbart die Ausnahmestellung der Hauptstädte Berlin und Wien für die Forschung ebenso wie fruchtbares akademisches Leben in der Provinz; sie zeigt, wie das neue Gebiet an den Hochschulen in die Lehre einzog und welchen Beitrag Professoren, Privatdozenten und Promovierende zur Forschung leisteten. Erstmals wird auch die Bedeutung der Wasseruntersuchungen aufgezeigt, die durch die Hoffnung auf radioaktive Heilquellen angetrieben wurden.Im zweiten Teil werden in internationaler Perspektive unsichtbare und in der Geschichtsschreibung oft wenig beachtete Facetten der „Arbeit mit dem Radium“ untersucht. So mussten Instrumente und radioaktive Präparate überhaupt erst hergestellt und in Umlauf gebracht werden. Auch die Etablierung von Nachweismethoden für Radioaktivität erforderte viel Arbeit, von der niemand sprach. Dienstleistungen wie die Entwicklung therapeutisch nutzbarer Präparate, Gutachtertätigkeiten, die Herausgabe einer Zeitschrift oder die Organisation eines Kongresses werden als integraler Bestandteil der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit in ihrer Bedeutung dargestellt. Eine Reflexion zur Arbeitsorganisation und zum disziplinären Status bündelt die Ergebnisse in einer neuen Gesamtsicht auf die frühe Radioaktivitätsforschung.Computational Methods and Mathematical Modeling in Cyberphysics and Engineering Applications 1
By Dmitri Koroliouk, Sergiy Lyashko, Nikolaos Limnios. 2024
Mathematical methods in engineering are characterized by a wide range of techniques for approaching various problems. Moreover, completely different analysis…
techniques can be applied to the same problem, which is justified by the difference in specific applications. Therefore, the study of the analyses and solutions of specific problems leads the researcher to generate their own techniques for the analysis of similar problems continuously arising in the process of technical development. Computational Methods and Mathematical Modeling in Cyberphysics and Engineering Applications contains solutions to specific problems in current areas of computational engineering and cyberphysics.Breaking the Time Barrier: The Race to Build the First Time Machine
By Jenny Randles. 2005
IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.... Once widely considered an impossibility--the stuff of science fiction novels--time travel may finally…
be achieved in the twenty-first century. In Breaking the Time Barrier, bestselling author Jenny Randles reveals the nature of recent, breakthrough experiments that are turning this fantasy into reality. The race to build the first time machine is a fascinating saga that began about a century ago, when scientists such as Marconi and Edison and Einstein carried out research aimed at producing a working time machine. Today, physicists are conducting remarkable experiments that involve slowing the passage of information, freezing light, and breaking the speed of light--and thus the time barrier. In the 1960s we had the "space race." Today, there is a "time race" involving an underground community of working scientists who are increasingly convinced that a time machine of some sort is finally possible. Here, Randles explores the often riveting motives of the people involved in this quest (including a host of sincere, if sometimes misguided amateurs), the consequences for society should time travel become a part of everyday life, and what evidence might indicate that it has already become reality. For, if time travel is going to happen--and some Russian scientists already claim to have achieved it in a lab--then its effects may already be apparent.Physik für Dummies: Das Lehrbuch (Für Dummies)
By Wilhelm Kulisch, Regine Freudenstein. 2024
Die Physik auf etwas mehr als einen Blick Physik kann ganz schön kompliziert sein, besonders wenn es etwas mehr in…
die Tiefe geht. Dass man aber auch komplizierte Dinge leicht verständlich und bisweilen amüsant erklären kann, beweist dieses Buch. Wilhelm Kulisch und Regine Freudenstein erläutern, was Sie über Mechanik, Kontinuumsmechanik, Schwingungen, Wellen, Elektromagnetismus, Thermodynamik und Optik wissen sollten. Aber auch die makroskopische und mikroskopische moderne Physik kommen mit Relativitätstheorie und Quantenphysik nicht zu kurz. Zahlreiche Übungsaufgaben mit Lösungen runden das Buch ab. Sie erfahren Was Kapazität, magnetische Induktion und Halbleiter sind Was es mit der Wellennatur des Lichts, der Polarisation und dem elektromagnetischen Spektrum auf sich hat Was es zu Pulsaren, schwarzen Löchern und der Urknalltheorie zu wissen gibtIo: A New View of Jupiter’s Moon (Astrophysics and Space Science Library #468)
By Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Katherine De Kleer, James Tuttle Keane. 2023
Written by expert researchers, this book covers all the major aspects of research in Jupiter's moon Io, from the interior…
to its space environment. Io is one of the Solar System’s most exotic satellites. The book discusses Io's interior, geology, atmosphere, and, in particular, its active volcanism, which was discovered from observations by the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1979, confirming a possibility suggested from theoretical studies based on Io’s orbit. Our knowledge of Io’s volcanism, composition, and space environment was significantly increased as a result of observations by other spacecrafts, including Galileo.More than a decade after the 1st edition, “Io After Galileo”, this 2nd edition of the book now includes results obtained by the New Horizons mission and, more recently, Juno. It also presents observational results from ground-based telescopes using adaptive optics having provided resolutions that rival those of spacecraft.The book provides a review of the current status of Io research and gives an outlook to planned future observations. It thus serves as reference for researchers in the field and an introduction for PhD students and newcomers planning to study this exotic Solar System moon.For the Love of Physics: From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time—A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics
By Walter Lewin, Warren Goldstein. 2011
“YOU HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE” is a common refrain in the emails Walter Lewin receives daily from fans who have…
been enthralled by his world-famous video lectures about the wonders of physics. “I walk with a new spring in my step and I look at life through physics-colored eyes,” wrote one such fan. When Lewin’s lectures were made available online, he became an instant YouTube celebrity, and The New York Times declared, “Walter Lewin delivers his lectures with the panache of Julia Child bringing French cooking to amateurs and the zany theatricality of YouTube’s greatest hits.” For more than thirty years as a beloved professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lewin honed his singular craft of making physics not only accessible but truly fun, whether putting his head in the path of a wrecking ball, supercharging himself with three hundred thousand volts of electricity, or demonstrating why the sky is blue and why clouds are white. Now, as Carl Sagan did for astronomy and Brian Green did for cosmology, Lewin takes readers on a marvelous journey in For the Love of Physics, opening our eyes as never before to the amazing beauty and power with which physics can reveal the hidden workings of the world all around us. “I introduce people to their own world,” writes Lewin, “the world they live in and are familiar with but don’t approach like a physicist—yet.” Could it be true that we are shorter standing up than lying down? Why can we snorkel no deeper than about one foot below the surface? Why are the colors of a rainbow always in the same order, and would it be possible to put our hand out and touch one? Whether introducing why the air smells so fresh after a lightning storm, why we briefly lose (and gain) weight when we ride in an elevator, or what the big bang would have sounded like had anyone existed to hear it, Lewin never ceases to surprise and delight with the extraordinary ability of physics to answer even the most elusive questions. Recounting his own exciting discoveries as a pioneer in the field of X-ray astronomy—arriving at MIT right at the start of an astonishing revolution in astronomy—he also brings to life the power of physics to reach into the vastness of space and unveil exotic uncharted territories, from the marvels of a supernova explosion in the Large Magellanic Cloud to the unseeable depths of black holes. “For me,” Lewin writes, “physics is a way of seeing—the spectacular and the mundane, the immense and the minute—as a beautiful, thrillingly interwoven whole.” His wonderfully inventive and vivid ways of introducing us to the revelations of physics impart to us a new appreciation of the remarkable beauty and intricate harmonies of the forces that govern our lives.Semiconductor Optics 2: Dynamics, High-Excitation Effects, and Basics of Applications (Graduate Texts in Physics)
By Heinz Kalt, Claus F. Klingshirn. 2024
This book provides an introduction to and an overview of the multifaceted area of dynamics and nonlinearities related to optical…
excitations in semiconductors. It is a revised and significantly extended edition of the well-established book by C. Klingshirn split into two volumes and restructured to make it more concise. Inserts on important experimental techniques, reference to topical research and novel materials, as well as consideration of photonic applications support research-oriented teaching and learning. This book reviews nonlinear optical properties and many-body phenomena evoked by high densities of quasi-particles in semiconductors. Coherent dynamics and relaxation of optical excitations (carriers, excitons, electron–hole plasmas, etc.) as well as condensation phenomena are elucidated in these materials. A broad overview is provided of seminal research results augmented by detailed descriptions of the relevant experimental techniques, e.g., ultrafastspectroscopy, four-wave mixing, and the Hanbury-Brown and Twiss experiment. Offering a comprehensive introduction to hot topics in current research — polariton condensates, valley coherence, and single photons, to name a few, it also discusses applications of the described physical concepts in topical areas, such as quantum information, photonics, spintronics, and optoelectronics.Covering subjects ranging from physics to materials science and optoelectronics, the book provides a lively and comprehensive introduction to semiconductor optics beyond the linear regime.With many problems, chapter introductions, schematic depictions of physical phenomena, as well as boxed inserts and a detailed index, it is suitable for use in graduate courses in physics and neighboring sciences like material science and optical communication. It is also a valuable reference resource for doctoral and advanced researchers.Second-Order Photogalvanic Photocurrents in 2D Materials (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
By Mustafa Eginligil, Ting Yu. 2024
This book highlights the photogalvanic effects at low dimensions, surfaces, and interfaces, more specifically 2D materials, such as graphene and…
monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides. Although the phenomenology of the photogalvanic effects, which can be simply seen as photoresponse nonlinear-in-electric field, have been well-established, the microscopic understanding in each material system may vary. This book is a quick reference and a detailed roadmap starting from phenomenology and continuing with the ultimate low dimensional materials, in which the photogalvanic effects can offer a rich platform at the second-order response to an electric field. A general phenomenology of photogalvanic effect is provided in the first chapter, together with the photon drag effect which also generates a photocurrent like the photogalvanic effect, but with some distinct features, as well as somewhat puzzling similarities. Next two chapters explain these effects in graphene, starting with a necessary related background on graphene, then a particular focus on its specific phenomenology, microscopic theory, and experimental results. In a similar fashion, in chapters four and five, a necessary background for the photogalvanic effects in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, with symmetry analysis, microscopic theory, and experimental results is presented, along with the Berry curvature dependent photocurrent, which can also play an important role in 2D semiconductors. The second-order photogalvanic effects that have been covered so far in graphene and monolayer transition metal chalcogenides have already excited the 2D semiconductor optoelectronic research community by several means. It seems that the interests on the photogalvanic effects will continue to escalate in near future.1905 is probably the best-known year in physics, since it was the year of the discovery of the special theory…
of relativity. For decades, historiography has told us that Albert Einstein, then a patent examiner in Bern, succeeded in developing this theory on his own, overcoming all the difficulties that the greatest scientists of his time had not been able to solve. However, some have pointed out that, before Einstein’s first publication in this field, the French mathematician and physicist Henri Poincaré had obtained the same results, which he had published several months before Einstein. Yet today, this theory is known as Einstein’s special theory of relativity. Thus, considering the indisputable anteriority of Poincaré’s contributions, there is only one real question that needs to be answered:Why didn’t Poincaré claim the authorship of special theory of relativity?After recapping on the ideas and concepts of the special theory of relativity in a manner accessibleto non-specialists and recalling the historical context of the discovery of this theory, we will answer this question and thus put finally an end to this long-running controversy.The Gravity of Math: How Geometry Rules the Universe
By Steve Nadis, Shing-Tung Yau. 2024
One of the preeminent mathematicians of the past half century shows how physics and math were combined to give us…
the theory of gravity and the dizzying array of ideas and insights that has come from it Mathematics is far more than just the language of science. It is a critical underpinning of nature. The famed physicist Albert Einstein demonstrated this in 1915 when he showed that gravity—long considered an attractive force between massive objects—was actually a manifestation of the curvature, or geometry, of space and time. But in making this towering intellectual leap, Einstein needed the help of several mathematicians, including Marcel Grossmann, who introduced him to the geometrical framework upon which his theory rest. In The Gravity of Math, Steve Nadis and Shing-Tung Yau consider how math can drive and sometimes even anticipate discoveries in physics. Examining phenomena like black holes, gravitational waves, and the Big Bang, Nadis and Yau ask: Why do mathematical statements, derived solely from logic, provide the best descriptions of our physical world? The Gravity of Math offers an insightful and compelling look into the power of mathematics—whose reach, like that of gravity, can extend to the edge of the universe.Fractional Dispersive Models and Applications: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives (Nonlinear Systems and Complexity #37)
By Panayotis G. Kevrekidis, Jesús Cuevas-Maraver. 2024
This book explores the role of fractional calculus and associated partial differential equations in modeling multiscale phenomena and overlapping macroscopic…
& microscopic scales, offering an innovative and powerful tool for modeling complex systems. While integer order PDEs have a long-standing history, the novel setting of fractional PDEs opens up new possibilities for the simulation of multi-physics phenomena. The book examines a range of releavant examples that showcase the seamless transition from wave propagation to diffusion or from local to non-local dynamics in both continuum and discrete systems. These systems have been argued as being particularly relevant in contexts such as nonlinear optics, lattice nonlinear dynamical systems, and dispersive nonlinear wave phenomena, where the exploration of the potential fractionality has emerged as a highly active topic for current studies.The volume consists of contributions from a diverse group of active scholars and expertsacross different fields, providing a detailed examination of the field's past, present, and future state-of-the-art in the interplay of fractional PDEs and nonlinear wave phenomena. It is intended to be of wide interest to both seasoned researchers and beginners in the Field of Nonlinear Science. This book sets the stage for the next decade of research and beyond and is a timely and relevant reference of choice for this crucial junction of current research.Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (Volume 2): Quantity-Based Analysis
By David V. Guerra. 2023
This textbook provides an accessible introduction to physics for undergraduate students in the life sciences, including those majoring in all…
branches of biology, biochemistry, and psychology and students working on pre-professional programs such as pre-medical, pre-dental, and physical therapy. The text is geared for the algebra-based physics course, often named College Physics in the United States.The order of topics studied in this volume requires students to first understand a concept, such as the conservation of energy, momentum, voltage, or current, the change in a quantity such as entropy, or the rules of ray and wave optics. Then, students apply these concepts to solve problems in the areas of thermodynamics, electrical circuit, optics, and atomic and nuclear physics.Throughout the text these quantity-based applications are used to understand systems that are critical to the understanding of biological systems, such as the entropy of evolution, the signal down the axon of a nerve cell, the optics of the eye, and the operation of a laser.This is part 2 of a two-volume set; volume 1 introduced students to the methods of mechanics and applied these problem-solving techniques to explicitly biological topics such as the sedimentation rate of red blood cells in haemoglobin, the torques and forces on a bacterium employing a flagellum to propel itself through a viscous fluid, and the terminal velocity of a protein moving in a gel electrophoresis device.Key features: Organized and centered around analysis techniques, not traditional mechanics and E&M Presents a unified approach, in a different order, meaning that the same laboratories, equipment, and demonstrations can be used when teaching the course Demonstrates to students that the analysis and concepts they are learning are critical to the understanding of biological systemsPlasma Gasification and Pyrolysis
By Milan Hrabovsky, Michal Jeremias, Guido Van Oost. 2023
Currently, the most widely used treatment of waste is thermal processing, such as incineration. However, thermal plasma technologies offer alternative,…
cutting-edge, and environmentally friendly processes, which are also considered more energy-efficient and safe. This book provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the process of thermal plasma gasification and pyrolysis.It is an ideal guide for graduate students pursuing further studies in plasma technologies and engineering, in addition to early-career researchers and scientists from related areas looking for material contextual to their own subject matter.Features: Presents an interdisciplinary approach, applicable to a wide range of researchers in waste treatment companies, authorities, and energy and environmental policymakers Authored by authorities in the field Up to date with the latest developments and technologiesEthics in Science: Ethical Misconduct in Scientific Research, Second Edition
By John D'Angelo. 2019
Providing the tools necessary for a robust debate, this fully revised and updated second edition of Ethics in Science: Ethical…
Misconduct in Scientific Research explains various forms of scientific misconduct. The first part describes a variety of ethical violations, why they occur, how they are handled, and what can be done to prevent them along with a discussion of the peer-review process. The second presents real-life case studies that review the known facts, allowing readers to decide for themselves whether an ethical violation has occurred and if so, what should be done. With 4 new chapters and an updated selection of case studies, this text provides resources for guided discussion of topical controversies and how to prevent scientific misconduct.Key Features:Fully revised and updated text which explains the various forms of scientific misconduct.New chapters include hot topics such as Ethics of the Pharmaceutical Industry, The Responsibility of Science to the Environment and Summary of Ethics Guidelines of STEM Professional Societies.Provides the necessary tools to lead students in the discussion of topical controversies.Includes descriptions of real ethical case studies, a number of which are new for the Second Edition.This book is applicable to any science and any level of education.Classical Physics of Matter (Malvern Physics Series)
By J Bolton. 2000
Classical Physics of Matter explores the properties of matter that can be explained more or less directly in terms of…
classical physics. Among the topics discussed are the principles of flight and the operation of engines and refrigerators. The discussion introduces ideas such as temperature, heat, and entropy that will take you beyond Newtonian meQuantum Continuous Variables: A Primer of Theoretical Methods
By Alessio Serafini. 2024
Quantum Continuous Variables introduces the theory of continuous variable quantum systems, from its foundations based on the framework of Gaussian…
states to modern developments, including its applications to quantum information and forthcoming quantum technologies. This book addresses the theory of Gaussian states, operations, and dynamics in great depth and breadth, through a novel approach that embraces both the Hilbert space and phase descriptions.The second edition of this book has been revised throughout, and updated to include new topics, such as boson sampling, coherent feedback, nonlinear control, as well as several new solved problems.The volume includes coverage of entanglement theory and quantum information protocols, and their connection with relevant experimental set-ups. General techniques for non-Gaussian manipulations also emerge as the treatment unfolds and are demonstrated with specific case studies.This book will be of interest to graduate students looking to familiarise themselves with the field, in addition to experienced researchers eager to enhance their understanding of its theoretical methods. It will also appeal to experimentalists searching for a rigorous but accessible treatment of the theory in the area.Features Provides the first systematic graduate-level textbook for the field of quantum continuous variables and includes 77 problems for the reader, with accompanying solutions Explores applications to entanglement theory, nonlocality, quantum technologies and quantum control Describes, in detail, a comprehensive list of experimental platforms where the formalism applies Alessio Serafini earned his PhD from the University of Salerno. He is currently a Professor at University College London. His research focuses mainly on quantum optics, quantum information with continuous variables, and the theory of quantum control.Advances in 3D Bioprinting (Series in Materials Science and Engineering)
By Roger J. Narayan. 2024
"3D bioprinting" refers to processes in which an additive manufacturing approach is used to create devices for medical applications. This…
volume considers exciting applications for 3D bioprinting, including its use in manufacturing artificial tissues, surgical models, and orthopedic implants.The book includes chapters from leaders in the field on 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, biomedical applications of digital light processing, biomedical applications of nozzle-free pyro-electrohydrodynamic jet printing of buffer-free bioinks, additive manufacturing of surgical models, dental crowns, and orthopedic implants, 3D bioprinting of dry electrodes, and 3D bioprinting for regenerative medicine and disease modeling of the ocular surface.This is an accessible reference for students and researchers on current 3D bioprinting technology, providing helpful information on the important applications of this technology. It will be a useful resource to students, researchers, and practitioners in the rapidly growing global 3D bioprinting community.Problems and Solutions in Medical Physics: Radiotherapy Physics (ISSN)
By Kwan Hoong Ng, Ngie Min Ung, Robin Hill. 2018
The third in a three-volume set exploring Problems and Solutions in Medical Physics, this volume explores common questions and their…
solutions in Radiotherapy. This invaluable study guide should be used in conjunction with other key textbooks in the field to provide additional learning opportunities.One hundred and forty-four solved problems are provided in ten chapters on basic physics topics, including: External Beam Therapy Equipment, Photon Beam Physics, Radiation dosimetry, Treatment Planning for External Beam Radiotherapy, and External Beam Commissioning and Quality Assurance.Each chapter provides examples, notes, and references for further reading to enhance understanding.Key features: Consolidates concepts and assists in the understanding and applications of theoretical concepts in medical physics Assists lecturers and instructors in setting assignments and tests Suitable as a revision tool for postgraduate students sitting medical physics, oncology, and radiology science examinationsNanotechnology for Light Pollution Reduction
By Ram K. Gupta, Tuan Anh Nguyen. 2023
Light is essential for living organisms; however, excessive light causes adverse health conditions. This book covers the most recent progress…
on nanotechnology for reducing light pollution, discussing many approaches and technologies for controlling light pollution.The book explores the fundamentals of light and the causes of light pollution, delving into light pollution’s social, economic, and ecological impacts, its effects on living beings and the environment, as well as possible solutions and methods of control. The text discusses smart lighting technology, covering the various smart nanomaterials, nanosensors, and nanodevices involved. It also explores smart lighting involving natural light from the sun, artificial skydomes, shadow-free/secondary light sources, and the basics of many emerging devices such as light-emitting diodes and photosensors.Nanotechnology is key to providing a new route for the next generation of lighting devices and systems with reduced light pollution. This essential reference illuminates emerging technologies and their applications, providing new directions to scientists, researchers, and students to better understand the principles, technologies, and applications of nanotechnology in light pollution.