"Version: 20161201"--Title page verso. "A Morgan & Claypool publication as part of IOP Concise Physics"--Title page verso.
Includes bibliographical references.
Preface -- 1. Physics is practical -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Physics in sports -- 1.3. Physics around the house -- 1.4. How does that thing work? 2. Physics is beautiful -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. The beauty of electromagnetism -- 2.3. The beauty of relativity theory -- 2.4. The beauty of gravitational theory -- 2.5. Concluding thoughts on beauty 3. Physics is surprising -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Surprises of special relativity -- 3.3. Surprises of general relativity -- 3.4. Surprises of quantum mechanics 4. Physics is cool -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Cool stuff 5. Physics is frivolous -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Frivolous physics 6. Physics isn't ... -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. Physics isn't psychics -- 6.3. Physics isn't crazy Appendices -- A. The constants of electricity and magnetism -- B. A simplified derivation of the speed of light from Maxwell's Equations -- C. Galilean and Lorentz transformations -- D. Gravitational field of a cylinder -- E. Newtonian mechanics -- F. Energy -- G. Friction -- H. Rotational physics.
He's back! 'The physicist' returns with an entirely new compilation of questions and answers from his long-lived website where laypeople can ask questions about anything physics related. This book focuses on adjectives (practical, beautiful, surprising, cool, frivolous) instead of nouns like the first two books (atoms, photons, quanta, mechanics, relativity). The answers within 'Physics Is' are responses to people looking for answers to fascinating (and often uninformed) questions. It covers topics such as sports, electromagnetism, gravitational theory, special relativity, superheroes, videogames, and science fiction. These books are designed for laypeople and rely heavily on concepts rather than formalism. That said, they keep the physics correct and don't water down, so expert physicists will find this book and its two companion titles fun reads. They may actually recognize similar questions posed to them by friends and family. As with the first two books, 'Physics Is' ends with a chapter with questions from people who think that 'The physicist' is a psychic and from people who think they have the answers to life, the universe and everything.
Mode of access: World Wide Web. System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader, EPUB reader. or Kindle reader.
The physicist' is F. Todd Baker, former professor and nuclear physics researcher at the University of Georgia. He received his AB and MA degrees from Miami University and his PhD from the University of Michigan. He has published more than 70 articles in refereed journals and made numerous presentations and conferences and workshops during his 32 years of research. His series of books, 'Ask the Physicist' are compilations of the best questions and answers from his long-running website with the same name.