Superstrings and Other Things: A Guide to Physics, Second Edition - Softcover

Calle, Carlos I.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1439810737 ISBN 13: 9781439810736

Publisher: CRC Press, 2010

Synopsis

A research scientist at NASA working on planetary exploration, Carlos Calle has the opportunity to ponder what seems imponderable, but while that might make Dr. Calle unusual, what makes him truly special is his ability to translate the algebraic formulas and calculus-based logic into concepts that can be appreciated and held in awe by those in possession of tools no more sophisticated than curiosity and imagination.

Superstrings and Other Things: A Guide to Physics, Second Edition continues to take the interested on a uniquely accessible journey through physics. This guide explains the basic concepts of motion, energy, and gravity, right up through the latest theories about the structure of matter, the origin of the universe, and the beginning of time. Fully illustrated throughout, the book explores major discoveries and the scientists behind them, from Galileo, Newton, and Einstein, to Feynman and Hawking. Numerous examples of physics in everyday situations are provided and made tangible.

When Dr. Calle wrote the first edition of this bestseller, even he would have been surprised by the newest development in String Theory, the far reaching M-Theory. In addition to details about M-Theory, he adds a number of other surprises and updated material for this edition. Not only will you be rewarded with a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of physics, but you will also come to have the chance to stand on the very edge of the breathtaking frontiers of physics today.

• Offers non-science students and others access to the highest peaks of physics
• Supports a truly conceptual approach to teaching physics without advanced math, emphazing concepts and ideas rather than equations
• Provides up-to-date coverage of modern physics and showcases modern applications of physics in our everyday world

Now includes a Solutions Manual with qualifying course adoptions

Carlos I. Calle is a senior research physicist at NASA Kennedy Space Center and the founder and director of NASA’s Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory. He is the recipient of numerous NASA awards for exceptional contributions to the space program and outstanding support of the Space Shuttle Program. With his laboratory staff, he has developed technologies for NASA’s lunar and Martian exploration programs and has also developed new testing techniques for several Space Shuttle systems. As a professor of physics during the early part of his career, he taught the whole range of college physics courses. He has published over 150 scientific papers and other popular books on physics.

About this title

Review:

While accessible to a wide audience, the book could act as a vade mecum for students studying physics in their final years at school and their introductory courses to modern physics at university. Teachers who adopt the book for their courses may not only find inspirational ideas but also can profit from a Numerical Guide to Superstrings and Other Things. This supplement ... offers a comprehensive range of problems, based on the material in the main book. ... Given there is a first edition, why should one buy this second edition? The short answer is: more up-to-date content with significantly better presentation. ... This book appears excellent for making much of physics more accessible.
―Contemporary Physics, Vol. 52, No. 1, January 2011

I have been teaching introductory physics for non-science majors for a long time and have never been satisfied with the books on the market. Most of these texts are just watered-down versions of the general physics texts for science students. When I read through [these] three books, I really do get a sense that the authors have attempted to create book[s] that [are] somehow different from the normal algebra problem-based texts. I will be using Questioning the Universe: Concepts in Physics this fall for the science portion of a Science Fiction Learning Community. In the spring, I will be teaching a physics/art history hybrid course and will be using either Superstrings and Other Things: A Guide to Physics, Second Edition or From Atoms to Galaxies: A Conceptual Physics Approach to Scientific Awareness. ... both are great books. ... I really feel that for conceptual physics courses, CRC Press currently has the three strongest titles. I anticipate a fun teaching experience while using these texts and hope to use them again in the future.
―Steve Zides, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA

Praise for the First Edition
Calle, a NASA Kennedy Space Center research scientist, shares the joy of physics with those who want to learn more about superstring theory, quantum teleportation, and other cosmic ideas.
―Sci-Tech Book News

Illustrated with photographs, drawings, and even cartoons ... . written in an accessible style ... a fascinating review of and guide to the way the universe works at the most basic level.
―Florida Review

... the coverage is genuinely broad and remarkably inclusive.
―Physics World

From the Publisher:

Intended for the general reader with an inquiring mind, this guide will also be indispensable to students and scientists in other disciplines, and professionals in non-scientific fields who would like to understand the basic concepts of physics.

About this edition

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1439810737
• ISBN 13: 9781439810736
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 567