Synopsis
In easy-to-follow conversational language, this book reveals the mysteries of physics and tells about the physicists who made it possible, from the discovery of the laws of gravity by Isaac Newton and the construction of the first electric battery by Alessandro Volta, to the present century's development of solid-state electronics, nuclear arms and nuclear reactors, lasers, etc. The evolution of physics during four centuries is related in sixteen conversations that actually took place between the author, a professor of physics, and his wife, an intelligent listener not familiar with the subject. By asking questions and interjecting her own observations, she insists on sufficient clarity in the presentation so as to make the somewhat difficult seeming topics clearly understandable.Each breakfast topic can be read separately in less time than it takes to eat the meal. Anyone who has avoided studying physics so far, for whatever reason, (and this includes the author's wife) will gain an insight into what physics is and what physicists do. This book may also serve to refresh the understanding of those who have forgotten what they may have learned or who previously failed to fully grasp the subject. A glossary of commonly used terms at the back of the book provides a convenient reference to most of the concepts presented.
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From the Back Cover
During a sequence of meals, the author relates the principal features of physics in easy-to-understand conversations with his wife Beth. Beginning with the studies of motion by Galileo and Newton through to the revolutionary theories of relativity and quantum mechanics in the 20th century, all important aspects of electricity, energy, magnetism, gravity and the structure of matter and atoms are explained and illustrated.The second edition similarly recounts the more recent application of these theories to nanoparticles, Bose–Einstein condensates, quantum entanglement and quantum computers. By including accurate measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background and supernovae in near and distant galaxies, an understanding of how the universe was formed in an Inflationary Big Bang is now possible. We've also gained a much better picture of the life of stars and how they may turn into red giants, white dwarfs, black holes, neutron stars or pulsars.
About the Author
Leonid V Azaroff has taught physics and materials science for over forty years. He is the author of seven books and numerous papers, including three introductory texts. His wife, Beth, hitherto minimally informed about physics, is a well-known psychologist and an inquisitive and probing listener.
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