Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of Physics
| AUTHOR | Ouellette, Jennifer; Chodos, Alan; Ouellette, Jennifer et al. |
| PUBLISHER | Penguin Books (12/01/2005) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Paperback (Paperback) |
Description
Physics, once known as "natural philosophy," is the most basic science, explaining the world we live in, from the largest scale down to the very, very, very smallest, and our understanding of it has changed over many centuries. In Black Bodies and Quantum Cats, science writer Jennifer Ouellette traces key developments in the field, setting descriptions of the fundamentals of physics in their historical context as well as against a broad cultural backdrop. Newton's laws are illustrated via the film Addams Family Values, while Back to the Future demonstrates the finer points of special relativity. Poe's "The Purloined Letter" serves to illuminate the mysterious nature of neutrinos, and Jeanette Winterson's novel Gut Symmetries provides an elegant metaphorical framework for string theory. An enchanting and edifying read, Black Bodies and Quantum Cats shows that physics is not an arcane field of study but a profoundly human endeavor--and a fundamental part of our everyday world.
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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9780143036036
ISBN-10:
0143036033
Binding:
Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
336
Carton Quantity:
24
Product Dimensions:
5.38 x 0.71 x 7.96 inches
Weight:
0.61 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Price on Product,
Table of Contents,
Ikids,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Science | Physics - Quantum Theory
Science | History
Grade Level:
College Freshman
and up
Dewey Decimal:
530.09
Library of Congress Control Number:
2005043370
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
Physics, once known as "natural philosophy," is the most basic science, explaining the world we live in, from the largest scale down to the very, very, very smallest, and our understanding of it has changed over many centuries. In Black Bodies and Quantum Cats, science writer Jennifer Ouellette traces key developments in the field, setting descriptions of the fundamentals of physics in their historical context as well as against a broad cultural backdrop. Newton's laws are illustrated via the film Addams Family Values, while Back to the Future demonstrates the finer points of special relativity. Poe's "The Purloined Letter" serves to illuminate the mysterious nature of neutrinos, and Jeanette Winterson's novel Gut Symmetries provides an elegant metaphorical framework for string theory. An enchanting and edifying read, Black Bodies and Quantum Cats shows that physics is not an arcane field of study but a profoundly human endeavor--and a fundamental part of our everyday world.
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Foreword by:
Chodos, Alan
Jennifer Ouellette writes "APS News"s popular This Month in Physics History column, which she co-created with editor Alan Chodos in 2000. She also writes on science for such publications as "Discover" and "Salon," She is a Jujitsu black belt.
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List Price $24.00
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$23.76