The Beauty of Physics: Patterns, Principles, and PerspectivesThe beauty of physics lies in its coherence in terms of a few fundamental concepts and principles. Even physicists have occasion to marvel at the overarching reach of basic principles and their ability to account for features stretching from the microscopic sub-atomic world to the cosmological expanses of the Universe. While mathematics is its natural language, physics is mostly about patterns, connections, and relations between objects and phenomena, and it is this aspect that is emphasized in this book. Since science tries to connect phenomena that at first sight appear widely different, while boiling them down to a small set of essential principles and laws, metaphor and analogy pervade our subject. Consider the pendulum, its swing from one extreme to the other often invoked in social or economic contexts. In molecular vibrations, such as in the CO2 molecule, the quantum motions of electrons and nuclei are metaphorically the pendulums. In electromagnetic radiation, including the visible light we observe, there are not even any concrete material particles, only electric and magnetic fields executing simple harmonic motion. But, to a physicist, they are all "just a pendulum". The selection of topics reflects the author's own four-decade career in research physics and his resultant perspective on the subject. While aimed primarily at physicists, including junior students, this book also addresses other readers who are willing to think with symbols and simple algebra in understanding the physical world around us. Each chapter, on themes such as dimensions, transformations, symmetries, or maps, begins with simple examples accessible to all while connecting them later to more sophisticated realizations in more advanced topics of physics. |
Contents
Physics as Transformations | |
Localization at Saddles | |
Coins Classical and Quantum | |
Symmetry | |
Maps in Various Forms | |
The Problem of Time | |
Complexity and Emergence | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
alternative representations angular momentum Bloch sphere bosons calculus Chapter charge classical physics coin flip commute complex concepts conjugate conservation coordinates Coulomb decay described differential dimensional dimensions Dirac doubly excited Einstein’s electric and magnetic electromagnetic electron element elementary particles energy example Figure firstorder formulation fundamental geometry gravitational Hamiltonian hydrogen atom inertial frames infinity integral interactions invariant involved Lagrangian laws linear Lorentz Lorentz transformations magnetic field mass mathematical Mathematician measure momenta motion neutrons Newton’s nonrelativistic nonzero nuclear nucleus observed onedimensional operators orbits pair parity pendulum phase physical system plane position potential principle problem proton quantities quantum coin quantum field theories quantum mechanics quantum numbers quantum physics quantum systems qubit relativistic rotations saddle Schrödinger equation socalled space space–time spherical square root superposition surface symmetry tensor theme Theoretical physicist Theory of Relativity threedimensional timeindependent transformations twoelectron underlying reality vector velocity wave function zero