Absolutely Small: How Quantum Theory Explains Our Everyday WorldAbsolutely Small presents (and demystifies) the world of quantum science like no book before. Physics is a complex, daunting topic, but it is also deeply satisfying?even thrilling. When liberated from its mathematical underpinnings, physics suddenly becomes accessible to anyone with the curiosity and imagination to explore its beauty. Science without math? It’s not that unusual. For example, we can understand the concept of gravity without solving a single equation. So for all those who may have pondered what makes blueberries blue and strawberries red; for those who have wondered if sound really travels in waves; and why light behaves so differently from any other phenomenon in the universe, it’s all a matter of quantum physics. This book explores in considerable depth scientific concepts using examples from everyday life, such as:
Challenging without being intimidating, accessible but not condescending, Absolutely Small develops your intuition for the very nature of things at their most basic and intriguing levels. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 8 | |
Chapter 3 Some Things About Waves | 22 |
Chapter 4 The Photoelectric Effect and Einsteins Explanation | 36 |
Waves or Particles? | 46 |
Chapter 6 How Big Is a Photon and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle | 57 |
Chapter 7 Photons Electrons and Baseballs | 80 |
Chapter 8 Quantum Racquetball and the Color of Fruit | 96 |
Diatomic Molecules | 196 |
The Shapes of Polyatomic Molecules | 221 |
Chapter 15 Beer and Soap | 250 |
Chapter 16 Fat Its All About the Double Bonds | 272 |
Chapter 17 Greenhouse Gases | 295 |
Chapter 18 Aromatic Molecules | 314 |
Chapter 19 Metals Insulators and Semiconductors | 329 |
Chapter 20 Think Quantum | 349 |
Other editions - View all
Absolutely Small: How Quantum Theory Explains Our Everyday World Michael D. Fayer No preview available - 2010 |
Absolutely Small: How Quantum Theory Explains Our Everyday World Michael D. Fayer No preview available - 2010 |