Newton and Mechanics
Introduction
Newton's Equation
Gravity
Solar System and Beyond
Causality and Chaos
John Kimball is a professor emeritus of physics at the University at Albany, SUNY. His research has largely focused on condensed matter physics, including high-energy electron-positron pair production in crystals, exact solutions of a kinetic model of magnetism, relations between chaos and symmetry, and studies of magnetic impurities. Dr. Kimball is an enthusiastic sailor and author of the highly praised book Physics of Sailing. He earned a PhD from the University of Chicago.
"... this author did a great job. I cannot imagine a better
explanation of the whole of physics in plain text. ... The sections
on the latest developments in physics are very short, but clear and
full of information. ... The book closes with comments about Nobel
laureates in physics: their lives and their ideas. It is
interesting to read something about these important scientists,
their family backgrounds, and philosophical ideas. These are
important aspects, generally neglected, but of great importance to
understand their approach to science and ideas. This book is
recommended for everyone interested in physics, especially new
developments."
-MRS Bulletin, January 2016
"... concise, clear, and insightful ... a useful, interesting,
and accessible resource for physics teachers and interested
students of all levels."
-David Bittel, Physics Teacher, Bristol Eastern High School
"All of the physical concepts are expressed in terms of common
language. ... good as a reference for students [and] as popular
reading for those having curiosity about physics and mathematics
..."
-Ching-Yao Fong, Distinguished Professor of Physics, University of
California, Davis
"This book introduces important physical concepts in a casual
and entertaining way. ... I recommend it to high school students
curious about science and to anyone interested in qualitative
physics."
-Oleg Lunin, University at Albany, SUNY
"As a teacher of physics, I like this book a lot. It lightens
the subject nicely. I shall follow the author's advice and not try
to teach my dog calculus. Whether to apply this to all my students
is still undecided. PS: I think the author should be encouraged to
be kinder about Aristotle."
-Philip B. Allen, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy,
Stony Brook University
"The book was inspired by the author's time at the United States
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, where she established
the Bioinspired Photonics programme. That programme aimed to bring
together scientists from several disciplines in order to advance
the field of dynamic functional devices by taking ideas from
biological systems. To have made the work of those cutting-edge
scientists accessible to a more general audience is a considerable
achievement. The style relies on photographs, diagrams and graphs
rather than mathematical or chemical formulae, but there are
extensive references to original papers and other reviews for the
reader who wishes to go further. Some of the topics highlighted in
boxes in most chapters also lead the reader deeper."
-Contemporary Physics (Mar 2016), review by A.H. Harker,
UCL
"This book presents unusual, fascinating aspects of physics....
A highlight is the easy language in which concepts are presented,
making the text accessible to general readers and lower-level
students.... Despite the author's emphasis on simplicity, the book
provides information that will engage even highly qualified
physicists. Kimball draws from scientific history to reveal curious
facts, such as Newton's difficulty calculating the mass of the moon
and that Aristotle believed women had fewer teeth than men, but
never bothered to check.... Some sections discuss the latest
developments in physics in a superbly concise and lucid manner. The
book closes with discussions of Nobel laureates, including the
secrets of their success. Summing Up: Highly recommended."
-CHOICE Reviews (Sep 2016)
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