Quantum Universe, the: Essays on Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Cosmology and Physics in General by
As physics has progressed, its most fundamental theories have become more distant from everyday experience posing challenges for understanding, notably with quantum mechanics. This volume contains twenty-nine essays written to address such challenges. The essays address issues in quantum mechanics, quantum cosmology and physics in general. Examples include: How do we apply quantum mechanics to the whole universe when all observers are inside? What do we mean by past, present, and future in a four-dimensional universe? What is the origin of classical predictability in a quantum universe? Could physics predict non-computable numbers? Short personal recollections of Murray Gell-Mann and Stephen Hawking are included. The essays vary in length, style, and level but should be accessible to most physicists.
Astronomical Spectroscopy: an Introduction to the Atomic and Molecular Physics of Astronomical Spectroscopy (Third Edition) by
The third edition of Astronomical Spectroscopy examines the physics necessary to understand and interpret astronomical spectra. It offers a step-by-step guide to the atomic and molecular physics involved in providing astronomical spectra starting from the relatively simple hydrogen atom and working its way to the spectroscopy of small molecules.Based on UCL course material, this book uses actual astronomical spectra to illustrate the theoretical aspects of the book to give the reader a feel for such spectra as well as an awareness of what information can be retrieved from them. It also provides comprehensive exercises, with answers given, to aid understanding.
Learning Astronomy by Doing Astronomy, 2nd Edition Workbook by
Research shows that students learn best by doing. This workbook, written by two master teachers, contains 36 field-tested activities, including nine new to the Second Edition, that span the introductory astronomy course and can be used in any size classroom. Each activity is now self-contained with an introduction that provides necessary background material for students. Activities are built around a concept that leads students from basic knowledge to a deeper understanding through guided interactions. The Second Edition is supported by Smartwork5, so instructors can easily assess student understanding.
Electromagnetism, Quanta, and Electron Flow in the Electrophysiology of Living Cells by
Electrons are involved in all electrical phenomena, and living cells cannot be an exception. This book takes on a decidedly different approach to existing texts on electrophysiology, by considering electrical physiological processes from the viewpoint of electron flow, rather than the conventional notion of ion movement. It concisely describes the theoretical background of electron density and cellular voltage, before exploring thought-provoking questions such as the relationship between electrolyte distribution and transmembrane potential, and the source of electricity generation in living cells. A new electromagnetic theory of muscular function is presented, and all topics of relevance - including the electrophysiology of invertebrates, plants, fungi and bacteria - are comprehensively covered. Using plain language and more than 40 original illustrations, the author has designed each chapter to provide a succinct overview of an individual topic in a format that appeals to both the expert and the uninitiated. Electromagnetism, Quanta, and Electron Flow in the Electrophysiology of Living Cells proffers a refreshingly new way to understand a fascinatingly old subject.
Birds and Frogs by
This book is a sequel to the volume of selected papers of Dyson up to 1990 that was published by the American Mathematical Society in 1996. The present edition comprises a collection of the most interesting writings of Freeman Dyson, all personally selected by the author, from the period 1990 - 2014.The five sections start off with an Introduction, followed by Talks about Science, Memoirs, Politics and History, and some Technical Papers. The most noteworthy is a lecture entitled Birds and Frogs to the American Mathematical Society that describes two kinds of mathematicians with examples from real life. Other invaluable contributions include an important tribute to C. N. Yang written for his retirement banquet at Stony Brook University, as well as a historical account of the Operational Research at RAF Bomber Command in World War II provocatively titled A Failure of Intelligence. The final section carries the open-ended question of whether any conceivable experiment could detect single gravitons to provide direct evidence of the quantization of gravity -- Is a Graviton Detectable? Various possible graviton-detectors are examined.This invaluable compilation contains unpublished lectures, and surveys many topics in science, mathematics, history and politics, in which Freeman Dyson has been so active and well respected around the world.
The Science of Learning Physics by
This book on the teaching and learning of physics is intended for college-level instructors, but high school instructors might also find it very useful. Some ideas found in this book might be a small "tweak" to existing practices whereas others require more substantial revisions to instruction. The discussions of student learning herein are based on research evidence accumulated over decades from various fields, including cognitive psychology, educational psychology, the learning sciences, and discipline-based education research including physics education research. Likewise, the teaching suggestions are also based on research findings. As for any other scientific endeavor, physics education research is an empirical field where experiments are performed, data are analyzed and conclusions drawn. Evidence from such research is then used to inform physics teaching and learning. While the focus here is on introductory physics taken by most students when they are enrolled, however, the ideas can also be used to improve teaching and learning in both upper-division undergraduate physics courses, as well as graduate-level courses. Whether you are new to teaching physics or a seasoned veteran, various ideas and strategies presented in the book will be suitable for active consideration.
Preparing for Your ACS Examination in General Chemistry - the Official Guide by
This guide is separated into first-term and second-term general chemistry material. Each section contains 8 chapters of material that also aligns to most general chemistry textbooks for a seamless addition to study materials for students. Each chapter is designed with an introductory section of the material including common representations and where to find this material in a textbook. The second section provides worked examples of typical, multiple choice questions including how the correct answer is determined as well as how the incorrect answers were determined. Also included for each study problem is a listing of the corresponding practice questions that use that concept. The final section is a series of practice problems to test the concepts collectively. The key is provided on a separate page for all study and practice problems.
