- Table View
- List View
The Physics of Everyday Phenomena: A Conceptual Introduction to Physics
by W. Thomas Griffith Juliet Wain BrosingThe Physics of Everyday Phenomena introduces students to the basic concepts of physics, using examples of common occurrences in everyday life. Intended for use in a one-semester or two-semester course in conceptual physics, this book is written in a narrative style, frequently using questions designed to draw the reader into a dialogue about the ideas of physics. This inclusive style allows the book to be used by anyone interested in exploring the nature of physics and explanations of everyday physical phenomena.
Physics of Everyday Phenomena (Eighth Edition)
by W. Thomas Griffith Juliet W. BrosingThe Physics of Everyday Phenomena, Eighth Edition, introduces students to the basic concepts of physics using examples of common occurrences in everyday life. Intended for use in a one-semester or two-semester course in conceptual physics, this book is written in a narrative style, frequently using questions designed to draw the reader into a dialogue about the ideas of physics. This inclusive style allows the book to be used by anyone interested in exploring the nature of physics and explanations of everyday physical phenomena. Beginning students will benefit from the large number of student aids and the reduced math content. Professors will appreciate the organization of the material and the wealth of pedagogical tools.
The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
by James KakaliosPhysics professor, bestselling author, and dynamic storyteller James Kakalios reveals the mind-bending science behind the seemingly basic things that keep our daily lives running, from our smart phones and digital “clouds” to x-ray machines and hybrid vehicles. Most of us are clueless when it comes to the physics that makes our modern world so convenient. What’s the simple science behind motion sensors, touch screens, and toasters? How do we glide through tolls using an E-Z Pass, or find our way to new places using GPS? In The Physics of Everyday Things, James Kakalios takes us on an amazing journey into the subatomic marvels that underlie so much of what we use and take for granted. Breaking down the world of things into a single day, Kakalios engages our curiosity about how our refrigerators keep food cool, how a plane manages to remain airborne, and how our wrist fitness monitors keep track of our steps. Each explanation is coupled with a story revealing the interplay of the astonishing invisible forces that surround us. Through this “narrative physics,” The Physics of Everyday Things demonstrates that—far from the abstractions conjured by terms like the Higgs Boson, black holes, and gravity waves—sophisticated science is also quite practical. With his signature clarity and inventiveness, Kakalios ignites our imaginations and enthralls us with the principles that make up our lives.
The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day
by James KakaliosMost of us are clueless when it comes to the physics that makes our modern world so convenient. What's the simple science behind motion sensors, touch screens and toasters? How do we enter our offices using touch-on passes or find our way to new places using GPS? In The Physics of Everyday Things, James Kakalios takes us on an amazing journey into the subatomic marvels that underlie so much of what we use and take for granted.Breaking down the world of things into a single day, Kakalios engages our curiosity about how our refrigerators keep food cool, how a plane manages to remain airborne, and how our wrist fitness monitors keep track of our steps. Each explanation is coupled with a story revealing the interplay of the astonishing invisible forces that surround us. Through this 'narrative physics' The Physics of Everyday Things demonstrates that - far from the abstractions conjured by terms like the Higgs boson, black holes and gravity waves - sophisticated science is also quite practical. With his signature clarity and inventiveness, Kakalios ignites our imaginations and enthralls us with the principles that make up our lives.
The Physics of Evolution
by Michael W. RothThis book provides an introduction to the significant role of physics in evolution, based on the ideas of matter and energy resource flow, organism self-copying, and ecological change. The text employs these ideas to create quantitative models for important evolutionary processes.Many fields of science and engineering have come up against the problem of complex design—when details become so numerous that computer power alone cannot make progress. Nature solved the complex-design problem using evolution, yet how it did so has been a mystery. Both laboratory experiments and computer-simulation attempts eventually stopped evolving. Something more than Darwin’s ideas of heredity, variation, and selection was needed. The solution is that there is a fourth element to evolution: ecological change. When a new variation is selected, this can change the ecology, and the new ecology can create new opportunities for even more new variations to be selected. Through this endless cycle, complexity can grow automatically. This book uses the physics of resource flow to describe this process in detail, developing quantitative models for many evolutionary processes, including selection, multicellularity, coevolution, sexual reproduction, and the Serengeti Rules. The text demonstrates that these models are in conceptual agreement with numerous examples of biological phenomena, and reveals, through physics, how complex design can arise naturally. This will serve as a key text on the part physics plays in evolution, and will be of great interest to students at the university level and above studying biophysics, physics, systems biology, and related fields.
Physics of Fast Processes in Scintillators (Particle Acceleration and Detection)
by Mikhail Korzhik Gintautas Tamulaitis Andrey N. Vasil'evThis book presents the current advances in understanding of the fast excitation transfer processes in inorganic scintillation materials, the discovery of new materials exhibiting excellent time resolution, and the results on the evaluation of timing limits for scintillation detectors. The book considers in-depth basic principles of primary processes in energy relaxation, which play a key role in creating scintillating centers to meet a growing demand for knowledge to develop new materials combining high energy and time resolutions. The rate of relaxation varies. However, the goal is to make it extremely fast, occurring within the ps domain or even shorter. The book focuses on fast processes in scintillation materials. This approach enables in-depth understanding of fundamental processes in scintillation and supports the efforts to push the time resolution of scintillation detectors towards 10 ps target. Sophisticated theoretical and advanced experimental research conducted in the last decade is reviewed. Engineering and control of the energy transfer processes in the scintillation materials are addressed. The new era in development of instrumentation for detection of ionizing radiation in high- energy physics experiments, medical imaging and industrial applications is introduced. This book reviews modern trends in the description of the scintillation build up processes in inorganic materials, transient phenomena, and engineering of the scintillation properties. It also provides reliable background of scientific and educational information to stimulate new ideas for readers to implement in their research and engineering. The book is aimed at providing a coherent updated background of scientific and instructive information to stimulate new ideas for readers in their research and engineering.
Physics of Fluids (UNITEXT for Physics)
by Roberto A. Capuzzo DolcettaThis book is exceptional in providing an up-to-date, but compact, introduction to the field of hydrodynamics and fluid dynamics that is both sufficiently comprehensive and easy to read. It covers all the elements of compressible and incompressible fluid dynamics, from the basic concepts through to the constituent equations and their applications. Fluid flows in different environments are thoroughly discussed, and specific aspects such as dissipation, turbulence, shock waves, and blast waves receive detailed attention. The book contains many exercises and draws attention to numerical solutions to specific problems. The book is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students and young researchers in physics, astrophysics, mathematics (pure and applied), and engineering. As this book is intended for a wide audience, the mathematical prerequisites are kept to a low level.
Physics of Fluids in Microgravity (Earth Space Institute Book Series)
by R. MontiIn a microgravity experiment, the conditions prevalent in fluid phases can be substantially different from those on the ground and can be exploited to improve different processes. Fluid physics research in microgravity is important for the advancement of all microgravity scients: life, material, and engineering. Space flight provides a uniqu
Physics of Fully Ionized Gases: Second Revised Edition
by Lyman Spitzer Jr.This classic graduate-level volume was the first general but simple introduction to the fields of plasma and fusion research. Since its original publication in 1956, it has served as a valuable reference. Designed for those who have had an introductory course in theoretical physics but are otherwise unacquainted with the detailed kinetic theory of gases, it chiefly emphasizes macroscopic equations and their consequences.The contents are restricted to topics offering a theoretical understanding of plasma and fusion research. Subjects include the motion of a particle, macroscopic behavior of a plasma, waves in a plasma, equilibria and their stability, and encounters between changed particles. A helpful appendix offers background on the Boltzmann equation.Author Lyman Spitzer, Jr., was the first to propose the idea of placing a large telescope in space, and he was the driving force behind the development of the Hubble Space Telescope. Founder and director of Princeton's Plasma Physics Laboratory, a pioneering program in controlled thermonuclear research, Spitzer taught and inspired a generation of plasma physicists.
The Physics of Galaxy Formation
by Claudia Del P. LagosThis thesis addresses two of the central processes which underpin the formation of galaxies: the formation of stars and the injection of energy into the interstellar medium from supernovae, called feedback. In her work Claudia Lagos has completely overhauled the treatment of these processes in simulations of galaxy formation. Her thesis makes two major breakthroughs, and represents the first major steps forward in these areas in more than a decade. Her work has enabled, for the first time, predictions to be made which can be compared against new observations which probe the neutral gas content of galaxies, opening up a completely novel way to constrain the models. The treatment of feedback from supernovae, and how this removes material from the interstellar medium, is also likely to have a lasting impact on the field. Claudia Lagos Ph. D. thesis was nominated by the Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University as an outstanding Ph. D. thesis 2012.
The Physics of Gamma-Ray Bursts
by Professor Bing ZhangGamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most luminous explosions in the universe, which within seconds release energy comparable to what the Sun releases in its entire lifetime. The field of GRBs has developed rapidly and matured over the past decades. Written by a leading researcher, this text presents a thorough treatment of every aspect of the physics of GRBs. It starts with an overview of the field and an introduction to GRB phenomenology. After laying out the basics of relativity, relativistic shocks, and leptonic and hadronic radiation processes, the volume covers all topics related to GRBs, including a general theoretical framework, afterglow and prompt emission models, progenitor, central engine, multi-messenger aspects (cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitational waves), cosmological connections, and broader impacts on fundamental physics and astrobiology. It is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and experienced researchers in the field of GRBs and high-energy astrophysics in general.
Physics of Gas-Liquid Flows
by Thomas J. HanrattyPresenting tools for understanding the behaviour of gas-liquid flows based on the ways large scale behaviour relates to small scale interactions, this text is ideal for engineers seeking to enhance the safety and efficiency of natural gas pipelines, water-cooled nuclear reactors, absorbers, distillation columns and gas lift pumps. The review of advanced concepts in fluid mechanics enables both graduate students and practising engineers to tackle the scientific literature and engage in advanced research. It focuses on gas-liquid flow in pipes as a simple system with meaningful experimental data. This unified theory develops design equations for predicting drop size, frictional pressure losses and slug frequency, which can be used to determine flow regimes, the effects of pipe diameter, liquid viscosity and gas density. It describes the effect of wavy boundaries and temporal oscillations on turbulent flows, and explains transition between phases, which is key to understanding the behaviour of gas-liquid flows.
Physics of Geochemical Mechanics and Deep Neural Network Modeling with Diffusion Augmentation: Applications to Earthquake Prediction (Advances in Geological Science)
by Mitsuhiro ToriumiThis book provides a new data augmentation method based on the local stochastic distribution patterns in natural time series data of global and regional seismicity rates and their correlated seismicity rates. The augmentation procedure is called the diffusion – denoising augmentation method from the local Gaussian distribution of segmented data of long time series. This method makes it possible to apply the deep machine learning necessary to neural network prediction of rare large earthquakes in the global and regional earth system.The book presents the physical background of the processes showing the development of characteristic features in the global and regional correlated seismicity dynamics, which are manifested by the successive time series of 1990–2023. Physical processes of the correlated global seismicity change and the earth’s rotation, fluctuation of plate motion, and the earth’s ellipsoid ratio (C20 of satellite gravity change) are proposed in this book. The equivalency between Gaussian seismicity network dynamics and the minimal nonlinear dynamics model of correlated seismicity rates is also provided. In addition, the book contains simulated models of the shear crack jog wave, precipitation of minerals in the jog, and jog accumulation inducing shear crack propagation which leads to earthquakes in the plate boundary rocks under permeable fluid flow.
The Physics of God: How the Deepest Theories of Science Explain Religion and How the Deepest Truths of Religion Explain Science
by Joseph Selbie“An impressive and thought-provoking work . . . regarding the metaphysical mysteries of life, physical reality, and human consciousness. Highly recommended!” —Spirituality TodayScience and religion are often thought to be in conflict. But the contemporary fields of relativity, quantum physics, neuroscience, and more are in agreement with the transcendent phenomena described by saints, sages, and near-death experiencers. Today’s science actually provides profound insight into miracles, immortality, heaven, God, and transcendent awareness.The Physics of God describes the intersections of science and religion with colorful, easy-to-understand metaphors, making abstruse subjects within both science and religion easily accessible to the layman. This intriguing book:Pulls back the curtain on the light-show illusion we call matter.Connects string theory to religion’s transcendent heavens.Reveals the scientific secret of life and immortality.Demonstrates the miracle-making power of our minds to effect instantaneous physiological changes.Included in this revised edition is a new chapter on the physics of meditation and other updates.
Physics of Granular Suspensions: Micro-mechanics of Geophysical Flows (CISM International Centre for Mechanical Sciences #612)
by Marco Mazzuoli Laurent LacazeThis book provides graduate students and scientists with fundamental knowledge on the mechanics of granular suspensions as well as on the mathematical and numerical techniques that can be adopted to investigate geophysical flows. To this end, three formidably complex problems (sediment transport, flow-like landslide inception, and gravity currents) are considered. The reader will find a thorough combination of elements of fluid and solid mechanics, rheology, geotechnics, geomorphology, civil, and coastal engineering. The first part of the book introduces the problem of granular suspensions from the mathematical viewpoint, focusing on issues that characterise geophysical flows such as turbulence, the effects of inter-particle contacts, and strong velocity gradients. In the second part, different models that were successfully used to investigate the mechanics of granular suspensions in environmental flows are presented.
The Physics of Graphene
by Mikhail I. KatsnelsonLeading graphene research theorist Mikhail I. Katsnelson systematically presents the basic concepts of graphene physics in this fully revised second edition. The author illustrates and explains basic concepts such as Berry phase, scaling, Zitterbewegung, Kubo, Landauer and Mori formalisms in quantum kinetics, chirality, plasmons, commensurate-incommensurate transitions and many others. Open issues and unsolved problems introduce the reader to the latest developments in the field. New achievements and topics presented include the basic concepts of Van der Waals heterostructures, many-body physics of graphene, electronic optics of Dirac electrons, hydrodynamics of electron liquid and the mechanical properties of one atom-thick membranes. Building on an undergraduate-level knowledge of quantum and statistical physics and solid-state theory, this is an important graduate textbook for students in nanoscience, nanotechnology and condensed matter. For physicists and material scientists working in related areas, this is an excellent introduction to the fast-growing field of graphene science.
Physics of Gravitational Waves: Sources and Detection Methods (SpringerBriefs in Physics)
by Arun Kenath Chandra SivaramThis book provides a concise introduction to the physics of gravitational waves. It is aimed at graduate-level students and PhD scholars. Ever since the discovery of gravitational waves in 2016, gravitational wave astronomy has been adding to our understanding of the universe.Gravitational waves have been detected in the past few years from several transient events such as merging stellar-mass black holes, binary neutron stars, etc. These waves have frequencies in a band ranging from a few hundred hertz to around a kilohertz to which LIGO type instruments are sensitive. LISA will be sensitive to much lower range of frequencies from SMBH mergers. Apart from these cataclysmic burst events, there are innumerable sources of radiation which are continuously emitting gravitational waves of all frequencies. These include a whole mass range of compact binary and isolated compact objects and close planetary stellar entities. This book discusses the gravitational wave background produced in typical frequency ranges from such sources emitting over a Hubble time and the fluctuations in the h values measured in the usual devices. Also discussed are the high-frequency thermal background gravitational radiation from hot stellar interiors and newly formed compact objects. The reader will also learn how gravitational waves provide a testing tool for various theories of gravity, i.e. general relativity and extended theories of gravity, and will be the definitive test for general relativity.
Physics of Intense Beams in Plasmas
by M.V NezlinPhysics of Intense Beams in Plasmas is a comprehensive description of the interaction between extremely intense particle beams and plasmas. The emphasis is on experimental beam-plasma physics, but the necessary theory is also explained-much of which is innovative and original. Central to the book is the discussion of beam instabilities, emphasizing their hydrodynamic nature.
The Physics of Interstellar Dust
by Endrik KrugelInterstellar dust grains catalyse chemical reactions, absorb, scatter, polarise and re-radiate starlight and constitute the building blocks for the formation of planets. Understanding this interstellar component is therefore of primary importance in many areas of astronomy & astrophysics. For example, observers need to understand how dust effects l
The Physics of Invisibility
by Martin BeechThe ability is see is fundamental to our very existence. How true our perceptions really are depends upon many factors, and not least is our understanding of what light is and how it interacts with matter. It was said that the camera, the icon of light recording instruments, never lies, and in the day of the glass plate and celluloid roll-film this might well have been true. But in this modern era, with electronic cameras and computer software, it is often safe to assume that the camera always lies. The advertising images that bombard our every waking moment are manipulated in shape, profile, color, and form. In this new era, light can be manipulated with metamaterials to make one object look like another or even cause that objects to vanish, literally before our eyes; not only can the image we see be manipulated, but so can the light itself.
Physics of Josephson Diodes Formed from 1T-Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (Springer Theses)
by Pranava Keerthi SivakumarThis book provides a clear and lucid introduction to the field of non-reciprocal supercurrent transport in Josephson junctions, particularly the Josephson diode effect in junctions fabricated from mechanically exfoliated transition metal dichalcogenides and its microscopic mechanism. Superconducting materials that display a non-reciprocity in their critical current, namely a supercurrent diode effect (SDE), and Josephson junctions (JJs) that display a Josephson diode effect (JDE) have recently been discovered just a few years ago. These phenomena have attracted much attention for their potential in creating energy-efficient superconducting electronics. The SDE was discovered for the first time only in 2020 and the JDE shortly afterwards. JJs are a critical element of many superconducting devices and, in particular, superconducting qubits that are under intense study for the development of quantum computers. In order to make use of devices that display a JDE, a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the physical origin or origins of this effect is essential, which is the main topic of this dissertation. In addition to the published results, the dissertation contains detailed information on the basic theoretical aspects of superconductivity, Josephson junctions, and the experimental methods that are necessary to achieve these results, which is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students or any reader with knowledge on basic condensed matter physics.
The Physics of Krav Maga
by John Eric GoffThe art and science of real-world fighting. Explore the physics behind the physical!Krav Maga ("contact combat" in Hebrew) is a hard-hitting and efficient form of self-defense that was popularized by Israeli soldiers. Stressing practical, real-world fighting and a philosophy of self-defense, its popularity has grown worldwide over the past few decades. In The Physics of Krav Maga, John Eric Goff, a physicist, best-selling author, and martial arts practitioner, explains the science behind dozens of Krav Maga moves, from headlocks to hammer fists. Focusing on Warrior Krav Maga, a fighting style that combines the key elements of Krav Maga with kickboxing, wrestling, karate, and other fighting specialties, this equation-free, conceptual introduction is aimed at martial arts practitioners interested in refining their fighting technique and all fans of the fascinating moment when sports meet science.With step-by-step descriptions and detailed photos of each critical motion, Goff takes a scientific look at everything from punch speed to power output and reaction time. Armed with this book, readers will understand the physics behind each move. They will also learn how to• enhance their level of physical fitness• disrupt an opponent's balance—while keeping theirs• make use of leverage to defeat a larger, stronger attacker• become faster and more powerful• inflict pain up close• use weapons—and "weapons of opportunity"• and much more!Anyone interested in martial arts, in how physics applies to sports and combat, and in how a physicist wins a fight will love The Physics of Krav Maga.
Physics of Lakes
by Irina P. Chubarenko Kolumban Hutter Yongqi WangThis first volume in the treatise on the Physics of Lakes deals with the formulation of the mathematical and physical background. A large number of lakes on Earth are described, presenting their morphology as well as the causes of their response to the driving environment. Because the physics of lakes cannot be described without the language used in mathematics, these subjects are introduced first by using the simplest approach and with utmost care, assuming only a limited college knowledge of classical Newtonian physics, and continues with increasing complexity and elegance, starting with the fundamental equations of Lake Hydrodynamics in the form of 'primitive equations' and leading to a detailed treatment of angular momentum and vorticity. Following the presentation of these fundamentals turbulence modeling is introduced with Reynolds, Favre and other non-ergodic filters. The derivation of averaged field equations is presented with different closure schemes, including the k-ε model for a Boussinesq fluid and early anisotropic closure schemes. This is followed by expositions of surface gravity waves without rotation and an analysis of the role played by the distribution of mass within water bodies on the Earth, leading to a study of internal waves. The vertical structure of wind-induced currents in homogeneous and stratified waters and the Ekman theory and some of its extensions close this first volume of Physics of Lakes. The last chapter collects formulas for the phenomenological coefficients of water.
The Physics Of Laser Plasma Interactions
by William KruerBased on a graduate course in plasma physics taught at University of California, Davis, this classic book provides a concise overview and a physically-motivated treatment of the major plasma processes which determine the interaction of intense light waves with plasmas. It also includes a discussion of basic plasma concepts, plasma simulation using particle codes, and laser plasma experiments. This is the most elementary book currently available that successfully blends theory, simulation, and experiment, and presents a clear exposition of the major physical processes involved in laser-plasma interactions. This was also the first book on the topic by anyone involved in the United States Laser Fusion Program. Dr. Kruer has more than 30 years of active participation in this field.
The Physics Of Laser Plasma Interactions
by William KruerThis book focuses on the physics of laser plasma interactions and presents a complementary and very useful numerical model of plasmas. It describes the linear theory of light wave propagation in plasmas, including linear mode conversion into plasma waves and collisional damping.