Libro di fisica gratuito

MOTION MOUINTAIN - The Adventure of Physics

Un’opera divulgativa, ma nemmeno troppo, di oltre 1300 pagine, disponibile gratuitamente in formato PDF (in inglese):

http://www.motionmountain.net/benvenuti.html

Contents

Preface 20

An appetizer 23

First Part : Classical Physics – How Do Things and Images Move?

Chapter I Galilean Motion 28

  1. Why should we care about motion? 28
  2. Galilean physics – motion in everyday life 42
  3. Global descriptions of motion – the simplicity of complexity 175
  4. From the limitations of physics to the limits of motion 271

Chapter II Special Relativity 283

  1. Maximum speed, observers at rest, and motion of light 283

Chapter III Gravitation and Relativity 357

  1. Maximum force – general relativity in one statement 357
  2. ¿e new ideas on space, time and gravity 385
  3. Motion in general relativity – bent light and wobbling vacuum 405
  4. Why can we see the stars? – Motion in the universe 445
  5. Black holes – falling forever 484
  6. Does space dieer from time? 499
  7. General relativity in ten points – a summary for the layman 505

Chapter IV Classical Electrodynamics 525

  1. Liquid electricity, invisible elds and maximum speed 525
  2. What is light? 568
  3. Charges are discrete – the limits of classical electrodynamics 607
  4. Electromagnetic eeects 610
  5. Classical physics in a nutshell – one and a half steps out of three 628

Intermezzo The Brain, Language and the Human Condition 647

Second Part : Quantum Theory – What Is Matter? What Are Interac-
tions?

Chapter V Quanta of Light and Matter 720

  1. Minimum action – quantum theory for poets 720
  2. Light – the strange consequences of the quantum of action 735
  3. Motion of matter – beyond classical physics 753
  4. Colours and other interactions between light and matter 771

Chapter VI Permutation of Particles 791

  1. Are particles like gloves? 791
  2. Rotations and statistics – visualizing spin 800

Chapter VII Details of Quantum Theory and Electromagnetism 813

  1. Superpositions and probabilities – quantum theory without ideology 813
  2. Applied quantum mechanics – life, pleasure and the means to achieve them 836
  3. Quantum electrodynamics – the origin of virtual reality 876
  4. Quantum mechanics with gravitation – the rst approach 890

Chapter VIII Inside the Nucleus 919

  1. ¿e structure of the nucleus – the densest clouds 919
  2. ¿e strong nuclear interaction and the birth of matter 943
  3. ¿e weak nuclear interaction and the handedness of nature 959
  4. ¿e standard model of elementary particle physics – as seen on television 964
  5. Grand unication – a simple dream 964

Chapter IX Advanced Quantum Theory (not yet available) 971

Chapter X Quantum Physics in a Nutshell 973

Intermezzo Bacteria, Flies and Knots 991

Third Part : Motion Without Motion – What Are Space, Time and
Particles?

Chapter XI General Relativity Versus Quantum Theory 1018

  1. Does matter dieer from vacuum? 1020
  2. Nature at large scales – is the universe something or nothing? 1053
  3. ¿e physics of love – a summary of the rst two-and-a-half parts 1076
  4. Maximum force and minimum distance – physics in limit statements 1088
  5. ¿e shape of points – extension in nature 1119
  6. String theory – a web of dualities 1146

Chapter XII Unification (not yet available) 1153

Chapter XIII The Top of the Mountain (not yet available) 1155

Fourth Part : Appendices

Appendix A Notation and Conventions 1158
Appendix B Units, Measurements and Constants 1170
Appendix C Particle Properties 1190
Appendix D Numbers and Spaces 1210
Appendix E Sources of Information on Motion 1244
Appendix F Challenge Hints and Solutions 1250
Appendix G List of Illustrations 1306
Appendix H List of Tables 1323
Appendix I Name Index 1326
Appendix J Subject Index 1352