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New version of free physics textbook (was: Nieuwe versie van gratis natuurkunde boek op het net
2003-09-13 09:48:45
Of course, the subject should have been in English. Indeed
the book is in English as well. It can be found at: http://www.motionmountain.net The text adds a new section on nuclear physics that includes the story of radioactivity, a MRI scan of humans making love and the dream of grand unification. The present 14th revision also adds more figures on special relativity, a short explanation of k calculus, the paradox of the relativistic submarine, a photograph and description of how some caterpillars shoot away their faecal matter, a photograph of a basilisk running over water, Stowe's periodic table of the elements, a beautiful picture of the analemma, references to monadology, the question why birds are not usually seen on high voltage lines, the question whether the moon is larger or smaller than the nail of your thumb at the end of your extended arm, the proof that Peary did not reach the north pole, and much more. Many photographs and drawings have been added, the graphical presentation reworked and several hundred challenge solutions have been added. (Tell me which ones you want next!) For all fields of physics the newest research results and the main unanswered questions are presented. The text remains a structured walk through classical physics, relativity, quantum theory and unification. In total, the text aims to give an overview of what motion is and what it can effect. The accent on surprises and thought-provoking puzzles has been kept. It will please both readers who open the text at random and those who read it systematically. Thank you to everybody who has sent criticisms, corrections and suggestions. Enjoy! Christoph Schiller chri_schiller @ yahoo . com P.S. In physics texts, figures take the biggest part of the budget - both in time and in money. Any help on (preferably colour postscript) images to be added to the text (with permission of course) is much appreciated. Such help will allow me to concentrate on the writing and make sure that the text can continue to be free for all readers throughout the world.
2003-09-13 14:39:56
chri_schiller@yahoo.com (Christoph Schiller) wrote in message news:<48a5c1d4.0309130848.1980272a@posting.google.com>...
> Of course, the subject should have been in English. Indeed > the book is in English as well. It can be found at: > > http://www.motionmountain.net > I find it incredible that someone could invest the time and effort required to construct a website such as the above, yet in hundreds of pages not to address the fundamental concepts of physics even once. Harry C.
2003-09-14 00:05:15
Harry Conover wrote:
> chri_schiller@yahoo.com (Christoph Schiller) wrote in message news:<48a5c1d4.0309130848.1980272a@posting.google.com>... > >>Of course, the subject should have been in English. Indeed >>the book is in English as well. It can be found at: >> >> http://www.motionmountain.net >> > > > I find it incredible that someone could invest the time and effort > required to construct a website such as the above, yet in hundreds of > pages not to address the fundamental concepts of physics even once. > > Harry C. physics', because I am puzzled? Has physics changed since I took it in the 60s :) It covers conservation of energy, classical motion, special relativity, generaly relativity, Electromagnetism. David
2003-09-14 02:20:55
hhc314@yahoo.com (Harry Conover) wrote in message news:
> > http://www.motionmountain.net > > > > I find it incredible that someone could invest the time and effort > required to construct a website such as the above, yet in hundreds of > pages not to address the fundamental concepts of physics even once. > > Harry C. The whole text is about the fundamental concepts of physics. Just let me know what you think is missing, and I will add it in the next version. C. Schiller
2003-09-14 16:01:37
The hhc314@yahoo.com (Harry Conover) wrote:
>chri_schiller@yahoo.com (Christoph Schiller) wrote in message news:<48a5c1d4.0309130848.1980272a@posting.google.com>... >> Of course, the subject should have been in English. Indeed >> the book is in English as well. It can be found at: >> >> http://www.motionmountain.net >> >I find it incredible that someone could invest the time and effort >required to construct a website such as the above, yet in hundreds of >pages not to address the fundamental concepts of physics even once. Isn't it equally amazing that you managed to read these hundreds of pages in a timespan of five hours? :-) -- If your divots continuously travel farther than your ball, consider reading as a pastime.
2003-09-14 14:31:06
Ahem!
Physics text books should not have pretty illustrations. They should have lots of equations. Intermediate steps should always be missing so that the professor can have the opportunity to say, "let the derivation be an exercise for the student". Physics should be difficult enough that even the best students will need to spend at least 4 hours per problem. Physics and Pain should by synonymous, just as they were in the 60's at UCLA. Not all the problems should have solutions. This prepares the student for life. Dr Image Nius Professor of Warp Field Studies James T. Kirk University Titan Colony, Alpha Quadrant
2003-09-14 19:46:10
Try Optical Aberration Coefficients by Buchdahl.
Subscripts, Superscripts both in front of and behind most of the variables. rge11x@netscape.net (robert egri) wrote: >Acme Optics >> Ahem! >> >> Physics text books should not have pretty illustrations. They should >> have lots of equations. Intermediate steps should always be missing so >> that the professor can have the opportunity to say, "let the >> derivation be an exercise for the student". >> >> Physics should be difficult enough that even the best students will >> need to spend at least 4 hours per problem. Physics and Pain should by >> synonymous, just as they were in the 60's at UCLA. Not all the >> problems should have solutions. This prepares the student for life. >> >> Dr Image Nius >> Professor of Warp Field Studies >> James T. Kirk University >> Titan Colony, Alpha Quadrant > >Schiller's book is a gem. But he did not follow the basic laws of >optics textbook writing. When you write a book on optics, make sure >that you use notation that is easily misprinted like triple primes, or >select coordinate fonts that do not match your drawings. The drawings >themselves, if there are any, let's just be abstract, shall we, should >be at least three pages from the text that is referring to. That'll >teach'em a lesson. Or how about describing the aberration function, >with variable points like P, P', then also with another pair having >overbars on them and then have the plot show Q and Q' and never define >or even plot what Pbar and P'bar would be, etc. It is also helpful to >emphasize that the aberration function derived so far refers to the >Petzval surface and then move on to the aberration relative to the >Gaussian image all the while implying that you have been talking about >the Gaussian image and never say what the Petzval image itself would >be, etc. That'll teach'em a lesson, the suckers... Or, declare in the >1st chapter the image coordinates will always have primes unlike the >object coordinates, then when you go to derive the Seidel aberration, >without any prior warning drop the primes in the image plane, "to >simplify notation" use unprimed capital letters and then, well, you >know the rest of the story, only a stiff glass of gin can help the >unwary. Or is that illegal in college dorms, nowadays?
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