General Books - Page 12

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

David Bodanis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 111 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews-this "little masterpiece"* sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.

"This is not a physics book. It is a history of where the equation [E=mc2] came from and how it has changed the world. After a short chapter on the equation's birth, Bodanis presents its five symbolic ancestors in sequence, each with its own chapter and each with rich human stories of achievement and failure, encouragement and duplicity, love and rivalry, politics and revenge. Readers meet not only famous scientists at their best and worst but also such famous and infamous characters as Voltaire and Marat...Bodanis includes detailed, lively and fascinating back matter...His acknowledgements end, 'I loved writing this book.' It shows." (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"E=mc2, focusing on the 1905 theory of special relativity, is just what its subtitle says it is: a biography of the world's most famous equation, and it succeeds beautifully. For the first time, I really feel that I understand the meaning and implications of that equation, as Bodanis takes us through each symbol separately, including the = sign...there is a great 'aha!' awaiting the lay reader." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

"'The equation that changed everything' is familiar to even the most physics-challenged, but it remains a fuzzy abstraction to most. Science writer Bodanis makes it a lot more clear." (Discover)

"Excellent...With wit and style, he explains every factor in the world's most famous and least understood equation....Every page is rich with surprising anecdotes about everything from Einstein's youth to the behind-the-scenes workings of the Roosevelt administration. Here's a prediction: E=mc2 is one of those odd, original, and handsomely written books that will prove more popular than even its publisher suspects." (Nashville Scene)

"You'll learn more in these 300 pages about folks like Faraday, Lavoisier, Davy and Rutherford than you will in many a science course...a clearly written, astonishingly understandable book that celebrates human achievement and provides some idea of the underlying scientific orderliness and logic that guides the stars and rules the universe." (Parade )

"Bodanis truly has a gift for bringing his subject matter to life." (Library Journal [starred review] )

"Entertaining...With anecdotes and illustrations, Bodanis effectively opens up E=mc2 to the widest audience." (Booklist )

"Accessible...he seeks, and deserves, many readers who know no physics. They'll learn a handful-more important, they'll enjoy it, and pick up a load of biographical and cultural curios along the way." (Publishers Weekly)

Barron's SAT Subject Test in Physics

Herman Gewirtz, Jonathan S. Wolf

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

Tough. Too tough for even the writers, it seems 2 out of 5 stars.
13 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I'll put it out now - I ranked top 5% for the NJ science league for physics I . I've had many experiences with questions aimed at really testing your knowledge, and some of these questions do that. But some of them do it too much, to an extent where the question covers information NOT even in the information they cover in their chapter review sections. Worse, there are many glaring errors, both in their review, in their tests/questions, and their reasoning for their questions. Their questions, like i said, aim to test you, but often it only comes off as confusingly worded. Sometimes, the answer they find uses numbers different than initially stated (one question used 125m/s, but the answer worked off 100m/s.).

To be honest, the only thing going for this book is its name - barrons, without a doubt, is tough. But too tough, even for the writers of the book. If physics is not a strong subject for you, then find another book. You will most likely find it easier to follow

Editorial Review:

One diagnostic test and three full-length model SAT Subject Tests in Physics reflect recent actual tests in length, subject matter, and degree of difficulty. All questions are answered and explained. An extensive subject review covers mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, and all other test topics. Also explained is the methodology used in solving physics problems, a basic math review, additional practice questions with answers, and test-taking tips.

What Is Life?: with "Mind and Matter" and "Autobiographical Sketches"

Erwin Schrodinger

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger's What is Life? is one of the great science classics of the twentieth century. A distinguished physicist's exploration of the question which lies at the heart of biology, it was written for the layman, but proved one of the spurs to the birth of molecular biology and the subsequent discovery of the structure of DNA. The philosopher Karl Popper hailed it as a 'beautiful and important book' by 'a great man to whom I owe a personal debt for many exciting discussions'. It appears here together with Mind and Matter, his essay investigating a relationship which has eluded and puzzled philosophers since the earliest times. Schrodinger asks what place consciousness occupies in the evolution of life, and what part the state of development of the human mind plays in moral questions. Brought together with these two classics are Schrödinger's autobiographical sketches, published and translated here for the first time. They offer a fascinating fragmentary account of his life as a background to his scientific writings, making this volume a valuable additon to the shelves of scientist and layman alike.

Climate Canada

F.K. Hare, M.K. Thomas

By: John Wiley and Sons Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $16.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less with Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook!

When things are hectic and everybody's hungry, this is the cookbook you'll turn to. All 120 of the delicious kitchen-tested recipes inside are ready in 30 minutesor less, and flagged recipes take only 20 minutes. Delight the kids with favorites like Taco Supper Skillet and Barbecue Chicken Pizza. Impress guests with Grilled Latin Halibut with Green Sauce or Tagliatelle Pasta with Asparagus and Gorgonzola Sauce. And satisfy everyone with crowd - pleasers like Grilled Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin and Ramen-Beef Stir-Fry.

You'll find:

• 120 family-pleasing dishes from pizza to steak, with a full-page color photo of every recipe
• Eight ingredients or less for most recipes - foods you probably already have on hand
• 70 one-step ideas for adding a special touch toeverything from vegetables to dessert
• A pantry planner so you can avoid the last-minute dinner scramble

With Betty Crocker Quick & Easy Cookbook, dinner's ready "quickedy split" - so you get to enjoy more time with family and friends, and everyone gets to enjoy a delicious meal.

How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary

Louis A. Bloomfield

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Why do golf balls have dimples?
How does an iPod turn binary digits into Bon Jovi?
How do microwave ovens cook?
How does a pitcher make a curveball curve and a knuckleball jitter?
Why don't you fall off an upside-down roller coaster?

If one didn't know better, one might think the world was filled with magic—from the household appliances that make our lives easier to the devices that fill our world with sounds and images. Even a simple light bulb can seem mysterious when you're clueless about the science behind it.

Now in How Everything Works, Louis Bloomfield takes you inside the amazing gizmos and gadgets that are part of the fabric of our everyday life, explaining the physics that makes them work. Examining everything from roller coasters to radio, knuckleballs to nuclear weapons, How Everything Works reveals the answers to such questions as why the sky is blue, why metal is a problem in microwave ovens, how MRIs see inside you, and why some clothes require dry cleaning.

You don't need a science or engineering background to understand How Everything Works. All you need is an active curiosity about the extraordinary world all around you. Remarkably clear and always fascinating, How Everything Works is nothing short of a user's manual for our everyday world.

Master Handbook of Acoustics

F. Alton Everest

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Title may be misleading 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

There are two common definitions of the word "acoustics." The most general is "an area of physics dealing with sound and sound waves" and the second is "the qualities of a room that determine audibility and fidelity of sound in it." This book is a very good reference for the latter, but if you're looking for the former, look elsewhere. Also, I'm not sure I would describe it as a Handbook, but rather as a reference text.

It is good for what it does cover and is relatively easy to read.

A book for the advnaced 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A great book, but can be too advanced for some. A lot of physics is included - which is great - but perhaps some previous knowledge or some side reading is a good idea.

Over all, excellent book, and a goldmine to buy.

Editorial Review:

The goal of this book is to apply the principles of acoustics to the audio arts. This involves serving as an interpreter of major trends and the literature for students and practitioners in the audio field. Along with covering the more theoretical aspects of acoustics, the book applies the theory to the design of specialized audio spaces such as the home listening room, the control room, and the multi-track-recording studio.

The World As I See It

Albert Einstein

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

this is my bible ;-) 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I had a v.old copy of this book which was falling apart so I replaced it with a less inspired production but still the same inspiring content. I like AE's view of the world, the greater power, truth and beauty -- it is written by a scientist with heart.

Nice Collection of Einstein's Thoughts 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a short collection of various speeches, letters, and other writings on Einstein's thoughts on various subjects. Delves into matters such as his thoughts on war, religion, and a few other subjects. A very quick read and recommended for anyone who enjoys Einstein's brilliant insights into matters beyond Physics.

einstein's essay 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

einstein's essay was a good readbut the rest of the letters didnt really get to me

Editorial Review:

The Einstein revealed in these writings is witty, keenly perceptive, and deeply concerned for humanity. Einstein believed in the possibility of a peaceful world and in the high mission of science to serve human well-being. As we near the end of a century in which science has come to seem more and more remote from human values, Einstein's perspective is indispensable.

Quantum Mechanics Demystified

David McMahon

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Fun format makes this complex subject easy to grasp solutions to typical problems that are explained in full detail. It is perfect for self-study or class supplement. It is great for quick review or help prepare for the Physics qualifying exam. Learn quantum mechanics at warp speed! Now anyone can master the basics of quantum mechanics - without formal training, unlimited time, or a genius IQ. In "Quantum Mechanics Demystified", physicist (and student-savvy author) David McMahon provides an effective and illuminating way to learn the essentials of quantum mechanics.With "Quantum Mechanics Demystified", you master the subject one step at a time - at your own speed. This unique self-teaching guide is filled with solved examples throughout, and offers problems to try at the end of each chapter to pinpoint weaknesses. A final exam serves to reinforce concepts covered in the entire book. This fast and entertaining self-teaching course makes it much easier to - master serious quantum mechanics in easy-to-follow steps.This book cuts through the jargon and learn how to do quantum mechanics using worked examples. It helps reinforce learning and pinpoint weaknesses with questions at the end of each chapter and a comprehensive final exam. Learn about Schrodinger's equation, one dimensional scattering, Hilbert space, and the density operator. Find extensive explanations of spin and angular momentum, vector spaces, matrix mechanics, the harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom. Perform better on qualifying or placement exams. Take a 'final exam' and grade it yourself! Clear enough for beginners, but challenging enough for those who already know something about advanced physics, "Quantum Mechanics Demystified" is the best self-teaching tool you can find!

Dark Side of the Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Cosmos

Iain Nicolson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Once we thought the universe was filled with shining stars, dust, planets, and galaxies. We now know that more than 98 percent of all matter in the universe is dark. It emits absolutely nothing yet bends space and time; keeps stars speeding around galaxies; and determines the fate of the universe.

But dark matter is only part of the story. Scientists have recently discovered that the expansion of the universe is speeding up, driven by a mysterious commodity called dark energy. Depending on what dark matter and energy happen to be, our seemingly quiet universe could end its days in a Big Rip, tearing itself apart, or a Big Crunch, collapsing down to a universe the size of nothing, ready to be reincarnated in a Big Bang once again.

For the general reader and armchair astronomer alike, Iain Nicolson's fascinating account shows how our ideas about the nature and the content of the universe have developed. He highlights key discoveries, explains underlying concepts, and examines current thinking on dark matter and dark energy. He describes techniques that astronomers use to explore the remote recesses of the cosmos in their quest to understand its composition, evolution, and ultimate fate.

The Emperor's New Mind: Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics (Popular Science)

Roger Penrose

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Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For decades, proponents of artificial intelligence have argued that computers will soon be doing everything that a human mind can do. Admittedly, computers now play chess at the grandmaster level, but do they understand the game as we do? Can a computer eventually do everything a human mind can do? In this absorbing and frequently contentious book, Roger Penrose--eminent physicist and winner, with Stephen Hawking, of the prestigious Wolf prize--puts forward his view that there are some facets of human thinking that can never be emulated by a machine. Penrose examines what physics and mathematics can tell us about how the mind works, what they can't, and what we need to know to understand the physical processes of consciousness. He is among a growing number of physicists who think Einstein wasn't being stubborn when he said his "little finger" told him that quantum mechanics is incomplete, and he concludes that laws even deeper than quantum mechanics are essential for the operation of a mind. To support this contention, Penrose takes the reader on a dazzling tour that covers such topics as complex numbers, Turing machines, complexity theory, quantum mechanics, formal systems, Godel undecidability, phase spaces, Hilbert spaces, black holes, white holes, Hawking radiation, entropy, quasicrystals, the structure of the brain, and scores of other subjects. The Emperor's New Mind will appeal to anyone with a serious interest in modern physics and its relation to philosophical issues, as well as to physicists, mathematicians, philosophers and those on either side of the AI debate.