Fun with physics on 1000 free pages

[motionmountain]

The free physics text available on http://www.motionmountain.net

(so far, the 21 MB pdf file only)

has been reworked. Many improvements have been introduced throughout this

15th version of the text, which remains surprising and thought-provoking on

every one of its over 1000 pages. There are many new figures, an

explanation of the indeterminacy relation of thermodynamics, a new puzzle

on the way to catch bananas, the fundaments of dislocations, the reason

that mornings are quiet and evenings are not, the method used by whales to

communicate below water, and the story on how to swim through empty, but

curved space-time. The explanation of the microscope and the telescope,

the addition of accelerations in special relativity, and the fundaments of

topology and Lie groups have been included. There are now over 1300

problems, 600 solutions, 300 figures and 80 tables.

 

The section on quantum theory has been expanded; it now gives an improved

introduction to quantum theory. There is also a new section

called "Physics in limit statements" that summarizes special relativity,

electrodynamics, thermodynamics, general relativity and quantum theory in

five simple inequalities. Not only do they summarize most of 20th century

physics; they also allow to draw in simple ways some conclusions that are

important conceptual steps on the way towards the unified description of

nature. In this way, the section provides some background to Brian

Greene's discussion of space-time in "The elegant universe".

 

The maximum force principle is explained in more detail than

before. It is shown how to deduce the field equations of general relativity

from the simple statement that no force in nature is larger than c^4/4G.

In this way general relativity gets accessible in its main lines

to everybody with a secondary school degree.

 

In general, for all fields of physics the newest research results and the

main open questions are presented. The text remains a structured walk

through classical physics, relativity, quantum theory and unification. It

should appeal to everybody with an interest for physics. The reader gets a

vivid and entertaining overview of how motion can be described and of what

it can effect.

 

Enjoy!

 

Christoph Schiller

 

P.S. Thank you to all readers who have provided suggestions and

corrections. They are all mentioned in the foreword (I hope

I did not forget anybody).

 

Proposals for colour images to be added to the future text versions (with

permission) are much appreciated.

 

***

[NSX]

Wow cool; good for referencing w/ my Serway.

 

[motionmountain]

This should work now:

 

 

The 16th edition of the free physics text is now available at

 

http://www.motionmountain.net

 

The new edition adds the way to measure the speed of light with a piece of

chocolate, the speed value of the fastest object thrown by hand,

impressions of Prof. Furukawa's feeling for snow, the story of negative

index of refraction, the way to prove that light is made of photons using

the naked human eye and a shutter (only), what Lavoisier managed to do

after (yes, after) his head was cut off, the way herring communicate under

water by farting, a figure of Kötter's magic numbers for swirled spheres,

an introduction to Lie groups, a full commented list of the chemical

elements, and hundreds of small improvements. (Look up these topics in the

index.)

 

The new edition also adds a new 8-page section on how to deduce lower and

upper limits of all physical quantities in nature - thus extending the

entropy bound of Bekenstein to all other observables. Among others, the

lowest lowest power, the lowest force, the highest acceleration and the

highest angular momentum are presented. (`Upper and lower limits to all

observables' - part of file http://www.motionmountain.net/C19-LIMI.pdf )

 

The text remains surprising and thought-provoking as ever, on each of its

over 1000 pages. For all fields of physics the newest research results and

the main open questions are presented. The text provides a structured and

entertaining walk through all of physics, from classical mechanics to

relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear

physics and unification. There should not be any boring page. If you

disagree, please complain - I will improve the page.

 

Enjoy!

 

Christoph Schiller

[admiral_ju00]

Nice! thx.

[Martin]

..' date=' the way to prove that light is made of photons using

the naked human eye and a shutter (only), what Lavoisier managed to do

after (yes, after) his head was cut off,

... (`Upper and lower limits to all

observables' - part of file http://www.motionmountain.net/C19-LIMI.pdf )

...

 

Enjoy!

 

Christoph Schiller[/quote']

 

yes, thankyou!

 

In your TOC I see that you have a proof that the strongest possible force

in nature is

c⁴/4G

 

I came to the same conclusion a few years ago by thinking about

two equal-mass black holes. How strongly can they attract? it depends on how close they are. How close can they get while remaining separate entities?

roughly speaking the schwarzschild diameter

 

I dont think of this as a rigorous proof but I did get the same answer as you

(by admittedly a vague heuristic reasoning)

 

So I am interested to see your proof.

 

Only, it takes quite a while to download these chapters.

 

Has anyone already downloaded some and can tell us how he does things?

 

To save me the time of downloading, and end the suspense, can anyone'

tell me what Lavoisier did after his head was chopped off?

 

How can you demonstrate photons using just a shutter and the naked eye?

 

Christoph S has a very interesting approach to physics. congratulations CS and thanks again!

[qazibasit]

motionmountain your book is not available in asian countries so if you ever think to publish it in asia i can sponser you book. well think about it.

[Leison]

Thanx motion mountain, yr links are helpful. Keep it up!

[motionmountain]

After nine months, the new, nineteenth edition of the free Motion Mountain physics text can now

be downloaded at

 

http://motionmountain.net

 

Over 1300 pages lead through the whole of physics, from mechanics to

relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear physics

and unification.

 

The nineteenth edition gives details on radiometric dating techniques,

explains why it is forbidden to carry thermometers on airplanes,

shows how to use the same

idea to measure the speed of bullets and that of light, presents a classical

system that obeys the Schroedinger equation, introduces Tesla coils, shows

that space-time has different properties in certain patent offices, tells how

to see effects from atoms using only a lamp and a piece of metal, gives more

details on clouds and jets of astronomic size, shows how to perform a

precision Michelson-Morley experiment, gives the latest results on the Pioneer

anomaly, introduces fusion reactors, demonstrates the chromatic lens errors of

the eye, and presents the simplest unsolved problem about the trefoil knot.

 

The text also provides improved writing, more figures, more curiosities, many

additional solutions to the challenges, and, thanks to the help of Martin

Elsaesser, the first embedded animation. Many thanks also to all those

readers who have suggested improvements and material for the text. An errata

page that allows direct feedback via the website is now available.

 

Enjoy.

 

Christoph Schiller

[motionmountain]

This continues the above thread:

 

The new, twenty-first edition of the freely

downloadable physics textbook is available on

 

http://www.motionmountain.eu

 

Over 1400 pages lead through the whole of physics, from

mechanics to relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics,

quantum theory, nuclear physics, astrophysics and

unification. Over hundred new figures and tables, and

numerous explanations have been added, with many

examples from animals, plants and machines.

 

The twenty-first edition now explains why the speed of

light is too slow to speculate with success on the stock

exchange, adds the second-level bear fur colour puzzle and

the young mother puzzle, presents the nearest place with

a pressure permanently lower than that of the atmosphere,

adds the puzzle about the horse and the snail on a rubber,

tells more about metamaterials, adds some simple chemical

puzzles, presents what incredible things on atomic layers

one can discover using a pencil and sticky tape, tells

more on biological rhythms and clocks, explains how to

observe the rotation of the Earth in any classroom after

two seconds of observation, shows an electric effect

observed on many playgrounds, shows the beauty of bursting

soap bubbles and bouncing tennis balls, explains how it is

possible to observe the motion of single, isolated

electrons, and tells how to build the simplest possible

radio control system.

 

The first 360 pages are available also in French, due to

the great work of Benoit Clenet, and can be downloaded from

the bienvenue page.

 

A wiki open to everybody now keeps track of misprints

and suggestions.

 

Enjoy!

 

Christoph Schiller

[motionmountain]

The new, twenty-second edition of the freely

downloadable physics textbook is available on

 

http://www.motionmountain.net

 

Over 1600 pages show that physics is more fun than making

love. They lead through the whole of physics, from

mechanics to thermodynamics, relativity, electrodynamics,

quantum theory, nuclear physics, astrophysics and

unification. The text promises to be fascinating and

challenging on every page.

 

The twenty-second edition now explains how it is possible

to plunge a bare hand into molten lead, includes a film of

an oscillating quartz inside a watch, explains how it is

possible to type a letter by controlling a computer

with thought alone, includes a film of a solar flare,

explains the fifteen ways that colours appear

in rocks plants and animals, explains the connection

between cats and gauge theory, adds more ways in which

the human eye invents colours that are not there, includes

a list of laser types and applications, includes many

images of crystals, explains how physics Plotinus

and christianity come together to show that the universe

and god are one and the same, adds the handcuff puzzle

and several other puzzles, explains how jet pilots

frighten civilians with sonic superbooms produced by

fighter planes, presents the most beautiful and precise

sundial available today, adds a simple photographic

proof that the Earth is larger than the Moon, improves

the presentation of elementary particle physics, adds

a photo of a red rainbow, gives the latest discoveries

on the Galileo trial, presents a fascinating mathematical

aspect of Ohm's law, states the hardest open math problem

that you can explain to your grandmother, adds photographs

of levitation, and much more.

 

Over 50 new illustrations and 100 new pages have been added.

More than 200 women and men have helped with suggestions and

material: thank you to all of them. A beautiful

French translation by Benoit Clenet of a large part

of the text is also available. Parts are available in

Italian and Spanish. Suggestions and errata

can be added at the Motion Mountain wiki.

 

Enjoy!

 

Christoph Schiller