E-Book Overview
This is a textbook for a survey course in physics taught without mathematics, that also takes into account the social impact and influences from the arts and society. It combines physics, literature, history and philosophy from the dawn of human life to the 21st century. It will also be of interest to the general reader
E-Book Content
The Poetry of Physics and
The Physics of Poetry
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The Poetry of Physics and
The Physics of Poetry
Robert K Logan Department of Physics University of Toronto, Canada and Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) Ontario College of Art and Design
World Scientific NEW JERSEY
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LONDON
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SINGAPORE
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BEIJING
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SHANGHAI
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HONG KONG
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TA I P E I
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CHENNAI
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Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
THE POETRY OF PHYSICS AND THE PHYSICS OF POETRY Copyright © 2010 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher.
For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher.
ISBN-13 ISBN-10 ISBN-13 ISBN-10
978-981-4295-92-5 981-4295-92-2 978-981-4295-93-2 (pbk) 981-4295-93-0 (pbk)
Printed in Singapore.
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This book is dedicated to my students, past and present, of the Poetry of Physics as well as Rebecca F., Haviva, Jacob, Joshua, Rebecca L., Natalie, David, Renee, John, Paul and Mana.
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Contents
Chapter 1
To My Readers
1
Chapter 2
The Origin of Physics
5
Chapter 3
Ancient Science of Mesopotamia, Egypt and China
11
Chapter 4
Physics of the Ancient Greek Era
23
Chapter 5
The Roots of the Scientific Revolution
37
Chapter 6
Mechanics, Planetary Motion and the Modern Science Revolution
45
Chapter 7
Poetry Influenced by the Scientific Revolution
67
Chapter 8
The Concept of the Atom, the Atomic Structure of Matter and the Origin of Chemistry
77
Chapter 9
The Concept of Energy
83
Chapter 10
Thermodynamics and the Atomic and Molecular Structure of Matter
89
Chapter 11
Electricity and Magnetism
97
Chapter 12
Electromagnetic Radiation and Wave Behaviour
105
Chapter 13
Prelude to Relativity
113
Chapter 14
The Special Theory of Relativity
121
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Contents
Chapter 15
The General Theory of Relativity
139
Chapter 16
Kuhn’s Structure of Scientific Revolutions and the Impact of the Theory of Relativity
151
Chapter