Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog.
Note: Contents data are machine generated based on pre-publication provided by the publisher. Contents may have variations from the printed book or be incomplete or contain other coding.
CONTENTS Preface x Acknowledgments xiii Introduction xiv 1. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727): The Law of Universal Gravitation and Three Laws of Motion 1 No Telltale Signs of Genius 1 Cambridge University 3 The Miracle Year 3 Robert Hooke 8 A Hidden Proof 10 Magnificent Principia 11 Life Outside of Academics 13 Death of Sir Isaac 15 Chronology 17 Further Reading 19 2. Michael Faraday (1791-1867): Discovery of Electromagnetic Induction 21 Humble Beginnings 21 Assistant to Davy 22 Davy's Intoxicating Discovery 24 Construction of the First Electric Motor 27 Growing Reputation 28 Electromagnetic Research 30 Electrochemistry and Light 33 Plain Michael Faraday 35 Chronology 38 Further Reading 41 3. Max Planck (1858-1947): The Concept of Quanta of Energy 42 Thermodynamics 42 The Ultraviolet Catastrophe 44 The Quantum Concept 46 The Most Coveted Award 49 Personal Tragedies 50 An Honored Physicist 51 Chronology 53 Further Reading 55 4. Sir Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937): Discovery of the Atomic Nucleus 56 Son of a Flax Farmer 56 A Stimulating Atmosphere 57 Pioneers in Radioactivity 59 A Productive Partnership 60 Frederick Soddy 63 Description of the Atom 65 A Deliberate Change 66 Chronology 69 Further Reading 72 5. Lise Meitner (1878-1968): Nuclear Fission 73 The Struggle to Obtain an Education 73 Boltzmann's Imprin 76 A Basement in Berlin 77 The Mother Substance and Transuranics 78 The Impossible Conjecture 80 Fallout 82 Due Recognition 83 Chronology 85 Further Reading 88 6. Albert Einstein (1879-1955): The Theory of Relativity 90 A Slow Start 90 The Dual Nature of Light 92 Brownian Motion 93 Everything Is Relative 94 The Experiment That Failed 97 More Generally 100 Grand Unification Failure 102 Chronology 105 Further Reading 107 7. Niels Bohr (1885-1962): A Quantum Mechanical Model of the Atom 109 An Impressive Scientific Pedigree 109 Explanation of an Atomic Conundrum 111 Quantum Superstars ` 115 Correspondence and Complementarity 117 Looking Inward 118 Bohr's Legacy 119 Chronology 112 Further Reading 124 8. Louis de Broglie (1892-1987): The Foundation of Wave Mechanics 125 An Aristocratic Family 126 The Problem 127 What Is a Wave? 129 Revolutionary Thesis 131 Proof and Debate 132 Founder of a New Field 133 Chronology 135 Further Reading 137 9. Richard Feynman (1918-1988): Development of the Theory of Quantum Electrodynamics 138 Early Signs of Genius 138 Princeton and the War 140 Paul Dirac 141 The Most Perfect Theory of Physics 144 Arrows and Amplitudes 146 An Intellectually Stimulating Environment 150 A Public Legacy 153 Chronology 155 Further Reading 157 10. Murray Gell-Mann (1929- ): Classification of Elementary Particles and Their Interactions 158 Pet Genius 158 Classification of Elementary Particles 160 Meeting of the Minds 163 Eightfold Way 165 Proposal of Quarks 166 Quantum Chromodynamics 168 Striving Toward Unification 170 A Busy Retirement 172 Chronology 174 Further Reading 176 Glossary 177 Further Resources 187 Index 196
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
Physicists -- Biography.
Physics -- History.