Customer Reviews

Asimov on Physics

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Although I took physics in college, most of what I know was learned from books by Asimov. This book is a collection of his essays published in "The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction" where the theme of each is physics. In rereading the essays, I was taken back to the heady days when I needed to learn a great deal of physics in only a few days. This was accomplished by reading Asimov's books and I managed to learn enough to handle the problems.
The collection is well-suited to anyone with an interest in physics or a teacher who wants to introduce the fundamentals of a point without yet delving into the rigor that requires detailed formulas. As always, Asimov has written with a clarity that textbook authors are either unwilling or unable to achieve.
In my many experiences as an educator, I am often asked for "simple" references about various topics. When the topic is science, I always recommend the writings of Asimov and when the topic is physics, this is the first book I suggest.

This book is very readable (except in a few technical spots) and very interesting. It explains some aspects of physics, which are normally very hard to understand, into plain English for the rest of us that aren't physic's majors.

One of the best introductions to physics ever written. Conscise and plain even for the most novice science reader. Before the "for Dummies" series there was the "Asimov on" series and this was the best of that series. Higly recommended especially for the young person who enjoys science but also good for developing a love for physics in the first place.

This book collects seventeen of Isaac Asimov's essays on physics that appeared between December 1958 and October 1965 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. They cover the full range of physics mysteries, from subatomic particles to the larger-than-Earth objects of outer space. Three of the more interesting chapters are:

"Catching Up with Newton" explains the equations and influence of gravity, using examples from Earth, near-Earth orbit, the moon, and more distant points of interest in the solar system. Asimov gently takes "newsmen" to task for their misconceptions about this topic.

"The Ultimate Split of the Second" explores the challenges of measuring--and understanding--very short time intervals. We learn about subatomic particles, the speed of light, and how to measure distance between our sun and other stars.

"Order! Order!" takes on the difficult concept of entropy, that the universe proceeds inevitably toward decreased organization over time. Asimov reviews the history of this idea, crediting historical figures with key insights and blaming them for their poor explanations.

The physics in these essays is now partially out of date. But they are worth reading to admire The Good Doctor's simple explanations, everyday analogies, and easy conversational style. Isaac Asimov is the early master of popular science writing and should be remembered. Readers may also enjoy Asimov on Chemistry, Asimov On Astronomy, and Asimov On Numbers.

I was introduced to this series [Asimov On ...] in high school;
I read this in high school, and thought it taught me a lot.
I bought it for my children [and re-read it],
and it is *still* well-worth the read.