Customer Reviews

Atom: Journey Across the Subatomic Cosmos (Truman Talley)

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This book is an excellent summation of the progress made in discovering sub-atomic particles, It may not now be up to date (it was printed in 1991), but I would not forgo the learning within, or the Asimov method of presenting it. Isaac Asimov specialty was explaining difficult subjects to his readers. He did an admiral job keeping the subject matter interesting. Each short chapter is dedicated to a particle, ex. mesons, quarks, bosons. Each chapter also gives a little historical background of the search and discovery behind each particle and how it fits within the sub-atomic world. Nuclear physicists may have progressed far beyond this by now, but this is still a good book for piecing together the subatomic puzzle of particles.

i'm 15 this year and i am studying physics in school. after reading this book, i have understood more concepts much more easily. the diagrams included are great. Asimov is really a great writer ad i strongly recommend it to anyonee interested in physics.

'Atom' is very easy to read. I have not had any calculus and therefore could not take physics in college. But the author presents the information without using anything more than everyday math! Also, I was taking a 101-level Physical Science class and the class's textbook gave a bit of information about an atom here, and another bit there, and it was nearly impossible to pull the facts together into a single conceptual "model". However, this book does the job quite nicely (by the way, 'Atom' also presents some other physical science material, such as properties of light and electomagnetic radiation and the four fundamental forces, in easier-to-understand language than the college book). I now have a clear understanding of the components of an atom - the oribiting electrons that form a "cloud" and the nucleus (composed of neutrons and protons - and their buliding blocks: quarks), other subatomic particles (leptons, hadrons, baryons, mesons, neutrinos, etc), the 2 fundamental forces that hold atomic nuclei together (the weak and strong nuclear force), and the concept of exchange particles that transmit the fundamental forces. I would have never obtained this kind of clarity from the college text. The author not only informs the reader of the facts, but also explains how they were discovered - this helps to increase the retention of the facts.

This is an excellent book for students of almost all ages (14 up). I was 14 when I read it, with no education in atoms, and I understood it perfectly. Asimov writes in a way that is extremely provocative and very informative. I highly recommed this book.

Overall Asimov did an excellent job explaining some pretty difficult concepts. I most especially enjoyed the discussion of nuclear breakdown, ie, the conversion of one radioactive isotope into a completely different element. I never really understood the relationship between mass and energy and now I believe I do. Fascinating to say the least. My only problem was the amount of material covered in the book. I was not really interested in that much history and the discussion of the antiparticle. However, I knew what I was getting into prior to buying the book.

i enjoyed the book. it is easy to read except for the chapter on quarks, which is difficult to comprehend. i will recommend this book to every one who wishes to learn about the subatomic world. there is only one drawback for this book. it was published in 1991 and there have been more additions to the subatomic world since then. the history of the search for atom and its constituents is splendid. I love mathematics but i am too lazy to do it. so for folks who don't like to dwell in mathematics to understand particle physics, this is the right book for you

Of course this book is written in lay terminology. Aren't all Issac's books? Matter is marvelously discussed and taken down to the smallest particals. Nothing better to kick back with this book and sip coffee and put your feet up and enjoy.

Wish Issac was still around. Nothing is the same.

I love Physics,but my math is a little rusty, and this book is perfect for anyone who likes to wonder what those little things are. (I mean atoms). And as I was taking chemistry (I haven't had physics yet) I actually used some stuff fromthe book to help me in the class. And it is a quick read

Most people probably know Isaac Asimov because of his fiction books. However, he is also a great writer of nonfiction works. "Atom" is a great example of his nonfiction work. It is also the best book on Atoms and subatomic particles I have ever read, and I have read several. Asimov takes an 'easy to understand' approach to the study of subatomic particles; starting from the beginning of the Atomic theory, all the way to quarks and neutrinos. The two best points about this book: (1) It is easy to understand (2) It is comprehensive and very detailed

This is the most interesting book out there for learning about how atoms work. Issac Asimov is hands down the best non-fiction writer of all time. He will take a complex subject and put it into terms that everyone can understand.