From Atoms to Quarks [Paperback]

James Trefil (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

"This is a good popularization of a very esoteric field," said LJ's reviewer of this volume (LJ 7/80). Physics professor Trefil here traces the discovery of ever smaller particles of matter, relating "in nontechnical style the story of the unfinished search for the basis of physical reality." This edition has been revised and updated.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

James Trefil's popular physics primer chronicles the evolution of atomic theory through the discoveries of such subatomic particles as the quark, the meson, the lepton, and more. An accessible guide for the general reader that reveals the mystery and beauty of physics as few books have before.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Anchor; Rev Upd Su edition (August 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385473362
• ISBN-13: 978-0385473361
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,415,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great walk through in historical order, November 3, 2010

By 

Quincy Acklen (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: From Atoms to Quarks (Paperback)

I love the way this book brings you [mostly] up to speed on the world of particle physics with a ground level perspective. That is they don't look back dismissing things that we know now to be false or inaccurate. They take each discovery and show how it leads to the next - good, bad, or ugly. It's a very refreshing style, one that doesn't rewrite history and that gives you a great sense of _how_ we made discoveries one after the other (or a convoluted path of errors to correct understanding).

The book is a bit dated, and a lot has been learned since. I would love an even more updated version. And it's not even too terribly deep. Anyone vaguely interested should be able to follow along. There are a few numbers in the pages, but they can be safely skipped.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "From Quarks to Atoms" an excellent record of particle physics in early '80's, September 12, 2010

By 

Timothy C Stamnitz - See all my reviews

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This review is from: From Atoms to Quarks:An Introduction to the Strange World of Particle Physics (Hardcover)

The original 1980 edition of "From Atoms to Quarks: An Introduction to the Strange World of Particle Physics," is a fine exposition of the state-of-the-art in particle physics at the end of the 1970's. It is written at a level that a keen layperson can understand, but also provides technical detail that may quickly provide insight for an advanced undergrad or early grad student intending to major in particle physics or physics in general. Although advances in theoretical physics have moved beyond the content in this book, I believe the majority of what is presented remains an important part of accepted practice in theoretical particle physics. (An edited, updated version of this book, published in the mid-1980's, is also available).