Landmark Experiments in Twentieth Century Physics [Paperback]

George L. Trigg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2011

This popular science book emphasizes the importance of experimentation in physics by examining landmark investigations that have altered our perceptions of natural phenomena. Dating chiefly from the 20th century, scientific landmarks include the wave nature of x-rays, isotopes, superconductivity, transistors, neutrinos, lasers, the fine structure of helium, and more. 120 illustrations. 1975 edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (April 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 048628526X
• ISBN-13: 978-0486285269
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #932,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book as a reference, November 7, 2004

By 

Ramon Szmuk "senior year undergraduate physic... (Tel-Aviv Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Landmark Experiments in Twentieth Century Physics (Paperback)

for advanced undergraduate\graduate students, this book is remarkable.
I bought it together with "Great experiments in physics" by Shamos and together they complete each other, this book emphasizing the 20th century and the second dealing more with earlyer era from galileo through newton to herz and the beginning of the 20th century.

having these 2 books at hand, are extremely valuable to a physics student who wishes to really understand the methods used in order to deduct the theories outlined in other textbooks.

usually today's textbooks do a poor job at detailing the art of
experiment making, experiment analysis and the physics being deduced from it, they simply present the theory without letting
the student apreciate the ways scince is being made.

this book (and the other) fill this gap very well.

I recomend however to have a fairly good grasp of the experiment
theory before reading the relevant chapter in the book since there is an assumption that the reader is somewhat familiar with
the physics behind it.

I gurantee, that after reading how an experiment was set, and
understanding the analysis of the outcome, your grasp of the underlying physics will be a lot more solid and deep.

since every textbook is an abridged version of the experiments
reports, an understanding of these reports must by that logic
give you a better understanding.