The Particle Hunters [Paperback]

Yuval Ne'eman (Author), Yoram Kirsh (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521476860 | ISBN-13: 978-0521476867 | Publication Date: April 26, 1996 | Edition: 2

From the recent discovery of the "top quark" to the search for the Higgs particle, the frontiers of particle physics beckon the imagination. Exploring in detail the full history of particle physics, Yuval Ne'eman and Yoram Kirsh explain in an engaging, nonmathematical style the principles of modern theories such as quantum mechanics and Einstein's relativity, and they brilliantly succeed in conveying to the reader the excitement that accompanied the original discoveries. The book is spiced with amusing stories on how great discoveries were made, and Ne'eman, who took an active role in some of the historical advances in particle physics, gives his personal point of view. New to this edition are sections on the discovery of the top quark; the rise and fall of the supercollider project; the detection of the Zo particle in e+e- colliders; and the use of the width of the Zo to determine the number of "generations" of quarks and leptons. The Particle Hunters will interest anyone who wants to keep pace with the progress of human knowledge. Yuval Ne'eman discovered the basic symmetry of the subatomic particles of matter, leading him to their classification, to the prediction of new particles, and to his identification (in 1962) of a new layer in the structure of matter ("quarks"). Yoram Kirsh was awarded the Aharon Katzir Prize for popular science writing in 1975.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent feature of this book is its emphasis on the experimental side of the subject." Science

"The story is complete, self-contained and highly readable." New Scientist

"...a comprehensive and highly readable summary of the highlights of particle physics over the past 40 or so years....This thorough book is recommended highly to the intelligent general reader and to advanced undergraduate science students as supplementary reading." Albert A. Mullin, Science Books and Films

Language Notes

Text: English, Hebrew (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (April 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521476860
• ISBN-13: 978-0521476867
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,867,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on particle physics, April 27, 2002

By 

Balaram Sinharoy (Poughkeepsie, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Particle Hunters (Hardcover)

This is definitely one of the best books I read in particle physics. It is written for non-experts by a well-known authority in the field. The book has sufficient details, along with historical perspectives and anecdotes, to satisfy the curiosity of a non-expert in the field. Contrary to most other popular science books, one can actually learn something from reading this book. I am a computer engineer by profession and I understood the material well. Reading this book is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

I wish more books were written for non-experts in a similar style with as much details.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great summation of particle physics..., September 16, 2002

By 

A. Ort "aorto" (Youngstown, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Particle Hunters (Paperback)

I've owned this book for many years now and revisit it often. It goes into excellent detail about the history of particle physics and the cast of characters but it also gives great explanations that make the complexity of the field quite clear.

From the discovery of the electron to the current understandings of the Standard Model (current as of the date of publication), the mysteries of the hidden world of particles is brought to life in lucid detail.

It is not oversimplified yet it is not overly complex. The examples clarify things in layman's terms yet there is enough to keep the person interested in the more technical and mathematical also occupied. While I am no scientist nor am I mathematically inclined, I did not feel left out reading this book. In fact, if one is feeling compelled to dive in a bit more deeply, this book has the information.

The graphs and the photos enhance the text. Of all the books I've dabbled in pertaining to the field of particle physics, this is the one that has perhaps grounded me the most. I never feel too 'esoteric' in my understanding nor did I become bogged down by technical language.

On top of that, there is a bit of a sense of humor on the part of the authors that is quite refreshing. A good book if you are interested in diving in a bit deeper than many of the more general books in the field.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good explanation of subatomic particles, May 27, 1999

By 

James D. Branson (Lowman, Idaho, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Particle Hunters (Paperback)

Particle Hunters goes into enough detail for me, a mechanical engineer, to understand appropriately. It has just about the right amount of history to support the details of the particle's development. I found the book at the library and checked it out and read it. Now I am going to be buying it soon for a reference.