Why Things Are the Way They Are [Paperback]

B. S. Chandrasekhar (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521456606 | ISBN-13: 978-0521456609 | Publication Date: November 13, 1997

This fascinating book explains why the materials we can see and touch behave as they do. In a completely nontechnical style, using only basic arithmetic, the author explains how the properties of materials result from the way they are composed of atoms and why it is they have the properties they do: for example, why copper and rubies are colored, why metals conduct heat better than glass, why magnets attract an iron nail but not a brass pin, and how superconductors are able to conduct electricity without resistance. The book is intended for general readers, and uses mainly words, pictures and analogies, with only a minimum of very simple mathematics. The author explains how it is possible to understand the basic properties of matter, and translates the technical jargon of physics into a language that can be understood by anyone with an interest in science who wants to know why the world around us behaves in the way that it does.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... strongly recommended to physicists and non-physicists alike.' Stuart Palmer and Katherine Palmer, Physics World

'... written for the intelligent general reader and purposefully avoids use of mathematics ... will be useful as a support book for teachers, helping them to answer deep and awkward questions from bright students.' Geoff Auty, School Science Review

' ... entertaining and informative'. E. Noponen, Endeavour

'This book has been written by a physicist for the lay reader with the aim of explaining why the materials we can see and touch behave in the way they do. Essentially the book is a nontechnical description of atomic physics, quantum mechanics and materials science ... the author does a good job of describing, mostly by analogy, some of the difficult concepts. A. D. Andrews, Irish Astronomical Journal

Book Description

This fascinating book presents in a completely non-technical way one of the greatest achievements of physics this century: why is it the materials we can see and touch behave in the way that they do. Beginning with the ideas of quantum mechanics, which seem quite alien to everyday experience, but which nevertheless govern the behaviour of all matter, the author is able to explain the variety of properties of materials: how they bend and break, their colours, how they transmit heat and electricity, why magnets and superconductors have the properties they do, and how all these properties can be traced back to the atoms of which they are composed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (November 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521456606
• ISBN-13: 978-0521456609
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Solid-State Physics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's really a book about beginning solid-state physics, November 19, 1998

By 

Duwayne Anderson (Saint Helens, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Why Things Are the Way They Are (Hardcover)

I was a bit surprised upon reading Chandrasekhar's book "Why things are the Way they Are." I expected a book that describes the things we see about us in everyday life, but this is a book about solid-state physics. But solid-state physics is the reason things are the way they are. So, Chandrasekhar hit the nail right on the head.

Not only in the title, but throughout the book, Chandrasekhar illustrates that rare ability to understand the deep significance behind the really important things in science. Nonscientists may be inclined to believe that the quantum world is far removed from our lives, and has little effect on our macroscopic world. Chandrasekhar dashes these notions with many examples, from the color of gold, to the bite of an accidentally touched hot plate. The world in which we live would indeed be a much different place if fermions had symmetric wave functions, and bosons had antisymmetric wave functions, and we would not recognize our world if atoms and crystals did not have quantum fluctuations.

I could not help wishing I'd had the opportunity to read this book as a young student in High School. This is an excellent text that, without quantitative analysis, introduces almost all the important concepts of solid-state physics with illuminating examples of how these phenomena exhibit themselves in our everyday world. Even for first-year students in college physics, the book has great value in its qualitative, examples-oriented way of presenting the quantum world. For those of us with degrees in science, the book offers additional insight and easy bedtime reading.

The topics are broad. Beginning with crystal symmetry, the author introduces, step by step, the concepts of particle-wave duality and isolated electrons bound to protons in the hydrogen atom. There is a brief respite to discuss some elementary issues relating to statistical physics, and then a weaving of the entire tapestry into a qualitative view of the quantum crystal.

With this background (which occupies roughly half the book's volume) Chandrasekhar shows how to use these new tools to understand some of the common phenomena in the world in which we live. He explains electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and the color of metals; why gold is yellow and copper red, and why glass is transmissive. There is a brief discussion about magnets, and his discussion about superconductors is among the best I've seen for the lay audience.

Each chapter has a summary at the end. For the most part these summaries are actually useful, and give a brief review of the information learned in the chapter. Other summaries, however, revert to a type of index, and I found these less useful. The book has a nice index that should help when searching for various subjects, and is organized well, with a logical flow.

About the only thing I found wanting was a statement in the introduction to the effect that science isn't sure if living things can be explained by the laws of physics. The author apparently believes questions about life should not have been addressed in his book, but are rather important matter for philosophers, and theologians as well as scientists. Other than this brief foray into the nebulous realm of superstition, the book is an excellent read. I highly recommend it.

Duwayne Anderson

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quantum Mechanics made Understandable, June 24, 2001

By 

Don "Don" (Redondo Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Things Are the Way They Are (Paperback)

I am a network engineer with little rememberance of my college physics. I'm in the process of reacquainting myself with physics and picked up this book. I found it exceptionally interesting, understandable, well explained, and well illustrated. The development is exceptionally smooth, starting from first principles and carefully building concepts. It was sophisticated enough so that there is real meat, not just fluff. I feel it has prepared me to dive into more rigorous QM textbooks because I have an understanding of some of the consequences of QM.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars very smooth explanations, August 9, 2001

By 

Muzaffer Muctehitzade "hacibey" (Boston, Ma USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Why Things Are the Way They Are (Paperback)

This is very interesting book about somee selected concepts and physics of the materials. There are no formulas, everything is in narrative format. Author starts with crystal structures, particle wave concepts, atom, some quantum mechanical concepts and than application of quantum concepts to heat transfer, magnetism, conduction, electric current and super conductivity.Author provides very nice descriptive pictures and diagrams. Any one who wants to read more about similar subjects with more formulas, still easy reading could also profit from " Understanding Properties of Matter by De posta".