Instant Physics: From Aristotle to Einstein, and Beyond (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The Copernican Revolution was like a bomb with a slow fuse..." (more)
Key Phrases: instant physics, uranic rays, blackbody spectrum, Big Bang, New York, Theory of Everything (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For all of you who break out in a sweat at the thought of thermodynamics, or freeze up at the mention of quantum mechanics, like a bolt from the blue, INSTANT PHYSICS will zap you through the fascinating history of our most basic, yet baffling, science.
From the thousand-year search for proof of the existence of the ever-elusive atom to the varied and heated arguments behind the big bang theory, INSTANT PHYSICS answers all the heavy questions with a light touch. You'll learn:
* How the Greek philosophers used the sledgehammer of mathematics to break apart the mysteries of the physical universe.
* Why gravity is a "romantic" force.
* How to tell the difference between a gluon, a meson, and a quark, even if you can't see them.
INSTANT PHYSICS is crammed with special features, including chapter summaries, who's who lists, biographical and historical tidbits, and a host of illustrations, photos, equations, diagrams, and drawings.

From the Publisher

I have no mathematical skills. Well, that's not entirely true: I can add and subtract. I can even divide and multiply a bit. But other than that I am pretty hopeless. So physics is definitely not a part of my daily life in any way, shape, or form.

Now, I work on a lot of Science Fiction books. And occasionally these books bristle with concepts in physics. A lot of the time the physics used does not exist yet in this time and place, but every once and a while there's something that needs to be checked. That's when I go to my reference shelf and dig out a copy of Instant Physics. It's amazing what Rothman can help you understand, even if you only have rudimentary skills in the mathematics department.

A. Krijgsman
Associate Managing Editor

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (February 21, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449906973
• ISBN-13: 978-0449906972
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #613,382 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amusing, surprisingly complete introduction, January 3, 2004

By	SPM "scott_maykrantz" (Eugene, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This is a lot like other 'physics for beginners' books, with a few important differences. First, Tony Rothman is a good writer. He keeps the text light and fun. Exploring the secrets of matter and energy is easier when you have a sense of humor, and he knows it. Second, the basic facts appear at the beginning and end of each chapter for easy review. It's a convenient way to organize the book.

Third and finally, Rothman dives right into the mathematics of physics without apology. Sure, this stuff can boggle your mind if you don't have a head for it. But I'd rather have them there, in the book, so I can see them. I've read too many 'physics for beginners' books without any equations and I had no idea just how complex the math is. With this book, I can see that it's not THAT hard. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in physics. It's one of the better introductions to the subject.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Physics a Joy to read to the layman, March 8, 2003

By	Raja Mannar "rajmannar" (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Do read this book. Even though it is a physics book, the author does not treat physics as a subject to be studied, pondered on, examined minutely- all of us carry the horror experiences from school and college classes. I picked this book after leafing through the foreword, where the author TonyRothman strikes an immediate chord with the reader. This is no ordinary physics book- the language is simple, the style humorous, the author very understanding and having a knack not to push things too hard.

The book is an overview of the subject of physics. It charters the birth and growth of physics , from the greek times to the post-einstein period. Unlike other general books, the author sticks to the subject without going off in tangent on irrelevant issues. So, the book is not hefty. It's around 200 pages of neat print.

The author tackles all the important theories of Physics in a fun and engaging manner. Newton's laws, Kepler's laws, Laws of thermodynamics, Electromagnetic laws, Einstein's theory of special relativity, atomic structure, Blackbody radition , photoelectric effect, Quantum mechanics, E=mc2; Wave theory, Light duality, Uncertainity principle, Einstein's general theory of relativity.
It's an amazing effort, since the book is addressed to the layman with little knowledge of physics.

I am no physics buff. I read this book by serendipity and could never put it down. I strongly recommend this book. My only regret is that i should have got this book during my school years. Giving this as a gift to the teens in the house would be a wonderful idea too.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relax, surrender your stuffy contempt and enjoy it! (part 1), July 19, 2001

By	Autodidact Andy "IndiAndy" (Golden State California) - See all my reviews

Instant Physics: Years ago I was browsing through the science section of my favorite bookstore when I opened this book casually leafing around it's pages when I came across the first sentence which begins the Introduction, "If you are a potential victim of this book, leafing through its pages while obstructing traffic in the science isle of your favorite bookstore, there is a good chance you took a physics course in the vanished days of your youth". What a cowinkydink huh? He goes on, "Perhaps you now want a refresher or perhaps, feeling guilty at your ignorance of the central role played by science in modern society, you merely wish to become a more cultured individual. In any case your knowledge of physics is inexcusably weak and, if you have indeed been exposed to the subject before, you probably regard the word `physics' as synonymous with `plague,' as in `to be avoided like the'." OK, I'm hooked! I flipped back to the dedication which almost makes me cry out in joy, "To my students, known and unknown. The known, who demonstrate with crushing directness that it is impossible to be too clear. The unknown, who suffer in silence." I believe that he is addressing myself: I am an unknown student who silently yearns for information that would be presented clearly, accessibly; information that I can process into comprehension. I have yet to take a formal Physics course at a college or university (members only please). I love being surprised! (Don't you?) Dr. Rothman delivers this humble students unsolicited silent plea for attention grabbing/attention keeping material in this succinct & concise presentation of the salient principles of the physical sciences. His wit, humor and sensitivity for the readers comfort over the hurdles of a seemingly steep learning curve are woven into the fabric of each page keeping the audience stimulated and giving you a sense that he wants you to participate in the great gift of learning. In the beginning of the book lies his statement of goals, "...the goal of this book cannot be to give you a working knowledge of physics.... the more modest goal of Instant Physics is to give you an idea of why physicists believe what they believe and to train you to use this sacred knowledge in the war against the infidel." (continued in part two)