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Isaac Asimov

D.F. Bach

Atom: Journey Across the Subatomic Cosmos Paperback – August 1, 1992

by Isaac Asimov (Author), D.F. Bach (Illustrator)

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“Amazing… If you’ve been searching for a basic text on how the atom works, this is it.” —Booklist

“A masterpiece.”—Omni

The legendary Isaac Asimov starts what is perhaps the most fascinating of all his books with a simple query: how finely can a piece of matter be divided? But like many simple questions, this one leads us on a far-flung quest for a final answer, a search that becomes a series of beautifully structured building blocks of knowledge.

It begins with the earliest speculations and investigations by the Greeks and Romans, and then, step by step and century by century, it traces the path of discovery that revealed more and more of the nature of the atom, of light, of gravity, of the electromagnetic force—and even the nature and structure of the universe.

Atom also encompasses such phenomena as light and electricity; the protons, neutrons and quarks that are the fundamental units of the universe; hard-to-observe “anti-particles”; and other strange bits of matter that challenge our assumptions about the very nature of space and time.

Atom is the only book of its kind, by the renowned author whose genius for bringing clarity and excitement to complex subjects has made him the most celebrated science author of our time.

Print length

336 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Plume
Publication date

August 1, 1992
Dimensions

6 x 0.71 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0452268346
ISBN-13

978-0452268340
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Isaac Asimov authored over 400 books in a career that lasted nearly 50 years. As a leading scientific writer, historian, and futurist, he covered a variety of subjects ranging from mathematics to humor, and won numerous awards for his work.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Plume (August 1, 1992)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0452268346
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0452268340
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.71 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #797,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #137 in Molecular Physics (Books)
- #429 in Nuclear Physics (Books)
- #4,281 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books)

Customer Reviews:
64 ratings

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5 star		83%
4 star		9%
3 star		6%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Noah

Gateway Book

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020

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I read this book in highschool and it inspired me to study physics at University. The amazing journey is not only grasping the physics concepts, but is truly the meta narative that follows the great men and women behind those discoveries. I only wish that there were a second updated edition.

2 people found this helpful

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Richard H Kelley

Read this book!

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2014

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Everyone should read this book. It will take about a day (longer if you earmark parts you want to read again).
I have read the book many times . . . . and given many copies away to people whom I feel will expand their appreciation for how we came to discover many of the the things we know about atoms and their parts. Truly a remarkable book, written by a man by who clearly loved the subject. The good news is, he wrote many books. I've read them all . . . science fiction included. Had I not done that, I now realize I would have missed a lot of interesting stuff. If you would like to read it but can't afford it, send me an email and I'll have amazon send you one at my expense. I'll expect a thank you note after you read it the first time. Atoms are pretty small . . but very fascinating. The book Isaac Asimov wrote about the men and women who found ways to look and learn about them is quite amazing. I'm sure Richard Feynman found it so . . . . so will you. You will likely read it more than once, and search for other Asimov books. You won't be disappointed. rhkelley@gmail.com

9 people found this helpful

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J. head

True Asimov style

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2004

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This book is an excellent summation of the progress made in discovering sub-atomic particles, It may not now be up to date (it was printed in 1991), but I would not forgo the learning within, or the Asimov method of presenting it. Isaac Asimov specialty was explaining difficult subjects to his readers. He did an admiral job keeping the subject matter interesting. Each short chapter is dedicated to a particle, ex. mesons, quarks, bosons. Each chapter also gives a little historical background of the search and discovery behind each particle and how it fits within the sub-atomic world. Nuclear physicists may have progressed far beyond this by now, but this is still a good book for piecing together the subatomic puzzle of particles.

23 people found this helpful

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MrWillo

One of the best of its kind

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2013

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I've read a lot of popular science books and the first half or so of this book was mostly a repeat of things that I've already read. But the last two chapters are amazing. He has a way of explaining things that makes it clear and interesting, and also of telling the story of the discovery, and the initial reactions to assertions. His side comments will make you laugh out loud and his explanations will help you come to an understanding of the topic.

One person found this helpful

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Pathfinder

Easy-to-Read Book on Particle Physics

Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2015

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An excellent review of particle physics for someone interested in the subject. Asimov is an excellent writer, of course, and he gives good historical perspective of the accomplishments made by physicists throughout the centuries. Becoming a little dated as physics continues to march forward. But an excellent non-math review of particle physics at the high school level. Highly recommend.

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rob hendricks

The reason I'm a physics major

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019

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I picked this up at the library one year in high school. I had no knowledge whatsoever of physics, but I wanted to learn some. It was an excellent read, well written, and it was very interesting (as physics tends to be). Now I'm a physics major and plan on studying it for the rest of my life. Would recommend

Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2017

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Very easy to read. Asimov is always great.

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Raúl

Asimov's Style is motivating and enchanting

Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2013

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As always, Isaac does not obviate little details that turn to be important for the understanding of the subjet. I recomend this book for those who love physics. The emphasis is in how the puzzle of the subatomic world knowledge evolved and the imaginative minds that had built current knowledge. Try also "What is Quantu Mwchanics? a Physics Adventure form Transaction College of LEX..

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Chittaranjan Swaminathan

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2014

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Isaac Asimov is great!

R. Kofler

great

Reviewed in Germany on May 29, 2021

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I read several introductions into atoms, electricity, quantum mechanics, but this one is clearly the best. The historical developments of the field are explained in a very clear and logical succession. This brings history and science to life. After reading this I'm much more impressed by Asimov, this guy was amazing.

Rafael Sala Mayato

Otra joyita de Asimov

Reviewed in Spain on December 26, 2016

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Muy bueno... Como todo lo que este gran divulgador y narrador de historias escribió. Se lee muy fácilmente y para aquellos que no son expertos en el campo resulta muy claro.

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dr vikram rajan

Five Stars

Reviewed in India on October 26, 2017

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Excellent treatise

Anshuman Rai

Five Stars

Reviewed in India on June 26, 2016

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Superb

One person found this helpful

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