Book Description

NMR spectroscopy is one of the most important and widely used techniques for the identification of compounds. Based on an established course this core text offers a truly modern and updated approach.

• Provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject

• Includes a multi-disciplinary approach, concentrating on basic principles and concepts

• Contains chapters of worked examples and problems to encourage a fuller understanding of topics

• Offers a pedagogical approach, starting with quarks and nucleons, and moving on to cover NMR imaging, COSY (Correlated Spectroscopy) and NOESY (Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy).

As a core subject in many science disciplines, this text will appeal to a wide range of students, as well as practising scientists and technicians. Assuming only a basic knowledge of complex numbers and matrices, it carefully and lucidly aids readers to fully understand this challenging subject. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must have for any aspiring NMR jockeys
For those studying biomolecules with NMR, the unofficial bible is of course the maroon colored Cavanagh book. Though this is an excellent book, it isn't the best suited book for beginners. This is where Levitt's book comes in: this is by far the kindest introduction to NMR that I have seen, with heavy emphasis on understanding the concepts first and the formalism later. The book is full of useful diagrams, detailed analogies, and exercises for the reader where other books only show equations. So borrows someone's Cavanagh first, and if you get stuck after 20 pages then order yourself a copy of Levitt and you won't be disappointed. If you already have studied NMR and are looking at how to apply it to proteins, then Cavanagh should suit you fine.

Clear first introduction to NMR
This book could simply be stated as an excellent attempt to introduce the foundations of NMR. It is a very good primer on all theoretical aspects that are essential to an understanding of the subject.
It offers a methodical, step-by-step approach. Useful tools and consistent terminology are the most attracting feature of this volume. It is well-illustrated; and controversial issues are highlighted in the "Notes" sections at the end of each chapter. It has illustrative problems at the end of each chapter, with solutions provided at the end.
Interestingly, the appendix covers many important aspects that are needed at a more advanced stage. Useful tools for the understanding of NMR are developed at appropriate stages. These include: the box notation for coherences, populations, density matrices and transitions; the origin of NMR spectra from individual coherence terms in the density matrix; origin of 2-D NMR signals as well as many important concepts in Fourier Transform NMR are described. The origins of relaxation enjoy a very readable and simplistic approach in the last chapter.
Whenever simplistic approximations are used, the author never claims of completeness or rigour. Distinction is made between terms that are physically correct and terms that are sometimes misleading, but enjoy widespread use in the NMR spectroscopy convention. The essential tools in quantum mechanics are outlined, product operator descriptions are used frequently and repetitively, that enhances understanding and provides more practice. Pictorial representations have been given where possible, a view-point beginners like myself find very useful.
One drawback, is a careful side-lining of the very important technique of using pulse-field gradients, although their cousin technique, named pulse-cycles is quite elaborately explained. I hope, the next issue of the book would also cover up this important technique. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive text provides basic fundamentals of computational theory and computational methods.The book is divided into two parts.The first part covers material fundamental to the understanding and application of finite-difference methods.The second part illustrates the use of such methods in solving different types of complex problems encountered in fluid mechanics and heat transfer. The book is replete with worked examples and problems provided at the end of each chapter. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Must have
I learnt CFD on this book. Definitively I give it 5 star, unfortunately I can't give it 6. It covers all the CFD from the beginning to the advance level. You will use it as an undergraduate, graduate, PhD, post doctorate researcher. No kidding. There are some codes, the book contains all the information you need, it is easy to read, never criptic like many others. I suggest you to buy this book without any esitation if you are really wanting to learn and do CFD. There are more specific books on some arguments, say, turbulence, but none is more comprehensive and well written like this one.

Excellent Book
As a researcher working with CFD codes, I found this book very useful. It has algorithms to all types of problems ranging from simple heat or wave equation to Navier-Stokes equations. All the algorithms are well explained and precise. I strongly recommend this book for anyone pursuing CFD.

One of the best CFD books I've ever read!!!
I've read many CFD books, but this is the best one. It is well organized and explained from the fundamental to advanced about the numerical approaches. I recommend this book not only for the beginners but for experts. It is really worth of having this book. ... Read more

Book Description

An excellent primer for students beginning to study the subject, this current edition provides a practical, real-world perspective on the fundamentals of fiber optic technology and optical communications.It examines the reasons that optical fibers are the preferred communications medium, surpassing copper wire in all performance measures.A thorough explanation of how fibers work is offered, as well as useful coverage of other related optical components and how those components fit into system-level applications.Premises (LAN), metro, 10G Ethernet, and long-haul applications are also briefly surveyed. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Monistic Idealism Creates Confidence In Your Consciousness
I've recently returned from a journey to the rain country of western Oregon where I discovered "monistic idealism." It's about to become a philosophy of choice in the consciousness revolution.

I gathered this intelligence at the Eugene home of Amit Goswami, Professor of Physics at the Institute of Theoretical Studies at the University of Oregon. I arranged this special interview because of Goswami's new book, The Self-Aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World. (Tarcher/Putnam). I wanted to meet the person who authored such a book and to make sure I was correctly understanding its many profundities.

At first glance, the book appears to be one of those "new science" books that have become so popular. It does describe quite well the basic experiments of quantum physics, the ones that produce such paradoxes as the dual identity (wave and particle) of electrons and their ability to communicate at a distance with each other instantaneously (non-locality). But rather than simply leaving us with a "Gee, whiz, isn't this incredible?" impression that the real world isn't as we assumed, Goswami boldly, yet very thoughtfully, introduces us to monistic idealism and suggests we accept it as a foundation for a new, and quite compelling, worldview.

Monistic idealism is the academically correct name given to a philosophical position that once was considered pre-scientific. It existed before the advent of what philosophers today label as materialistic dualism,. or what we might call the current official scientific world view. Materialistic dualism is the assumption that physical matter is the primary reality and that mind is separate from, but dependent upon, matter. In this view, mind is a secondary phenomena, or, to use the favored term, is an "epiphenomenon," meaning that it is some kind of separate, extra stuff that bubbles harmlessly out of brains. Monistic idealism, however, turns things around. In this position (dating back to Plato in the West, to Hinduism and Buddhism in the East), there is but one mind and it is the primary reality. Matter is an expression of mind, not separate from mind, but mind manifested materially. The worldview expressed in Edgar Cayce's psychic readings is a perfect example of monistic idealism. Cayce's formula, "Spirit is the Life, Mind is the Builder, the Material is the Result," for example, gives consciousness a very creative role in manifesting the material world.

Goswami's book basically says, "Look, if you'll adopt the viewpoint of monistic idealism, then everything--the paradoxes of quantum physics, the puzzle of individual consciousnesss and free will, the enigma of psychic abilities, the universals in spiritual teachings--everything falls into place!" His book is a journey of creative thinking, providing the most credible and complete tour of the worldview we call "The New Paradigm" that I've yet read.

One of the early warning signs of this new paradigm, which Goswami refers to as the "consciousness revolution," was Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: The observer affects the observed. The scientist looks into the microscope at nature to find nature responding to the observation. How did nature know there was a scientist looking? It takes an electron, it turns out, to know an electron. When the scientist flashes a light on atomic structures, the photons of light disrupt the atoms observed. This simplistic explanation, however, is misleading because it hides the greater truth. Goswami points out that we habitually use materialism to assume that there is a fixed material reality--independent of the observer--one that is simply rebuffed by our gaze. Reality is not fixed, however, and that is where the observing consciousness makes a difference. There is literally a quantum leap of creativity that comes into play as the observer, searching for the material electron "thing" within the etheric electronic wave activity, forces the many possibilities into a single, manifested actuality by the very act of observation The quantum leap is, according to Goswami, like an act of grace--creative, unpredictable, synchronistic and "non-local" (psychic). In talking with him, I realized that it took a quantum leap in my own imagination to fully digest all the implications of monistic idealism. It was easy to understand the ethical implication that we each have to take responsibility for our choices. Goswami emphasizes that it make a difference which ideals we live by, because they determine which potentialities in the unmanifest, quantum mind will materialize through the channel of our individual lives.

Individuality, by the way, especially in the context of a universal consciousness, becomes an intriguing question. Edgar Cayce once had a dream envisioning the mind as being like a single star with spokes radiating out to form individually functioning conscious minds. This model expresses exactly the transcendent, unitary mind assumed by monistic idealism. The spokes even anticipate Goswami's formulation as to how and why the unitary mind creates the impression of separate individual minds.

Why, if consciousness is truly unitive and singular, do we have the experience of separate minds? The brain, according to Goswami, is a measuring instrument. It collapses the non-local (a.k.a., infinite and eternal) quantum mind into concreteness and specificity as manifested through individual experience. Our individual "minds" are necessary to "realize" (make real) the material world. We are co-creators of reality, yet created ourselves to help reality become aware of itself. Goswami refers to the theory of &quot

Great re-thinking of the implications of quantum physics!

Most books that explore the intersection between science and spirituality seem to be written by non-scientists who explain some basic scientific principles and then extrapolate wildly to support their spiritual viewpoint.

Goswami, a physics professor, approaches it from the other direction. He carefully lays out a scientific theory - essentially that matter is a phenomina of consciousness rather than vice versa.

In the process he navigates through various topics in physics, mathematics, religion, and philosophy in order to provide the necessary components for us to get a grip on his theory of "monistic idealism" which he proposes as an alternative to the current "material realism" (matter is all that is real) which pervades scientific thought today.

I don't want to imply that I'm stupid, but the only fault I found with the book was that much of his jargon and scientific references went right over my head - so I came away with a good understanding of his theory, but also with the impression that much of it's depth and subtlties were lost on me.

I'm not sure how this book was received by the author's peers (if at all) but he impressed me as a "blow-the-lid-off-the-subject" type of scientist who is willing to ruffle feathers and push beyond the traditional limitations of his field to integrate various disciplines in a search for a truth that doesn't just look right on paper but also jives with human experience and the soul.

Well worth reading.

Spirituality from the perspective of physics.... amazing!
It has been a long time since I was so happy reading a book.

I grew up in Christian Science. As a Christian Scientist I would not normally approach the subject of spirituality from the perspective of physics. However, even though Goswami doesn't OVERTLY talk about spirituality per se, I was amazed at how you can get to virtually the same conclusions on God, Life, and universal consciousness as Mary Baker Eddy taught and wrote about in "Science and Health" about 130 years ago.

I hope that "The Self-Aware Universe" and Dr. Goswami don't get burdened with erroneous labels of "cultism". Maybe the Science will be a little more accepted in this day and age.

Accepting new concepts of reality
I thought that this book was very interesting. I would also recommend "The Science of G-d" by Israeli physicist Gerrard Shroeder. I am constantly surprised by the number of individuals that seem threatened by different concepts of reality. I am an environmental scientist and not a physicist, but I keep up with many of the current trends in physics. Considering the fact that it has been proven multiple times in reputable physics labs that reality can be affected by consciousness. I didn't feel this book was a big leap. Anyone that studies up on laboratory experiments involving photons and observation would be doing a disservice to science by not at least acknowledging that the mind can exist on levels beyond physical synapses.

How else could physical observation by an intelligent mind effect the ultimate outcome of any individual photon?

Ignore much of the negative reviews
Really good books always challenge you, and the response to the challenge can be quite varied.

Some people respond with a wary eye but an open mind.

Others don't care.

Still others enthusiastically embrace any challenge and work with it to see where they get to in the end.

Then there are the people who just as enthusiastically resist any open challenge to an established, "gut" idea. These people respond irrationally, with fear and excessive caution. Many of the reviews of this book fall into the latter category.

Yes, Goswami's interpretation of quantum mechanics has been disputed. What this has to do with anything is rather irrelevent. To the gentleman who named Polkinghorne by name, Polkinghorne's interpretation of physics has been challenged numerous times as well. There is no one interpretation physicists agree on. Look at the results and you can even see that not all of them agree the Earth exists!

Further, this gentleman points out that the reformulation of Descartes' Cogito argument could well be "God chooses, therefore I am". How silly this is supposed to be a criticism. Anyone who understands the book knows that Goswami is talking about a transcendent mind, not a personal one. He IS talking about God.

It is true that Goswami does not hold up every so-called "paranormal" event as evidence of his idealist philosophy. Again, this is irrelevent. Science always progresses this way--a new model appears and allows us to explain something we previously though impossible, but it does not logically follow that everything we thought impossible is now explainable by the model, now does it?

I was ready to blast Goswami's point about the OBE (Out-of-body-experience) because I read the Amazon.com review that declares Goswami debunks the OBE because it suggests dualism (which it does not, at least necessarily). This is not at all what Goswami does--what he says in the book is that the appearance that the mind has escaped the body is false, but the event is not. Goswami basically points out that if all that exists is (fundamentally) mind, then the OBE is merely a "shift of perception" if you will in the universal Mind. If I sit across from my friend, there is no difference between perceiving my body through her mind or through my own, because our minds are really the same since both derive from and reside within the transcendent mind--it is the assumption that they are not which leads to the mistaken belief the mind has somehow "left" the body.

Goswami makes a fine argument for demolishing material realism. It's not that hard, to be honest, because you have to be a blockhead to be a materialist (pun intended). Goswami's monistic idealism is certainly not the only possible scientific viewpoint (there are dozens of contenders) but so far this is the only view that bridges a gap between science and religion so well. ... Read more

Book Description

Updates the original, comprehensive introduction to the areas of mathematical physics encountered in advanced courses in the physical sciences. Intuition and computational abilities are stressed. Original material on DE and multiple integrals has been expanded. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

indispensable Mathematical hanbook for physics students
To put it quite simply, if you are a physics student, you must own this book. What does this book do for you? Consider this...

In my school, we do not have a mathematical methods course for science, so I decided to take on a math minor to take all the classes neccesary to do physics "right." This included a class on ODEs, Fourier Series & PDEs, Linear Algebra, and Complex Variables. These classes, although helpful, cover a lot of stuff that is not quite useful for understanding physics concepts, often undermining or dampening the stuff that is actually applicable.

What makes this book so great is that it combines all the essential math concepts into one compact, clearly written reference. If I could do it all over again, I would easily rather take a two semester Math Methods course (like they do in many schools) using a book like Boas than take all these obtuse math courses. With this book, it makes it so handy to review previously learned concepts or actually learn poorly presented topics ( for a physicist anyway) in mathematics classes... (Things like Coordinate Transformations, Tensors, Special Functions & PDEs in spherical & cylindrical coordinates, Diagonilzation, the list goes on.....)

Keep this gem handy when doing homework and studying for exams, learning the math tools from this book enables you to concentrate squarely on the physics in your other textbooks... (since mathematical background information, understandably, is often cut short...)

Boas is the best math methods book
It is not only well written, it has lots of worked examples! It is not as comprehensive as some "standards" such as Arfkin or Butkov, but it is much more useful for mastering the basics. No physics student should be without this book.

Clearest and most comprehensive book on Math for Physics
I'm a physics undergraduate. Out of all my books on math, this is far and away the most comprehensive and useful book! It has supplanted my other, thicker books and is the one thing I turn to whenever I need to refresh myself on a math method.

It covers practically every useful math technique for physics, and never assumes that you're a genius (unlike other books). Each step is explained in clear, refreshing language and in a very logical order. From Laplacian transforms to Fourier series to ODEs, each subject is introduced so well that, even when I've missed a lecture, I can understand the topic just from reading it.

Highly recommended and worth the price, this is one book physics undergraduates should have. The only thing else needed with it is the solutions manual.

A book that has everything.
This book has a bit of everything from Linear Algebra, Calculus, Analysis, Probability and Statistics, ODE, PDE, Transforms just to name a few. If you get a chance to study everything from this book, you will probably learn more from this book than all your undergraduate math courses combined. Some concepts on this book may be difficult to understand due to the lack of in depth coverage. But I guess the main intention of this book is to focus on the applied side and cover as much material that is relevant to physics and engineering as possible and not go into much detail on the theory side.
If you are a graduate student in physics or engineering and want to buy this book for reference, it will be a good start for the first year courses but won't help you much after that.
Readibility of this book is excellent. You will understand most of the concepts and examples presented.
Bottomline: This is a must have book for engineers and physicists.

This is not the best math methods book
Boas is overrated. The book "Mathematical methods for Physics and engineering" by Riley, Hobson, and Bence is much better. ... Read more

Book Description

In this first comprehensive introduction to the main ideas and techniques of quantum computation and information, Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang ask the question: What are the ultimate physical limits to computation and communication? They detail such remarkable effects as fast quantum algorithms, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography and quantum error correction. A wealth of accompanying figures and exercises illustrate and develop the material in more depth. They describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than familiar "classical" computers, and the real-world implementation of quantum computers. Their book concludes with an explanation of how quantum states can be used to perform remarkable feats of communication, and of how it is possible to protect quantum states against the effects of noise. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Good for Research and Self-Study
I think that this book is excellent for self-study, and does provide a significant level of rigour.

I believe that the authors do a significantly good job defining their terms and making sure the reader is "with them." For example, just a few lines up from Equation 5.36 on page 226, in fact immediately after the start of Section 5.3.1, the authors make the comment, "For positive integers x and N, x < N, with no common factors,...". Now I would assume that Equation 5.36 would reference these same variables, and thus the restriction would still apply.

This is admittedly rather a specific example, but it illustrates the point: the authors have a well-developed sense of logical flow, and such flow makes it much easier to follow what is rather a difficult subject. The subject is difficult because it spans such a huge variety of disciplines.

My advice is to take courses in mathematics: linear algebra (easily the most important of all the classes), abstract algebra, discrete mathematics, advanced calculus, number theory; in physics: classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electricity and magnetism; electrical engineering: linear circuits, digital logic, microprocessors; and in computer science: algorithms and data structures, cryptography. Then I think you would have an adequate background to understand this top-notch, advanced book.

The Reader Review by Julian Miller is INCORRECT!
Dr. Julian Miller is either an idiot and obviously didn't read the book carefully at all. On page 226 just above the equation Miller talks about it says "For positive integers x and N, x < N, with no common factors, ..." and goes on to clearly define EVERYTHING. I read this book and I disagree 100% with that review and have just proved to you that the reviewer was completely wrong and just didn't read the book carefully on page 226. I had no trouble understanding the topics in this book and don't have PhD in anything, just a Bachelors in Physics and took a couple graduate courses. Everything was very clear in this book to me and I think it is a great book. Don't believe what that reviewers said, if he/she had just read the book more carefully he/she would notice that everything is defined. I bet that reviewer wasn't reading the book carefully at all and was just skipping sections and jumping around from page to page, skimming over certain paragraphs. It's a great book and it's the first one I encountered that was helpful enough to allow me to really make sense of this subject.

Essential Quantum Information/Computing
This is *the* book to learn Quantum Information/Computation theory from. I tried others but nothing made much sense until I read and worked through this book, then I went back to the other books and everything made sense to me.

Someone who has been doing research in this area for many years probably cannot use this book for much other than an occasional reference, but for those who want to learn the subject it is a GREAT place to start.

Needs solutions to problems!
I have over 3 dozen books on the subject and this is by far the clearest. I believe this book to be extremely well written and much clearer than other texts. In addition, the circuit notation used in the text is BY far easier than what is found in a text on Quantum Physics. Also, the way things are stated about general Quantum Theory is so much kinder and more logical than in any other text I have read, both saying the same things only this text explains this painful subject in a nice clean way.

In any case, I believe this to be the best book on the subject. I also recommend Explorations in Quantum Computing (Williams, Clearwater), it is useful since it has many Mathematica Workbooks to simulate Quantum Circuits and that related. Really you need to read many books to understand this subject, but Nielsen and Chuang make a good foundation.

I do agree that this book could be better, as could all texts, but being the best book in a very complicated new area of study is worthy of 5 stars. Simply, this is the best book on the subject that I have seen. If you are trying to teach yourself this material from any book chances are you will fail, but if you must I would get this one first and then the Williams book. Regards.

Good, just advanced enough
This book covers quantum information theory at a level that can be understood by someone who has only had an introductory course in quantum mechanics and the same in basic computability theory. While this still rules out most of the general public, this is an excellent book for anyone seriously thinking of entering the field. The first third of the book reviews the required basics of quantum mechanics, computability, and information theory, and outlines where QIT differs from the classical theory. The rest of the book goes into more specifics.
While this book does cover introductory level quantum circuit design, elementary quantum information theory, and the basics of just about every part of the field, it doesn't go into terribly much depth. This makes it an excellent introductory book (targeted at graduate or upper-level undergraduate physics majors), but if you want something more targeted towards a particular facet of quantum computation and information, you may want to try something else. ... Read more

Book Description

Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews-this "little masterpiece"* sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.

"This is not a physics book. It is a history of where the equation [E=mc2] came from and how it has changed the world. After a short chapter on the equation's birth, Bodanis presents its five symbolic ancestors in sequence, each with its own chapter and each with rich human stories of achievement and failure, encouragement and duplicity, love and rivalry, politics and revenge. Readers meet not only famous scientists at their best and worst but also such famous and infamous characters as Voltaire and Marat...Bodanis includes detailed, lively andfascinating back matter...His acknowledgements end, 'I loved writing this book.' It shows." (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"E=mc2, focusing on the 1905 theory of special relativity, is just what itssubtitle says it is: a biography of the world's most famous equation, and it succeeds beautifully. For the first time, I really feel that I understand the meaning and implications of that equation, as Bodanis takes us through each symbol separately, including the = sign...there is a great 'aha!' awaiting the lay reader." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

"'The equation that changed everything' is familiar to even the most physics-challenged, but it remains a fuzzy abstraction to most. Science writer Bodanis makes it a lot more clear." (Discover)

"Excellent...With wit and style, he explains every factor in the world's most famous and least understood equation....Every page is rich with surprising anecdotes about everything from Einstein's youth to the behind-the-scenes workings of the Roosevelt administration. Here's a prediction: E=mc2 is one of those odd, original, and handsomely written books that will prove more popular than even its publisher suspects." (Nashville Scene)

"You'll learn more in these 300 pages about folks like Faraday, Lavoisier, Davy and Rutherford than you will in many a science course...a clearly written, astonishingly understandable book that celebrates human achievement and provides some idea of the underlying scientific orderliness and logic that guides the stars and rules the universe."(Parade )

"Bodanis truly has a gift for bringing his subject matter to life." (Library Journal [starred review] )

"Entertaining...With anecdotes and illustrations, Bodanis effectively opens up E=mc2 to the widest audience." (Booklist )

"Accessible...he seeks, and deserves, many readers who know no physics. They'll learn a handful-more important, they'll enjoy it, and pick up a load of biographical and cultural curios along the way." (Publishers Weekly)

... Read more

Reviews (75)

Science is great, history is not
I would give him five stars for his comprehensible explanation of the physics and the time he spent thinking of metaphors for the equation that make its effects understandable. However, his portraits of figures like Oppenheimer and Heisenberg are way off--extreme readings of uncited evidence that is frankly in conflict with both the historical record and the way that contemporary historians interpret it. Heisenberg was NOT a convinced Nazi--he was a German nationalist. There's a difference. Oppenheimer's personality problems were not at the basis of his later exclusion from further government nuclear research--his communist sympathies were the reason. Bodanis makes Teller sound like a crazy and not like the venerable scientist he was. What's sad about all of these misportraits is that they cast doubt on things I want to believe, about Lise Meitner and Celia Payne, for example. Read with care, and compare to a real book about the Manhattan Project (like Richard Rhodes' "Making of the Atomic Bomb") before you swallow this picture whole. For a much more balanced picture of some of the personalities involved that includes a readable account of the science, check out Freeman Dyson's "Disturbing the Universe."

A bumpy ride through Relativity
This is a mildly eccentric book on Relativity. David Bodanis claims at the start that he won't be talking about physics and Einstein --- he's just going to tell you about The Famous Equation. But once he's done with the first chapter, which goes through the basic principles of the equation step-by-step, he gets into physics and Einstein. He loses his focus quickly, but he's always entertaining.

Bodanis loves colorful anecdotes about physicists, the art of discovery, contributions by neglected scientists (primarily women), and the prospect of the Nazis building an atomic bomb. It's this last topic that weakens the book. Frankly, the Nazis never came close to building an atomic bomb. Yes, they would have had a Fat Man or a Little Boy if they built reactors and had heavy water and understood the physics and had a team of scientists working on it and they tested it. But they didn't have any of it. "Might have" doesn't cut it.

The second half of this book is made up of biographies of scientists and extensive footnotes. Bodanis makes good use of the notes, giving you plenty of sources and a lot of additional information. His personal interests are on full display here, as he mentions whatever concept or story that the footnoted information triggers in his mind. It's fun to read, although it does tend to wander.

I recommend this book to anyone who's read a little bit about Relativity. It's a useful refresher, an eccentric view of the topic that will keep your interest. If you've never read about Relativity, try Gribbin and White's biography of Einstein first --- or, better yet, Richard Wolfson's book on Relativity (which is still the best).

Reading this book requires E.
The simple equation having only 5 symbols is deep in meaning. It took the genious of Einstein to put the equation together way back in 1905 - - - What E found was: Energy equals mass when you accelerate mass to the speed of light squared. That's 670,000,000 mph times itself.
C stands for 'celeritis' in latin and it means, 'swiftness.' C squared is 448,900,000,000,000,000 mph!
No speedometer exists on Earth that can travel that fast! WOW!
Einstein knew that energy could naturally transform itself into mass under specific and unique condtions.
The equation was published in 1905 and essentially remained dormant and untested until the war.
Then it became a horrifying reality that Einstein himself wished he never uncovered all those years ago.
Other scientists converged their great minds together in a think tank called the Manhatten Projet, and the world changed for the worse --- upon their nuclear discoveries.
Did Fat Boy really need to do what he did?
NEVER! THe controversy broils to this day.
It is so strange to contemplate that in the pool of the most intelligent men on Earth, not a one of them was smart enough to forsee the evil that they created.
Like the saying goes, "You can lead a man to wisdom, but you can't make him think."
None of them thought about what this nuclear power could do when left in terrorist grips.
This book tells the story behind the famous little equation.
Einstein did play a part in developing nuclear arsonel, even though he later denied he encouraged it.
Please see his letter to President FDR on pages 117 - 18.
The reader is left to draw thier own conclusions on that.
Regardless of the controversy, I read this book and must give it my highest recommendations to all who ever wondered what this equation means. It's deep but not complex.
It's complex but not inaccessable by average minds.
What's really chilling is reading what is not said in between the lines of this book.
Could we have avoided the discovery of the Atomic bomb?
Imagine our world without it.....and to think, the Germans weren't all that close to uncovering the secret behind the destruction.
This is a good book about E = mc 2.
Read it and learn that all discoveries have a dark side.

meandering history of relativity
In this slim and easy-to-read volume, David Bodanis gives us a meandering history of relativity. First, he looks at each of the individual pieces of the equation (even the equals sign gets its own chapter). Then, he builds up a discussion of other relevant work that led to Einstein's famous equation. He next discusses its applications. The book closes with an immense amount of back matter, including the footnotes and suggested further reading on the topic.

This book is not for physics students who are already intimately familiar with the requisite mathematics and physics. It is intended for a general audience that probably can't remember calculus (or was never introduced to it in the first place). Bodanis engages in a bit of handwaving to make the more difficult parts easier to accept; in general, he acknowledges this. I can't fault him for this decision, although the mathematician in me occasionally found it a bit frustrating.

Make sure that you read the footnotes! It's not necessary to flip back and forth between the main text and the footnotes, but at least read them when you've reached the end of the chapter. Scan past the ones that are simply listing the source material, and read the ones that are longer. There's a lot of great information to be found in those footnotes that doesn't quite fit into the main text. Some of it tells you a bit about what was going through the author's mind when he wrote his book, other material elaborates on what is in the book.

Also, read through the list of suggested readings. It's like getting book recommendations from a well-read friend. The suggestions are thorough, insightful, and often entertaining.

Transforming human mass into energy for good
It is easy to think of technology in the context of hard science and with the intellect. Bodanis gives lay readers an appropriate level of insight about how math and science evolved through several hundred years to propel our species toward the elegant equation that changed the world. This historical journey enlivens many forgotten but critical thinkers who made it possible for a restive patent clerk to make the essential creative leap into the intellectual unknown. But this book accomplishes something else, even greater. The author's brilliant chapter describing in micro-second details the detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima creates a powerful, sobering perspective of this fearsome technology and dispassionately reminds all of us of the threats looming. The author uses his beloved science to bring into searing perspective the human face of thermonuclear war. The power to manipulate the atom has the capacity for good in medicine and other human advancements, but it is also a power capable of planetary destruction. It is wise for lay readers to understand E=MC2 beyond science. Our survival is at stake. ... Read more

Book Description

Fully updated-the classic comprehensive introduction to color technology
The Third Edition of Billmeyer and Saltzman's Principles of Color Technology combines the clarity and ease of use of earlier editions with two decades of advancement in the theory and technology of color. Defining color as "a certain kind of light, its effect on the human eye, or (most important of all) the result of this effect in the mind of the viewer," the book offers detailed coverage of color, colorants, the coloring of materials, and reproducing the color of materials through imaging.
While retaining important material on the color technology of paints, plastics, textiles, and other materials, the Third Edition features in-depth coverage of computer-generated color, digital image capture, desktop color printing, and color management-achieving color fidelity among scanners, digital cameras, and other color imaging devices. The new edition of Principles of Color Technology offers expanded coverage that includes:
* Measuring color quality-a new chapter describes the principles and applications of setting instrumental color tolerances
* Mathematics of color technology-a new appendix presents principles of color technology using mathematics
* Color modeling-additional material covers CRT displays and color printing
Supplemented with copious numerical examples, graphs, and illustrations that clarify and explain complex material, as well as side bars that present technical details in a well-organized, accessible manner, this excellent and exciting introduction for newcomers to the field is also a valuable reference for experienced color technologists, color specialists, chemical and industrial engineers, computer scientists, research scientists, and mathematicians interested in color. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Student Review of B&S Principles of Color Technology
The latest edition of Billmeyer and Saltzman's Principles of Color Technology is a complete rewrite. The author's use of in-text examples and "back to principles" appendix facilitate understanding of the concepts. The range of color science conepts (from basic colorimetry to an end-to-end color imaging system) make it a must-have for the color science student to the experienced color professional. ... Read more

Book Description

This highly regarded comprehensive guide provides an up-to-date overview of the variety of methods used in field archaeology, from research design to excavation strategies to conservation of artifacts and record-keeping. The contributors to the volume bring a wealth of expertise on diverse subjects and offer practical advice on their areas of special interest. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good book for a student
This is an excellent book for a student of archaeological methods. If you are looking for light reading, as some of the earlier reviews must have been, then look somewhere else.

Fantastic Book
Fantastic book! Very clear and very comprehensive. If you are serious about archaeology, you'll enjoy this book. If you're a hobbyist or have comprehension issues, you might not enjoy it. Highly recommended.

An archaeological field school in a book.
This is a comprehensive text book, not of the "Archaeology for Dummies" variety. More than a couple universities use this book as their standard text for senior level courses in archaeological field methods. Be prepared to learn rather than entertained...it's a serious work. As for the writing style, most text books could stand to be re-written by some best-selling author, but had to give this one five stars just to bring its score up from the absurd two and a half it is currently rated at.

Great book for people interested in learning on own time.
As a person interested in learning more about archaeology field methods, I found this book had good explanations of some very puzzling processes. It also makes a great textbook and was used to prepare students for a field school by professors at UT Dallas. Good book - but you may have to read it over a couple of times in order to fully grasp all the knowledge presented.

Some comments from the senior author
The three recent comments on FIELD METHODS, 7th ed. need some clarification. Yes, the book is long, very long. I didn't know we had any statistics in it (reviewer #1)! It is not comparable to Joukowsky, as her book, like our 6th ed., Hester, et al. l975, is now badly out of date. The 7th ed., l997, is designed as (l) a text, especially for field schools (2) a reference on contemporary approaches to field archaeology. It is not a trade book, especially since Mayfield does not discount to bookstores. The long-winded aspect comes from an effort to review contemporary archaeology, which is changing rapidly and covers a broad area of inquiry. The academic review cards received by Mayfield after publication were overwhelmingly positive. Thus, the book appeals largely to professionals and active avocational archaeologists. It is not a "light read" on the glorious discoveries of archaeology. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Simplifing A Complex Field Through A Consistent Approach
Having read the reviews thus far, I can't find anything I disagree with. It's the best technical text I've ever read. Many of the strengths have been mentioned already: intuitive approach, clear and concise, wide range of interesting illustrative examples, etc.

In addition, the consistent use and discussion of trajectories, phase space, stable points, etc. throughout the entire text allows the reader to incrementally build from each previous lesson. Though other books on nonlinear dynamics use these same tools, the vivid explanations and repetitions with incremental differences greatly enhanced the comprehensibility of these topics. I especially appreciate these consistent methods applied to the consolidation of the material in this text after reading books and papers from various authors using different jargon and methods of illustrating the same concepts.

Perfect introduction to Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos
If you have read about Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics and you wish to delve deeper into the mathematics behind the theories then this is the book for you. Strogatz is an excellent writer with an uncanny ability to make advanced concepts seem amazingly simple. The exercises and examples make this book perfect for the motivated self-learner. I must warn you however that you had better be at least somewhat familiar with ODE before you dive into this text. I strongly recommend this book!

Chaos on a plate
Strogatz's approach to Nonlinear Dynamics is suitable for anyone equipped with a good basic understanding of ordinary differential equations. He allows the reader to gradually build-up their understanding through a series of illustrations and examples - this is the sort of book that will be indispensable the night before a final year undergraduate Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamics exam. Not excessively mathematical, contains solid explanations and encourages the reader to learn more about this fantastic area of physics.

thanks to Dr. Strogatz!
It is an essential book for everybody who wants to learn nonlinear dynamics. It is writen by the master in the field in a very clear and understandable language.

Great book but...
This is a great book - clear explanations, lots of examples and exercises and helpful references and index. However, answers to selected exercises is really annoying - when will publishers insist on a full set of solutions?

Having programs to plot the figures in the book would have helped in understanding the material. If you want Mathematica programs - see Wolframs "The Mathematica Book". For Maple and MATLAB programs, see Lynch's Dynamical Systems books.

Strogatz's Sync book is a marvelous read. ... Read more

Book Description

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
A VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT TOP 25 FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
AN ESQUIRE MAGAZINE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

In the tradition of Being Digital and The Tipping Point, Steven Johnson, acclaimed as a "cultural critic with a poet's heart" (The Village Voice), takes readers on an eye-opening journey through emergence theory and its applications. Explaining why the whole is sometimes smarter than the sum of its parts, Johnson presents surprising examples of feedback, self-organization, and adaptive learning. How does a lively neighborhood evolve out of a disconnected group of shopkeepers, bartenders, and real estate developers? How does a media event take on a life of its own? How will new software programs create an intelligent World Wide Web?

In the coming years, the power of self-organization -- coupled with the connective technology of the Internet -- will usher in a revolution every bit as significant as the introduction of electricity. Provocative and engaging, Emergence puts you on the front lines of this exciting upheaval in science and thought. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Good introduction, with serious flaws
This book provides a good introduction to the new field of emergence, the study of how complex, apparently "organized" global behaviors arise from the interaction of many autonomous parts operating locally without central control. Steven Johnson explains the principles and brings together many examples from biology (ants, slime molds, neurons) and other areas (games, software, the growth of cities).

Unfortunately, Johnson has not made the effort to study his field thoroughly. He is very familiar with game software (e.g., SimCity), but I was shocked to find no mention of the first analysis of emergent behavior. In his classic "The Wealth of Nations" (1776), Adam Smith coined the term "the invisible hand" to describe the seemingly orchestrated order that emerges from the actions of individuals looking for things they need in a free marketplace. Smith's analysis, by the way, is both detailed and profound--a must for anyone interested in the topic of emergence.

Also, Johnson seems to wander from his central topic at times, for example in the chapter on mind reading.

Despite its gaps and occasional lapses, the book is definitely worth reading. The field is important both socially (do we need a centrally-run society or will the invisible hand work?) and technically. Johnson has done a good job of introducing it.

Intriguing. Full of lots of provocative concepts.
Emergence: the Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software by Steven Johnson is a compelling argument for higher order emergence from aggregates of lower order units. Like Stuart Kaufman's works on self organizing criticality-though a lot more easily understood than the latter- Johnson's discourse points out that order can be produced from apparent chaos when "rules" are in place and when some critical number of individuals interact with one another following these rules.

Probably one of the more interesting living systems the author discusses is the slime mold, that unique creature whose cells can act autonomously as individuals or collectively as a unified whole. I'd heard of this phenomenon before, but at that time no underlying cause was given. Johnson notes that their inherently human hierarchical point of view had led researchers to look for pacemaker cells that dictated when, where, and under what conditions cells would form a collective. After years of looking, it became obvious that either no such cells existed or they were very subtly distinguished from the others. According to the author, recent research suggests a more bottom up organization, with individual cells making local decisions about the need to collectivize and using pheromone trails to attract others to them.

Interesting too were the descriptions of emergent systems arising unconsciously from human interactions. The reader interested in modern social problems might benefit from the author's discussion of current top down changes in city organization and urban design. The anthropologist or student of mind/brain research might find his discussion of the rise in human awareness and the concept of self through so-called "mind reading" of interest.

For myself, as a student of history, I enjoyed some of his perspectives on the rise of cities, "Cities have a latent purpose as well [as a manifest purpose] to function as information storage and retrieval devices....Ideas and goods flow readily within these clusters, leading to productive cross-pollination, ensuring that good ideas don't die out in rural isolation....And the extraordinary thing again is that this learning emerges without anyone even being aware of it (p. 108-109)."

The changes that have occurred because of the feedback systems of the internet and the cable industry are also intriguing. Although like many people I've surfed the Amazon.com website, received my "suggestions" for potential purchases, expressed my likes and dislikes of the various books I've read, voted for reviewers whose critiques have help my decisions, and in short become part of a community of similarly minded people, I've not thought about the overall impact that this type of system creates as it spreads to other situations. Johnson makes some very interesting points regarding a bottom up movement in politics and the media and the loss of control by hierarchies. Unconnected, the individual makes little difference, but connected to others of like mind by way of the internet and feed back loops, the collective has power to change a great deal.

Probably the most important point Johnson makes is that much of what arises from this higher order emergence is unpredictable. It might be "good" or "bad" from the point of view of a single unit. As with evolution-one of those situations where this type of action is seen-other types of emergence depend upon random decisions and actions of large numbers of individual units, be they ants, software Sims characters, or cities. One can predict that at some critical number of units the system will go through a "phase transition," suddenly becoming something else. Just what else and what impact that change will have on any one individual is impossible to predict.

Intriguing. Full of lots of provocative concepts.

Incredible
The best-spent $10 or so of my life. Seriously.
If you are a Software Engineer, or a "Computer Scientist", or you live your life online, you cannot afford to ignore this work, period.
An incredibly lucid, enthralling, and accessible explanation of emergent behavior, swarm intelligence, and self-organizing systems, this book will change the way you think about the Internet, video games, the media, and life, both complex and "simple."
Johnson shows the big picture, where Google fits into the picture, and why Slashdot, Alexa, EBay, and Amazon are significant, in terms of the evolution of the web.
I now truly understand why, while AI is practical (and more pervasive than we realize), artificial sentience is not, and may be impossible altogether. For that matter, I now understand what sentience really is.

If software of any kind is of interest to you (or even if it is not), do yourself a favor and let Mr. Johnson show you where it is headed.

Making scientific mountains out of ant hills.
"Call it swarm logic" (p. 74). In his fascinating examination of slime molds, ant colonies, cells, cities, and computer software, Steven Johnson (MIND WIDE OPEN) introduces his reader to the cutting-edge theory of emergence in his 2001 book. He simplifies this complex field of research initiated in the mideighties (p. 85) through example and analogy. Examining ants, for example, Johnson demontrates how these unintelligent insects, "which dominate the planet in a way that makes human populations look like an evolutionary afterthought" (p. 73), organize into complex colonies that adapt in size and behavior to their environment as a single entity, thereby exhibiting a spontaneous and collective intelligence. Johnson then reveals that what connects ant colonies with slime mold, computer games, other living ecologies, the guild system of twelfth-century Florence, cell divisions, and software "is a recurring pattern and shape: a network of self-organization, of disparate agents that unwittingly create a higher-level order" (p. 21). "Just like the clock maker metaphors of the Enlightenment, or the dialectical logic of the nineteenth century," Johnson writes, "the emergent worldview belongs to this moment in time" (p. 56). Although this book may lack depth and detail at times, it is nevertheless an excellent starting point for readers (like me) interested in exploring this revolutionary scientific theory.

G. Merritt

The Darwin myth in search of a theory
Comparable to Kevin Kelly's Out of Control, although without that book's honesty in pointing out the limits of Darwin's theory before beginning, this work plies the Great Postdarwinian Hope that complexity theory will come to the rescue of the biology scandal, viz. Darwin's theory doesn't do it. If it did, what would be the point of these books? Much of the material is not without interest, but it is all a fishing expedition, and the minnows won't bite. The problem here is that the higher systems we see in history and culture simply won't yield to reductionist derivatives of current science.
The idea of emergence is a good one. Check out the historical data of the so-called Axial Age. We have emergence right under our noses in world history, all we have to do is study it. But the great taboo is that we can't do that, because we have to stay confused. I guess it is not time for a paradigm shift, and this type of theory junk is the bone du jour for chewing on til when. ... Read more

Book Description

In this Audio Learning Set, Dr. Fred Alan Wolf takes the listener on a stirring intellectual ride through the realms of human consciousness and its relationship to quantum physics. He espouses his theories on the universe, relativity, quantum mechanics, and much more. ... Read more

Book Description

This popular applications-oriented approach to engineering technology fluid mechanics covers all of the basic principles of fluid mechanics--both statics and dynamics--in a clear, practical presentation that ties theory directly to real devices and systems used in chemical process industries, manufacturing, plant engineering, waste water handling and product design. "The Big Picture" sections--focus on real products or systems where the principles of fluid mechanics are used, discuss the kind of fluid used, what the fluid is used for, how it behaves, what conditions exist in the system that affect its behavior, and the relationships between those systems. Features a "programmed approach" to completely worked, complex, real-world example problems; spreadsheets; a unique presentation of the Moody diagram; highlighted major formulae and definitions; and an extensive set of appendix tables.The Nature of Fluids. Viscosity of Fluids. Pressure Measurement. Forces on Submerged Plane and Curved Areas. Buoyancy and Stability. Flow of Fluids and Bernoulli's Equation. General Energy. Reynolds Number, Laminar Flow, and Turbulent Flow. Energy Losses Due to Friction. Minor Losses. Series Pipe Line Systems. Parallel Pipe Line Systems. Pump Selection and Application. Open Channel Flow. Flow Measurement. Forces Due to Fluids in Motion. Drag and Lift. Fans, Blowers, Compressors. Flow of Gases. Flow of Air in Ducts.For Mechanical, Manufacturing, and Industrial Engineers interested in Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, or Fluid Power. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Don't adapt for your course
The book is very shallow and not worth considering for any engineering or any technical degree. it might be good for high school level pre-engineering classes, but difinetly not at college or university level.

Bob Mott knows how to teach.
This is a great text for technology based fluid mechanics. To elementary for an engineering student, but then it was meant for an engineering technology student. I find it easy to use. My students love it. There are few, if any, technology based fluid mechanics texts available of this caliber. I only wish it were less expensive.

Best text I've had the pleasure to read, helpful examples
I am the type of person who generally hates the way that texts are written. I have always said, that if I were to write a text, it would be this way. The whole class talks about this book, we love it at at the University here. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

ChE's couldn't survive without this book!
This book is known as "BSL" on the University of Wisconsin - Madison engineering campus for its renowned authors and UW-Madison Professors: Bird, Stewart and Lightfoot. I was lucky enough to have ChE 320: Transport Phenomena, with Prof. Stewart in the late 80's and this book helped me through the class. To this day, I still use my copy.

It is commonly known as the bible of transport phenomena.
The book gives a very in depth look at transport phenomena. A reader who understands this information will have no trouble at simpler subjects such as mass and heat transfer. A must for Chemical Engineers but would recommend the use of a good professor.

They must've gotten too Old
While the first edition was the seminal standard, I don't see how the second edition can be considered the same. First of all just look at the back cover, that's glaring. The numeraters and denomenaters in the differential expressions are reversed from what they should be. Then on page 15 the data given for viscosity of water, the columns for dynamic viscosity in mPa-s and kinematic viscosity in cm2/sec are interchanged with each other from what would be correct. Such things make me hesitant to trust any of the rest of this text.

A Masterpiece
I first used BS&L over 30 years ago for my first Transport classes in Chemical Engineering. It's depth and breadth is such that it was a primary text for four other courses I took later in grad school. I pulled the book out a couple of days ago to review my understanding of heat transfer to help explain it to some youngsters.

To those who complain that it has too much math...take up a new field. Math and science are inextricably linked. Science isn't just your high school teacher babbling about ecology and the "circle of life". This is hard science, the kind that builds nations and brings societies out of disease-infested environments. If you're using this text and can't take the heat, better get out of the kitchen.

a surprise may await you !
I am very pleased with the content of the book - it is a classic. However, there's more to the package. First of all, I was surprised to receive the book from a bookstore in Taiwan, although Amazon never lead me to believe it would come form abroad. Second, the book had a large stamp on it saying "not for sale in the US". This, in itself, has to be illegal. Third, a page feel out of the book right away - although it said "printed in the US", it clearly was NOT US quality. So much for outsourcing! So, buyer beware - you really don't know what you'll get in the mail !!!! ... Read more

Book Description

This self-contained, comprehensive book describes the fundamental properties of soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and discusses their applications in a wide variety of fields, including EUV lithography for semiconductor chip manufacture and soft x-ray biomicroscopy. The author begins by presenting the relevant basic principles such as radiation and scattering, wave propagation, diffraction, and coherence. He then goes on to examine a broad range of phenomena and applications. The topics covered include EUV lithography, biomicroscopy, spectromicroscopy, EUV astronomy, synchrotron radiation, and soft x-ray lasers. He also provides a great deal of useful reference material such as electron binding energies, characteristic emission lines and photo-absorption cross-sections. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in engineering, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences. It will also appeal to practicing engineers involved in semiconductor fabrication and materials science. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

an excellent book!
I lent this book from the library in our institute, and this book is very suitable to us, who do research with Synchrotron Radiation in the region of soft X-ray. Many directions of research for soft X-ray are included in this book.
I can't afford it because it is very expensive for me, although I like it very much!

Taken from Contemporary Physics (London)
'... excellently written and produced book ... David Attwood is a respected teacher and renowned researcher in all of the topics covered in this book, and is to be congratulated on its timely publication ... there is no doubt in my mind that it will very quickly become a primary source for beginning graduate students (and high level undergraduates) and experienced researchers alike ... Unusually, I cannot think of any way in which the book could be improved. It is comprehensive and enjoyable to read, the figures are illustrative and clearly drawn and the mathematics is at an appropriate level for the intended readership ... it will serve as [an] important reference source as well as a teacher's and researcher's handbook ... I shall certainly be using this book in my future teaching and recommending it to advanced students.' Alan Michette, Contemporary Physics

good book
i found this book to be an excellent educational material on soft x-ray science

p.s. please note that there is a web-site by the author with the actual lectures available for watching absolutely free

[...]

A very good textbook
I took the class taught by the author at UC-Berkeley while he was finishing up this text (I also proofread a couple of the chapters as part of the class - you can find my name and the names of my classmates in the acknowledgements).

The text is very clearly written. An undergraduate physics / engineering level of understanding of electromagnetics and quantum mechanics is sufficient background for most the textbook. Most of the calculations are done semi-classically which helps for people not well versed in quantum mechanics. It also serves nicely as a reference text.

Topics covered include:
- Grazing incidence optics
- Normal incidence multi-layer mirrors
- Synchrotron radiation
- Cyclotrons, wigglers and undulators
- Plasma physics with applications to EUV and X-ray sources
- Fresnel zone plates
- Coherence
- EUV and X-ray lithograpy
- ...

The textbook stands alone nicely ... you do not need to constantly look up results in other sources and texts.

The textbook also contains a wealth of reference materials (several appendices of atomic data for X-ray transitions, cross sections, mathematical tables, ...) ... Read more