The Hunting of the Quark: A True Story of Modern Physics

by Michael Riordan

Shows how modern physicists, with the aid of powerful particle chambers, were able to establish the existence of the quark, the particle inside the proton and neutron components of the atom's nucleus

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction

399 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1987

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating time in physics, the egos involved and the dynamic between theory and experiment and the development of the Standard Model. So much more interesting to read about than the standard pop-sci string theory that we get these days. The difference being is the current cute mathematics don't predict anything remotely measurable yet seem to get a lot of funding regardless. This book was such an enjoyable journey though it probably helps to have some prior knowledge of modern physics as a lot of technical detail gets glossed over in favor of a readable narrative.

[Kevin Orrman-Rossiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and knowledgeable history of the particle physics in the late 1960s and 1970s. In particular the experimental, theoretical and instrument physics that led to the quark model of hadrons and the rise of the 'standard model'. This is a great, if conventional, example of science communication. Riordan ably brings out the humanity of the scientific enterprise, challenging both extremes of the social constructivists and scientific realists. Highly recommended.

[David Arch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading almost like a suspense novel, Riordan describes the interplay between theory and experiment in particle physics that led to the development of the Standard Model (and the evolution of big machine physics)

[Jessica Petree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the favorite books I've ever read. The story of the beginning of quantum mechanics is fascinating! The great scientists who brought it about were hilarious characters without equal. I love the author's descriptions of them, and the drama surrounding the existence of the quark.

[Jim Schofield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating outline of how our understanding of quarks- the building blocks of particles- came to be discovered and understood.

The science did get a bit deep, and so the author was forced to quickly bound ahead outlining major ideas instead of what happened, but he cannot by blamed too much.