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Quantum Physics
How can a particle be in two places at once? What do wave-particle duality and quantum uncertainty mean? Why did Richard Feynman, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on quantum theory, say that "nobody understands quantum mechanics"? Drawing on a long-standing fascination with quantum physics, and decades spent investigating its history, John Gribbin tells its story - from Max Planck's realization at the dawn of the 20th century that light behaves like a stream of particles, to the 21st-century possibility of parallel worlds and teleportation.
- GenresScienceNonfictionPhysics
72 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
9 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
John Gribbin
385 books853 followersJohn R. Gribbin is a British science writer, an astrophysicist, and a visiting fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. His writings include quantum physics, human evolution, climate change, global warming, the origins of the universe, and biographies of famous scientists. He also writes science fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 28, 2021
Your one-stop primer on the quantum mechanical world—chock full of lucid explanation and revealing quotes by leading physicists. John Gribbin is among my favorite science writers, whose trade books always serve to illuminate physical realities in ways only a rarefied few can.
This addition to the Essential Science series begins with an introduction to classical mechanics, appropriately setting the stage for the quantum revolution that would follow. Far from a complete picture of reality, Newton's laws of motion and Maxwell's equations underpinning electrodynamics were only the beginning. And the quantum world proved almost infinitely more mysterious, disclosing a set of superordinary phenomena on nanoscopic scales that bewildered the likes of Einstein and Schrödinger and Feynman and the best minds of our day.
As Gribbin emphasizes frequently here, whether our brains can grasp the nature of quantum physics or not is irrelevant to its experimental efficacy. The specifics of quantum theory have been borne out in experiment after experiment, from subatomic supercolliders to the hydrogen bonding that holds our DNA together. Feynman's calculations on QED reached the most precise agreement between theory and observation than any other in the history of science. Gribbin compares this level of precision to getting the distance between New York and LA correct within the width of a human hair (1/127th of an inch or 0.2 mm).
Some of the common applications of quantum theory, often taken for granted today, are also covered, such as laser technology used in CD, Blu-ray, and other optical disc formats and retinal surgery; silicon-based devices such as mobile phones and GPS; nuclear power; and, the next frontier, quantum computing.
Very little preliminary knowledge is required to gain from this book; the basics of atomic and subatomic theory will do. The included glossary and index are nice aids as well.
Quantum Physics (2002) is a wonderfully helpful little book on one of the most impenetrable topics in the world of science. As Feynman himself was fond of saying, you may not fully understand the sphinx that is QM. No one does, of course. But in learning about it, you'll emerge from that dark alley a little less blind than you were before, and with a greater appreciation of cosmic complexity and its brute capacity for shattering our native intuition.
Note: This review is republished from my official website.
This addition to the Essential Science series begins with an introduction to classical mechanics, appropriately setting the stage for the quantum revolution that would follow. Far from a complete picture of reality, Newton's laws of motion and Maxwell's equations underpinning electrodynamics were only the beginning. And the quantum world proved almost infinitely more mysterious, disclosing a set of superordinary phenomena on nanoscopic scales that bewildered the likes of Einstein and Schrödinger and Feynman and the best minds of our day.
As Gribbin emphasizes frequently here, whether our brains can grasp the nature of quantum physics or not is irrelevant to its experimental efficacy. The specifics of quantum theory have been borne out in experiment after experiment, from subatomic supercolliders to the hydrogen bonding that holds our DNA together. Feynman's calculations on QED reached the most precise agreement between theory and observation than any other in the history of science. Gribbin compares this level of precision to getting the distance between New York and LA correct within the width of a human hair (1/127th of an inch or 0.2 mm).
Some of the common applications of quantum theory, often taken for granted today, are also covered, such as laser technology used in CD, Blu-ray, and other optical disc formats and retinal surgery; silicon-based devices such as mobile phones and GPS; nuclear power; and, the next frontier, quantum computing.
Very little preliminary knowledge is required to gain from this book; the basics of atomic and subatomic theory will do. The included glossary and index are nice aids as well.
Quantum Physics (2002) is a wonderfully helpful little book on one of the most impenetrable topics in the world of science. As Feynman himself was fond of saying, you may not fully understand the sphinx that is QM. No one does, of course. But in learning about it, you'll emerge from that dark alley a little less blind than you were before, and with a greater appreciation of cosmic complexity and its brute capacity for shattering our native intuition.
Note: This review is republished from my official website.
May 31, 2022
dönemi tazecik kapatmış, henüz final sınavlarına bile girmemiş olabilirim ama bu yeni dönemde başlayacağımız XX. yüzyıla hazırlık yapmamak için bir bahane olabilemez. tabii sınavlara çalışmamak için kaçış olabilir, o kısmı karıştırmıyorum 🤣
sonuç olarak benim yıllardır bir bütün olarak kavramayı beceremediğim kuantum olayını çözmem lazım. okumalara başlangıcı bu kitapla yaptım, devamı seri şekilde gelecek.
sonuç olarak benim yıllardır bir bütün olarak kavramayı beceremediğim kuantum olayını çözmem lazım. okumalara başlangıcı bu kitapla yaptım, devamı seri şekilde gelecek.
July 23, 2014
"Don't worry if it makes your head hurt - nobody understands quantum physics ! " these are John Gribbin words , when you are in the middle of a physics book about an unconventional domain of physics , much uncertain , much peculiar and much anticipated Quantum Physics. Easily read as an introduction to quantum, although requires a general physics background. May be the most straight-forward clear-message physics book I ever came across.
April 19, 2022
Fascinating!
August 5, 2020
This book contains a fundamental idea of quantum physics. A good explanation who wants to start to explore the microscopic world. John Gribbin also gives a clear understanding about the transition between classical mechanics to quantum mechanics. He also gives an application of Quantum Mechanics in technology (such as laser, quantum computer, teleportation, and fundamental particles), it makes you enthusiastic to learn about it.
September 4, 2018
A beginner's guide to the subatomic world .
For someone doesn't know anything about quantum and how actually it begins so I recommend this little book to you ..
For someone doesn't know anything about quantum and how actually it begins so I recommend this little book to you ..
August 7, 2022
Outdated but otherwise a good read
October 25, 2022
Blew my mind. SUPER WELL explained, easy and comprehensible for beginners
March 3, 2025
A wonderful review. Perhaps targeted at younger or more novice to quantum mechanics readers.
March 4, 2016
John Gribbin is great at illustrating complex scientific concepts and making them easy to understand for a wider audience.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews