Elementary Modern Physics

by Richard T. Weidner

quantum mechanics and relativity, undergrad level

Genres: Physics

496 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Brett Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books like this get forgotten only because their copywrite ages. But fundamentals of the most bizarre extremes of reality haven't changed since 1980 when this one was published (hence, bought for a song). In this text Weidner (1921-2000) and Sells (1925-2000) provide a thoroughly engaging series of revelations thanks to their talent in making nonsense sensible, and both Relativity and quantum can easily seem nonsensical. They make wonderful analogies with the classical world we live in, and show by quite simple mathematics (de Broglie's relation) that, no, Deepak Chopra's Quantum Healing and his other wild quantum claims really are farce. As an undergraduate text all one needs is high school to grasp what Weidner and Sells teach. They often do a much better job than graduate texts, and so serve as welcomed reference for those moments when deep in the weeds one wonders, "Just what am I doing here anyway?" Flip a few pages in this book and it all comes back. Read this, sit back, and imagine that what you just discovered is taking place all around you in an unseen world. A hearty salute to Weidner and Sells.