Book Description
A primer on the evolution of particle physics and the search for the fundamental building blocks of matter. The book presents the full current body of understanding of particle physics in way accessible to a reader with some basic principles of physics (energy, momentum, electrical charge). This concise book tells the fascinating story of how 20th century physicists revealed layer upon layer of structure within the atom to reach the basic particles of matter, and then culminates in descriptions of current theories which form the Standard Model and the discovery of the top quark. Includes chapters on cosmology. The book includes many illustrations and photographs, and integrates the stories of the individual scientists throughout. Includes 4 color photographs, and the famous "Particle Chart". The book is a collaboration among eminent physicists (including J.D. Jackson and G. Goldhaber) at LBL, CERN and high school teachers in the Contemporary Physics Education Project to develop a novel book to teach particle physics to students.Book can thus be used as a supplement for courses in advanced high school and physics courses. FROM THE REVIEWS: ¿¿Recommended as a supplementary text for introductory college courses or for advanced high-school courses; science teachers will find it useful for updating their knowledge in an ever-expanding field of physics research.¿ ¿PHYSICS TODAY


Book Info
(AIP Press) A story of how twentieth century physicists revealed layer upon layer of structure within the atom to reach the basic particles of matter. Describes the ephemeral neutrino that can traverse the diameter of Earth. Includes many illustrations and photographs. DLC: Particles (Nuclear physics).

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Charm of Strange Quarks discusses the excitement of quarks, dark matter, and extra dimensions. It tells of a force so weak that humans cannot experience it, yet responsible for our very existence... A particle (the quark) not visible directly in any experiment, yet known to be the prime constituent of the atomic nucleus... A particle (the neutrino) so ephemeral it can traverse the diameter of Earth without interacting, yet physicists can make beams of them and cause collisions... Matter dark and unlike anything we experience on Earth, yet a major constituent of the universe...

These and similar mysteries are part of the revolution that has made particle physics a forefront science. Too often, however, the excitement of these ideas seems hidden behind complex presentations. This book conveys the excitement and a basic understanding of this fundamental topic.

Very recent developments in particle physics and cosmology are included. For example, some of the great mysteries of physics may be resolved if we postulate that there are extra dimensions of space, unseen by humans (this may involve string theory and black holes). Recent astrophysical experiments suggest that the expansion of the universe may be accelerating.

One remarkable aspect of modern physics is that the smallest objects in the world and the largest (the universe) are intimately tied together. Our knowledge of cosmology and astrophysics tells us about fundamental particles and forces, and vice versa.

A very lively chronology of the events of modern particle physics shows not only the learning process but also the missteps that occur in real research, and how even correct new ideas move only gradually from the status of fringe speculation to accepted view.