Universal Foam: Exploring the Science of Nature's Most Mysterious Substance

by Sidney Perkowitz

Book Overview

Physicist Sidney Perkowitz, whom the Washington Post calls -a gloriously lucid science writer, - exposes the full dimensions of foam in our lives, from cappuccino to the cosmos. Foam affects the taste... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038572070X
• ISBN13: 9780385720700
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

An entertaining and illuminating journey into foam physics

In Universal Foam by Sidney Perkowitz, we encounter everyday phenomenon and objects - coffee froth, beer head, styrofoam cups, soap suds, shaving cream, bread, cork - and begin to see the underlying mystery, pleasure and physics, that guides their appearance, form and function. The science of bubbles contains answers to complex and varied questions: puzzles about the origin of universe and the softness of bread are revealed and deciphered using foam physics. As a teacher, Perkowitz exudes a ready wit, an imitable enthusiasm about the subject. After reading this book, the ubiquitous foaminess of the world will reveal itself to you at every juncture. A glass of beer will turn into a laboratory for experiments about size dependence of bubbles of the froth, their stability and strength, and their variation with brand. As you stir your coffee, the foam will organize into patterns; corks on wine bottle will spark discussions about why certain champagnes taste better just because of their packaging. A walk by seaside or river will prompt observations about how much rain (and condensation nuclei) is being generated by the white effervescent milkiness that rides the waves. Night sky shall beckon your thoughts about big bang and about questions as philosophical as "do we really live in a bubble?" The book will reveal the scientific merit of such a question (and many more). Universal foam is a great read, both as an introduction to the initiated, and as a witty jaunt for they who work their hours of intellectual activity by exploding or imploding bubbles. If you are looking for a more mathematical account, "The Physics of Foams" by Denis Wearie and Stefan Hutzler will provide you both with entertainment and equations in a beery Irish manner. (The text starts with the line: "Pour a bottle of beer")

A most interesting and engaging science topic

Foam is something literally all around us (and in us). It's noteworthy that HS or college science courses rarely discuss foam -- this is simultaneously cutting-edge and highly accessible science. I found this book because I was fascinated by foaming soaps -- like the "Kiss My Face" brand of hand-pump soap dispensers. Foaming soaps take about 10% of liquid soap to wash your hands. They seem to take less water and less time to clean your hands. And I noticed that the soaps were able to get my eyeglasses squeaky-clean very quickly. "Universal Foam" explains these phenomena well. It also has many different examples of foam in our everyday lives: bread, souffles, pumice, cork, champagne, etc. The book then explores smaller foams: viruses, quantum foams, etc. It also explores large foams: the distribution of galaxies in the universe. I suppose that one could skip these chapters, however, I suspect that people will find such topics far more interesting and accessible because they all have a common theme of foam. To say this differently, this book is a foam-centric survey of the physics of the universe. People who are already interested in science in general will love this book. I guarantee they will learn new things. In particular, the resiliency -- the non-hookian nature -- of foam is a very important concept to understand. For people who are nurturing/developing their curiousity of science, this is a safe book to start with. Perkowitz clearly loves science, and anybody reading this book will pick up on his passion. I love books like this; they have us look at the world in new ways. This book is on my recommended list to bodyworkers to understand their craft -- and the world -- better.

delightful, wide-ranging foray into science

This book was delightful, I learned so much from it. Sidney Perkowitz took a subject a seemingly laughable subject and made it fascinating. The first section lays down the basics of foam. There is far more than just three states of matter - solid, liquid, and gas - and foam is a important type of "soft matter," a substance that is neither rigid like a solid nor completely free flowing like a liquid, and generally contains large amounts of a gas. Perkowitz points out simple observable facts about foams, that in their simplest definitions they are generally bubbles of gas distributed throughout a liquid or a solid; that liquid foams tend to be white, are usually short-lived, and move differently than either a pure gas or a pure liquid; and that foams within solids usually start out as liquid foams. The geometry of the bubbles within foam is discussed as well, with reference to a set of universal laws, Plateau's rules, devised by the 19th-century Belgian physicist Joseph Antoine Ferdinand Plateau. Vital to an understanding of the physics and geometry of foam are knowledge of surface tension, the minimumizing principle, and surfactants (an acronym for surface-active agent), all of which Perkowitz discusses with clarity and precision. Chapter two goes into the tools used to examine foams. Over the years the methods of studying foam have ranged from cells made from transparent glass half an inch wide to much more complex methods such as diffusing-wave spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging with computer simulations playing a role of increasing importance. Next we get to examine edible foam, my favorite. Foam is found in a variety of foods, from mousse (French for "foam") to meringue (which we learn was invented by the Swiss chef Gasparini in 1720 and named after his hometown of Meringen) to bread and beer, all of which are highly reliant upon foam in their formation. We find that the study of foam in a head of beer is a much a science as it is an art, which the brewing industry has done research into, determining what type of glass is the best and on the importance of the foam to beer drinkers. Even more research goes into the foam in crema, important to lovers of espresso. Perkowitz analyses the art and science of foam in cappuccino (where the type, brand, and temperature of the milk are critical), whipped cream (we learn that aerosol whipped creams are propelled by nitrous oxide or laughing gas), carbonated soft drinks (arising originally from drinks believed to have medicinal value), champagne, and that ultimate expression of edible foam, the soufflé (from the French verb souffler, which translates into "to blow or to puff"). The fourth chapter looks at practical foam, from cork to aerogel to shaving cream. We first look at natural foams that have daily value, such as pumice (foamy volcanic rock), sponges, and cork (where we learn why cork is both a great insulator against heat, why it is great in sound proofing, and why it has

Blends science with a cultural overview

Universal Foam blends science with a cultural overview and history of the physical world, from the simple soap bubble to the history of foam science. It's unusual to find a book devoted to foam science alone: this has a surprising amount of facts packed into a review of how foam operates.

Review of "Universal Foam ..." by Dr. Sidney Perkowitz

In his newest book, "Universal Foam: From Cappuccino to the Cosmos", Dr. Sidney Perkowitz has, simply and personally, uncovered mysteries that permeate our universe, most of which we were subliminally aware, but always took for granted. Now, he has opened the door for us to seek additional uses for these ever present phenomena. Perkowitz shows us, all ages included, how these simple, usual things, such as foam, can be put to many extraordinary uses. We need more observant science writers to jump start our young people into thinking about their everyday surroundings in greater depth. His present writing is on par with his exciting 1998 paperback, "Empire of Light". Perkowitz presents his ideas in such a clear manner that you can see simple substances materialize into the most intricate technological advances. It is awe inspiring to see the world of physics unfolding before your eyes.