The Physical World

Book Overview

We are surrounded by science in action, yet few of us understand the physical and chemical processes at work in everyday life. Now, for everyone who has ever wondered how or why these events take place, comes The Physical World, an immensely readable, up-to-date survey of scientific knowledge. Using clear, informative "how-it-works" diagrams and hundreds of full-color illustrations, the volume unravels the processes that underlie a vast range of products and phenomena. Silicon chips and centripetal force, neon lighting and nuclear fission, chemical bonding and even cosmetics--all are explained and illustrated in a single, breath-taking volume. Written in nontechnical and nonmathematical language that is perfectly accessible to all general readers, The Physical World is an ideal "guided tour" through the familiar and frequently puzzling realities around us. Among the topics discussed are ancient views of science and the material world; Newton's laws of motion; atomic theory; laws of thermodynamics; the structure of matter; chemical bonding and phase transitions; the molecules of life: proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates; sonic booms and sound waves; food processing and carcinogenicity; industrial pollution; and technological disasters.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195206320
• ISBN13: 9780195206326
• Release Date: February 1988
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 2.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.4" x 1.0" x 8.8"