Eureka!: Physics of Particles, Matter and the Universe

This is an attempt to present what physics is about, starting with everyday experiences and then shifting to thermodynamics, and on to the behavior of solids, liquids, and gases, followed by electromagnetism and quantum physics. Quantum theory is used to get at the properties of matter. Einstein's relativity theories are followed by some nuclear physics and Elementary Particles (the very small) up to the Electroweak Interaction and Unification. A quick chapter on Astrophysics and Cosmology (the very large) leads into Reflections on Physics and Physicists. This is all done with mathematics at a very simple level no greater than what one would expect at a high school. In fact, the whole book is aimed at reviewing material that one would expect as key parts of the national curriculum in the UK. Every chapter ends with a section, “Moving Forward,” that looks at where the reader has been and what to...