Table of Contents

The Language of Physics.- The Dawn of Science.- Astronomy Paves the Way.- Galileo: His Life and Work.- The 17th Century: The Bloom of Science.- Isaac Newton.- Classical Mechanics.- The Beginnings of Chemistry.- Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics.- Electromagnetism.- Cathode Rays and X-Rays.- Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.- Quantum Mechanics.- Atoms, Molecules and Solids.- The Very Small and The Very Large.- Appendix A: Notes on Mathematics.- Appendix B: Physical Constants.

About the Author

Antonis Modinos is Emeritus Professor of Physics at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece. During his career, he has taught a variety of subjects, in both physics and mathematics, at various levels, including Electromagnetism, Physical Electronics, and Mathematical Methods for Engineers and Physicists at the University of Salford, UK. He has published approximately 80 research papers (of which 4 are invited review articles) and two books, including Field, Thermionic, and Secondary Electron Emission Spectroscopy (Plenum Press, 1984); and Quantum Theory of Matter – A Novel Introduction (John Wiley & Songs, 1996).

Reviews

From the reviews:“Intended for physics students (formal or informal) and for physics instructors at all levels, the book is a valuable supplement to standard textbooks since it focuses on key experiments, competing theories, and critical analysis that highlight how the core theories of physics have developed and changed over generations of reflective critiques. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty in physics; well-prepared general readers.” (J. R. Burciaga, Choice, Vol. 51 (10), June, 2014)