FOREWORD vi

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND EDITION x

AUTHOR’S PREFACE xiv
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xviii

Part one A first view

CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE OF SCIENCE 2
1.1 The scientific process 4
1.2 Domains of magnitude 7
1.3 Theories and models in science 8
1.4 Definitions 14
1.5 Length, time, and mass 17
Summary 21
List of new terms 21
Problems 22
Bibliography 25
CHAPTER 2 REFERENCE FRAMES 30
2.1 Relative position 31
2.2 Relative motion 38
2.3 Displacement 45
Summary 50
List of new terms 50
List of symbols 50
Problems 50
Bibliography 52
CHAPTER 3 THE INTERACTION CONCEPT 54
3.1 Evidence of interaction 55
3.2 Historic background 56
3.3 Systems 57
3.4 Collecting evidence of interaction 60
3.5 Interaction-at-a-distance 67
Summary 76
List of new terms 76
Problems 76
Bibliography 79
CHAPTER 4 MATTER AND ENERGY 80
4.1 Conservation of energy 81
4.2 Systems and subsystems 84
4.3 Passive coupling elements 85

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4.4 Forms of energy storage 88
4.5 The many-interacting-particles (MIP) model for matter 89
4.6 Equilibrium and steady states 95
4.7 The feedback loop model 99
4.8 Efficiency of energy transfer 99
Summary 103
List of new terms 104
Problems 104
Bibliography 107
Part two Waves and atoms
CHAPTER 5 MODELS FOR LIGHT AND SOUND 110
5.1 Properties of light and sound 111
5.2 The ray model for light 116
5.3 Application of the ray model to lenses 126
Summary 134
List of new terms 134
List of symbols 134
Problems 134
Bibliography 137
CHAPTER 6 THE WAVE THEORY 138
6.1 The description of wave trains and pulses 140
6.2 Superposition and interference of waves 145
6.3 Huygens’ principle 153
6.4 Diffraction of waves 156
6.5 Reflection of waves 160
6.6 Refraction of waves 162
Summary 167
List of new terms 168
List of symbols 168
Problems 168
Bibliography 170
CHAPTER 7 WAVE MODELS FOR SOUND AND LIGHT 172
7.1 Applications of wave theory to sound 173
7.2 Application of the wave model to light 179
7.3 The electromagnetic theory of light 192
Summary 196
List of new terms 197
List of symbols 197
Problems 197
Bibliography 200
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CHAPTER 8 MODELS FOR ATOMS 202
8.1 The electrical nature of matter 203
8.2 Early models for atoms 208
8.3 Bohr’s model for the atom 212
8.4 The wave mechanical atom 215
8.5 Wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle 217
8.6 The atomic nucleus 220
Summary 227
List of new terms 228
List of symbols 229
Problems 229
Bibliography 230
Part three Energy
CHAPTER 9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF 234
ENERGY
9.1 Measurement of energy 235
9.2 Energy scales 237
9.3 The definitions of energy 241
9.4 Comparison of the joule and the Calorie 243
Summary 244
List of new terms 245
List of symbols 245
Problems 245
CHAPTER 10 TEMPERATURE AND ENERGY 248
10.1 Operational definition of temperature 249
10.2 Thermal energy and specific heat 254
10.3 Energy accompanying phase change 260
10.4 Chemical energy release 265
10.5 Thermal energy and the MIP model for matter 266
Summary 269
Additional examples 270
List of new terms 272
List of symbols 272
Problems 272
Bibliography 276
CHAPTER 11 FORCE, DISPLACEMENT, AND ENERGY 278
TRANSFER
11.1 Factors in energy transfer 279
11.2 Interaction and force 280
11.3 The gravitational force 288
11.4 Work 291
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11.5 Electrical force and energy 295
11.6 Elastic energy and elastic force 296
11.7 Elastic energy and the MIP model for matter 299
11.8 Frictional force 302
Summary 305
List of new terms 305
List of symbols 306
Problems 306
Bibliography 309
CHAPTER 12 ELECTRIC CURRENT AND ENERGY
TRANSFER 310
12.1 Electric current 311
12.2 Voltage 320
12.3 Analysis of simple circuits 327
12.4 Energy transfer 331
Summary 337
Additional examples 337
List of new terms 339
List of symbols 339
Problems
339
Bibliography 345
Part four Motion
CHAPTER 13 OBJECTS IN MOTION 348
13.1 Velocity 349
13.2 Acceleration 356
13.3 Momentum 359
Summary 360
List of new terms 360
List of symbols 360
Problems 360
Bibliography 362
CHAPTER 14 NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION 364
14.1 Background 365
14.2 Newton’s first law of motion 368
14.3 Newton’s second law of motion 372
14.4 Motion near the surface of the earth 380
14.5 Newton’s third law of motion 386
14.6 Kinetic energy 388
Summary 391
Additional examples 392
List of new terms 394
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List of symbols 394
Problems 394
Bibliography 399
CHAPTER 15 PERIODIC MOTION 400
15.1 Properties of periodic motion 401
15.2 A mathematical model for circular motion 402
15.3 The solar system and gravitation 404
15.4 The pendulum 411
15.5 Elastic oscillators 415
Summary 416
Additional examples 416
List of new terms 419
List of symbols 420
Problems 420
Bibliography 422
CHAPTER 16 HEAT AND MOTION 424
16.1 Properties of gases 426
16.2 Gas pressure 428
16.3 Energy storage by gases 434
16.4 Heat engines and refrigerators 444
16.5 The kinetic theory of gases 449
Summary 454
List of new terms 455
List of symbols 455
Problems 455
Bibliography 459
EPILOGUE “SCIENCE IN THE NEW HUMANISM”
BY JACOB BRONOWSKI 460
APPENDIX MATHEMATICAL BACKGROUND 466
A1

Arithmetic for physics 467
A2

Mathematical models 472
A3

Geometry and trigonometry 477
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS WITH NUMERICAL
SOLUTIONS 484
INDEX 488
ROBERT KARPLUS – A PORTRAIT
BY FERNAND BRUNSCHWIG 498
HISTORICAL TIMELINE 508
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