Matter and Motion

by James Clerk Maxwell

Overview

Great physicist's elegant, concise survey of Newtonian dynamics, from simple particles to systems beyond complete analysis. Considered one of the finest elementary scientific treatises ever written. Notes and Appendixes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486668956
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	11/04/1991
Series:	Dover Books on Physics Series
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

James Clerk Maxwell: In His Own Words — And Others
Dover reprinted Maxwell's Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism in 1954, surely one of the first classics of scientific literature over a thousand pages in length to be given new life and accessibility to students and researchers as a result of the paperback revolution of the 1950s. Matter and Motion followed in 1991 and Theory of Heat in 2001.

Some towering figures in science have to speak for themselves. Such is James Clerk Maxwell (1813–1879), the Scottish physicist and mathematician who formulated the basic equations of classical electromagnetic theory.

In the Author's Own Words:
"We may find illustrations of the highest doctrines of science in games and gymnastics, in traveling by land and by water, in storms of the air and of the sea, and wherever there is matter in motion."

"The 2nd law of thermodynamics has the same degree of truth as the statement that if you throw a tumblerful of water into the sea, you cannot get the same tumblerful of water out again." — James Clerk Maxwell

Critical Acclaim for James Clerk Maxwell:
"From a long view of the history of mankind — seen from, say, ten thousand years from now — there can be little doubt that the most significant event of the 19th century will be judged as Maxwell's discovery of the laws of electrodynamics. The American Civil War will pale into provincial insignificance in comparison with this important scientific event of the same decade." — Richard P. Feynman

"Maxwell's equations have had a greater impact on human history than any ten presidents." — Carl Sagan

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
I Nature of Physical Science
2 Definition of a Material System
3 Definition of Internal and External
4 Definition of Configuration
5 Diagrams
6 A Material Particle
7 Relative Position of two Material Particles
8 Vectors
9 System of Three Particles
10 Addition of Vectors
11 Subtraction of one Vector from another
12 Origin of Vectors
13 Relative Position of Two Systems
14 Three Data for the Comparison of Two Systems
15 On the Idea of Space
16 Error of Descartes
17 On the Idea of Time
18 Absolute Space
19 Statement of the General Maxim of Physical Science
CHAPTER II ON MOTION
20 Definition of Displacement
21 Diagram of Displacement
22 Relative Displacement
23 Uniform Displacement
24 On Motion
25 On the Continuity of Motion
26 On Constant Velocity
27 On the Measurement of Velocity when Variable
28 Diagram of Velocities
29 Properties of the Diagram of Velocities
30 "Meaning of the Phrase " At Rest "
31 On Change of Velocity
32 On Acceleration
33 On the Rate of Acceleration
34 Diagram of Accelerations
35 Acceleration a Relative Term
CHAPTER III ON FORCE
36 Kinematics and Kinetics
37 Mutual Action between Two Bodies-Stress
38 External Force
39 Different Aspects of the same Phenomenon
40 Newton's Laws of Motion
41 The First Law of Motion
42 On the Equilibrium of Forces
43 Definition of Equal Times
44 The Second Law of Motion
45 Definition of Equal Masses and of Equal Forces
46 Measurement of Mass
47 Numerical Measurement of Force
48 Simultaneous Action of Forces on a Body
49 On Impulse
50 Relation between Force and Mass
51 On Momentum
52 Statement of the Second Law of Motion in Terms of Impulse and Momentum
53 Addition of Forces
54 The Third Law of Motion
55 Action and Reaction are the Partial Aspects of a Stree
56 Attraction and Repulsion
57 The Third Law True of Action at a Distance
58 Newton's Proof not Experimental
CHAPTER IV ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE CENTRE OF MASS OF A MATERIAL SYSTEM
59 Definition of a Mass-Vector
60 Centre of Mass of Two Particles
61 Centre of Mass of a System
62 Momentum represented as the Rate of Change of a Mass-Vector
63 Effect of External Forces on the Motion of the Centre of Mass
64 The Motion of the Centre of Mass of a System is not affected by the Mutual Action of the Parts of the System
65 First and Second Laws of Motion
66 Method of treating Systems of Molecules
67 "By the Introduction of the Idea of Mass we pass from Point-Vectors, Point Displacements, Velocities, Total Accelerations, and Rates of Acceleration, to Mass-Vectors, Mass Displacements, Momenta, Impulses, and Moving Forces"
68 Definition of a Mass-Area
69 Angular Momentum
70 Moment of a Force about a Point
71 Conservation of Angular Momentum
CHAPTER V ON WORK AND ENERGY
72 Definitions
73 Principle of Conservation of Energy
74 General Statement of the Principle of the Conservation of Energy
75 Measurement of Work
76 Potential Energy
77 Kinetic Energy
78 Oblique Forces
79 Kinetic Energy of Two Particles referred to their Centre of Mass
80 Kinetic Energy of a Material System referred to its Centre of Mass
81 Available Kinetic Energy
82 Potential Energy
83 Elasticity
84 Action at a Distance
85 Theory of Potential Energy more complicated than that of Kinetic Energy
86 Application of the Method of Energy to the Calculation of Forces
87 Specification of the [Mode of Action] of Forces
88 Application to a System in Motion
89 Application of the Method of Energy to the Investigation of Real Bodies
90 Variables on which the Energy depends
91 Energy in Terms on the Variables
92 Theory of Heat
93 Heat a Form of Energy
94 Energy Measured as Heat
95 Scientific Work to be done
96 History of the Doctrine of Energy
97 On the Different Forms of Energy
CHAPTER VI RECAPITULATION
98 Retrospect of Abstract Dynamics
99 Kinematics
100 Force
101 Stress
102 Relativity of Dynamical Knowledge
103 Relativity of Force
104 Rotation
105 Newton's Determination of the Absolute Velocity of Rotation
106 Foucault's Pendulum
107 Matter and Energy
108 Test of a Material Substance
109 Energy not capable of Identification
110 Abolute Value of the Energy of a Body unknown
111 Latent Energy
112 A Complete Discussion of Energy would include the whole of Physical Science
CHAPTER VII THE PENDULUM AND GRAVITY
113 On Uniform Motion in a Circle
114 Centrifugal Force
115 Periodic Time
116 On Simple Harmonic Vibrations
117 On the Force acting on the Vibrating Body
118 Isochronous Vibrations
119 Potential Energy of the Vibrating Body
120 The Simple Pendulum
121 A Rigid Pendulum
122 Inversion of the Pendulum
123 Illustration of Kater's Pendulum
124 Determination of the Intensity of Gravity
125 Method of Observation
126 Estimation of Error
CHAPTER VIII UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
127 Newton's Method
128 Kepler's Laws
129 Angular Velocity
130 Motion about the Centre of Mass
131 The Orbit
132 The Hodograph
133 Kepler's Second Law
134 Force on a Planet
135 Interpretation of Kepler's Third Law
136 Law of Gravitation
137 Amended Form of Kepler's Third Law
138 Potential Energy due to Gravitation
139 Kinetic Energy of the System
140 Potential Energy of the System
141 The Moon is a Heavy Body
142 Cavendish's Experiment
143 The Torsion Balance
144 Method of the Experiment
145 Universal Gravitation
146 Cause of Gravitation
147 Application of Newton's Method of Investigation
148 Methods of Molecular Investigations
149 Importance of General and Elementary Properties
[CHAPTER IX] ON THE EQUATIONS OF MOTION OF A CONNECTED SYSTEM
APPENDIX I THE RELATIVITY OF THE FORCES OF NATURE
APPENDIX II THE PRINCIPLE OF LEAST ACTION
INDEX

Editorial Reviews

Maxwell's lucid exposition of Newtonian mechanics. This is a reissue of the 1952 Dover edition which was a reprint of the SPCK edition of 1920. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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