Surfing the Quantum World

by Frank S. Levin

Overview

The ideas and phenomena of the quantum world are strikingly unlike those encountered in our visual world. Surfing the Quantum World shows why and how this is so. It does this via a historical review and a gentle introduction to the fundamental principles of quantum theory, whose core concepts and symbolic representations are used to explain not only "ordinary" microscopic phenomena like the properties of the hydrogen atom and the structure of the Periodic Table of the Elements, but also a variety of mind-bending phenomena. Readers will learn that particles such as electrons and photons can behave like waves, allowing them to be in two places simultaneously, why white dwarf and neutron stars are gigantic quantum objects, how the maximum height of mountains has a quantum basis, and why quantum objects can tunnel through seemingly impenetrable barriers. Included among the various interpretational issues addressed is whether Schrödinger's cat is ever both dead and alive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192535856
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	09/13/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

During his tenure in the Brown University Physics Department, Frank Levin taught undergraduate and graduate physics courses and carried out U. S. government-funded research on nuclear reactions, collision theory, and few-body quantum systems. He edited several books, published widely in refereed journals, was a visiting professor in other countries, lectured in international conferences and summer schools, and founded a sub-division of the American Physical Society, of which he is a Fellow. Since retiring, he has published a quantum theory textbook, a popular science book on cosmology, and has taught science courses for those with neither a math nor a science background.

Table of Contents

1. The Nature of Science
2. The Nature of Light
3. The Reality of Atoms
4. The Quantum Hypothesis
5. The Nuclear Atom
6. Creating Quantum Mechanics
7. Quantum Boxes, Stringed Instruments
8. Quantum Theory
9. The Hydrogen Atom and Its Colorful Photons
10. Spin 12 and the Periodic Table
11. Interference Phenomena: Exploring the Essential Mystery
12. Macroscopic Manifestations of Quantum Mechanics
13. Quantum Tunneling
14. Entanglement and the Elements of Reality
15. Schrodinger's Cat and the Meaning of It All

Editorial Reviews

"Delicate issues like tunneling, Schrödinger's cat, entanglement as well as the macroscopic manifestation of quantum mechanics are presented in a clear way accessible to non-scientists. The book turns out to be amusing and informative—it may hopefully provide an intelligent incentive to further exploring the quantum world." — Franco Strocchi, zbMath

"It is enjoyable and instructive to read and is well worth the time invested in it. I'd hope that pre-university students considering a physics course at tertiary level would read this." — Contemporary Physics

"What makes Levin's offering an excellent primer for aspiring physics majors is the way Levin transitions from such simple examples as a particle in a one-dimensional box to more complex concepts, such as the hydrogen atom, spin- ½ particles, and the singlet spin state, making maximum use of Dirac notation and allowing readers to approach in later chapters topics such as quantum entanglement, the EPR paradox, Bell's inequality, and Schrödinger's cat in ways more sophisticated than those typically seen in comparable expositions. Recommended." — CHOICE

"A lovely, masterly text on quantum physics for lay people. The book is intellectually honest, explaining the concepts of the quantum world in a way that is "as simple as possible, but not simpler." Despite the title, the book does not scratch the surface, but goes deep into the philosophical ideas that make quantum physics so fascinating. It also tells the history of quantum mechanics and does not shy away from giving the reader a taste of the actual mathematics involved. At a time when some of the most successful popular-science books mystify instead of clarify, this is a refreshing return of the spirit of the enlightenment. Intelligent readers will love it!" — Ulf Leonhardt, Weizmann Institute of Science

"Surfing the Quantum World is witty, it engages the reader with direct questions, and it has a refreshing approach to the many technical questions, urging the reader to be patient and carry on. Reading through the book, I felt like sitting in a nice armchair in conversation with the author, whose side remarks and relaxed tongue-in-cheek comments made a comfortable atmosphere." Klaus Mølmer, Aarhus University, Denmark

From the Publisher