Reasoning About Luck (eBook)

Vinay Ambegaokar (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2017
256 Seiten
Dover Publications (Verlag)
978-0-486-81879-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Only basic algebra is needed for this introduction to the uses of probability and statistics in the physical sciences. "An outstanding and ambitious textbook for nonscience majors." — American Journal of Physics. 1996 edition.

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This book introduces college students and other readers to the uses of probability and statistics in the physical sciences, focusing on thermal and statistical physics and touching upon quantum physics. Widely praised as beautifully written and thoughtful, Reasoning About Luck explains concepts in a way that readers can understand and enjoy, even students who are not specializing in science and those outside the classroom — only some familiarity with basic algebra is necessary. Attentive readers will come away with a solid grasp of many of the basic concepts of physics and some excellent insights into the way physicists think and work. "e;If students who are not majoring in science understood no more physics than that presented by Ambegaokar, they would have a solid basis for thinking about physics and the other sciences."e; — Physics Today."e;There is a real need for rethinking how we teach thermal physics—at all levels, but especially to undergraduates. Professor Ambegaokar has done just that, and given us an outstanding and ambitious textbook for nonscience majors. I find Professor Ambegaokar's style throughout the book to be graceful and witty, with a nice balance of both encouragement and admonishment."e; — American Journal of Physics.

Autor

Vinay Ambegaokar is Goldwin Smith Professor of Physics Emeritus at Cornell University. He is the 2015 recipient of the prestigious John Bardeen Prize for his theoretical research in the area of superconductivity.

Inhalt

Preface1. Introduction2. The likely, the unlikely, and the incomprehensible3. Normality and large numbers4. Examples5. A little mathematics6. Forces, motion, and energy7. Atoms, molecules, and molecular motion8. Disorder, entropy, energy, and temperature9. Heat, work, and putting heat to work10. Fluctuations and the arrow of time11. Chaos12. Quantum jumps: the ultimate gamble

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 4.1.2017
• Reihe/Serie: Dover Books on Physics
• Sprache: englisch
• Maße: 190 x 190 mm
• Gewicht: 227 g
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Atom- / Kern- / Molekularphysik
• Schlagworte: atomic & molecular studies • atomic and molecular studies • Chaos • Chaotic Behavior • Chaotic behavior in systems • combinatorics • Concepts of physics • disorder • Entropy • Large Numbers • mechanical motion • Modern Physics • molecular theory of gases • non-fiction science • non science majors • phenomenon • physical laws • Physical Sciences • Physics • physics, Probability • probability and statistics • Probability measures • Probability Theories • Quantitative assessment of statistical information • Quantum Jumps • Quantum Theory • Science • science and math • Statistical Physics • Statistics • The Direction of Time • Theoretical • thermal physics • thermodynamics • the way physicists think
• ISBN-10: 0-486-81879-9 / 0486818799
• ISBN-13: 978-0-486-81879-5 / 9780486818795