The Evolution of Physics: The Growth of Ideas from the Early Concepts to Relativity and Quanta

From the Authors' Preface Before you begin reading, you rightly expect some simple questions to be answered. For what purpose has this book been written? Who is the imaginary reader for whom it is meant? It is difficult to begin by answering these questions clearly and convincingly. This would be much easier, though quite superfluous, at the end of the book. We find it simpler to say just what this book does not intend to be. We have not written a textbook of physics. Here is no systematic course in elementary physical facts and theories. Our intention was rather to sketch in broad outline the attempts of the human mind to find a connection between the world of ideas and the world of phenomena. We have tried to show the active forces which compel science to invent ideas corresponding to the reality of our world. [...] The book is a simple chat between you and us. You may find it boring or interesting, dull or exciting, but our aim will be accomplished if these pages give you some idea of the eternal struggle of the inventive human mind for a fuller understanding of the laws governing physical phenomena. \*\*\* P2P Editor Bibliographic Note The first edition of the book was published in 1938 {Open Library, ID=OL5816183M). The edition on which the source for the present file is based, is undated, and marked 'Scientific Book Club'. The subsequent bibliographic research indicates the probable publication date as 1939 (see WorldCat items 8124880, 721210008; see Google citation for ID=nJClngEACAAJ; see a 1940 review of this precise 'Scientific Book Club' edition at SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System). The only pictures and physical book description found for the original 1939 book come from Mollan Rare Books, Dublin, Ireland via AbeBooks. Those pictures were used for reconstructing the cover used in the present P2P digital edition. I. THE RISE OF THE MECHANICAL VIEW The great mystery story 3 The first clue 5 Vectors 12 The riddle of motion 19 One clue remains 34 Is heat a substance? 38 The switchback 47 The rate of exchange 51 The philosophical background 55 The kinetic theory of matter 59 II. THE DECLINE OF THE MECHANICAL VIEW The two electric fluids 71 The magnetic fluids 83 The first serious difficulty 87 The velocity of light 94 Light as substance 97 The riddle of colour 100 What is a wave? 104 The wave theory of light 110 Longitudinal or transverse light waves? 120 Ether and the mechanical view 123 III. FIELD, RELATIVITY The field as representation 129 The two pillars of the field theory 142 The reality of the field 148 Field and ether 156 The mechanical scaffold 160 Ether and motion 172 Time, distance, relativity 186 Relativity and mechanics 202 The time-space continuum 209 General relativity 220 Outside and inside the lift 226 Geometry and experiment 235 General relativity and its verification 249 Field and matter 255 IV. QUANTA Continuity, discontinuity 263 Elementary quanta of matter and electricity 265 The quanta of light 272 Light spectra 280 The waves of matter 286 Probability waves 294 Physics and reality 310 Index 317 THE RISE OF THE MECHANICAL VIEW The great mystery story The first clue Vectors The riddle of motion One clue remains Is heat a substance? The switchback The rate of exchange The philosophical background The kinetic theory of matter THE DECLINE OF THE MECHANICAL VIEW The two electric fluids The magnetic fluids The first serious difficulty The velocity of light Light as substance The riddle of colour What is a wave? The wave theory of light Longitudinal or transverse light waves? Ether and the mechanical view FIELD, RELATIVITY The field as representation The two pillars of the field theory The reality of the field Field and ether The mechanical scaffold Ether and motion Time, distance, relativity Relativity and mechanics The time-space continuum General relativity Outside and inside the lift Geometry and experiment General relativity and its verification Field and matter QUANTA Continuity, discontinuity Elementary quanta of matter and electricity The quanta of light Light spectra The waves of matter Probability waves Physics and reality Index LIST OF PLATES Brownian movement Diffraction of light Spectral lines, diffraction of X-rays and of electronic waves