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Table of Contents

Principles of Physics

Publisher's Note

Grey House Publishing is pleased to add Principles of Physicsto its Salem Press collection, the second of four titles in a new Principles ofseries: Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and Computer Science. This new resource introduces students and researchers to the fundamentals of physics using easy-to-understand language, giving readers a solid start and deeper understanding and appreciation of this complex subject.

The 142 entries range from Aberrations to X-rays and are arranged in an A to Z order, making it easy to find the topic of interest. Entries include the following:

  • Related fields of study to illustrate the connections between the various branches of physics, including acoustics, high energy physics, psychophysics, quantum electrodynamics, and nanotechnonlogy;

  • A brief, concrete summary of the topic and how the entry is organized;

  • Principal terms that are fundamental to the discussion and to understanding the concepts presented;

  • Illustrations that clarify difficult concepts via models, diagrams, and charts of such key topics as blackbody radiation, Bernouilli’s principle, and Higgs boson;

  • Equations that demonstrate how to determine mechanical advantage, understand the ideal gas law, the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, and Einstein’s famous mass-energy equation—E= mc2;

  • Photographs of significant contributors to the study of physics;

  • Sample problems that further demonstrate the concept, law, or constant presented;

  • Bibliography lists that relate to the entry.

This reference work begins with a comprehensive introduction to the field, written by editor Donald R. Franceschetti, PhD. It starts with the ancient Greeks' quest to understand motion, both on earth and in the heavens, includes Einstein and the annus mirabilis and J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atom bomb and a discussion of how vacuum tubes and digital processesors have fundamentally changed the way we live, and ends with a discussion of the challenge and the promise of physics education in today’s high schools.

The book’s backmatter is another valuable resource and includes:

  • The Standard Model, a discussion of the key discoveries and concepts that led to a growing understanding of subatomic particles and the electromagnetic, strong, and weak interaction;

  • Nobel Notes that explain the significance of the prizes in physics to the study of the science and their interdisciplinary nature;

  • Nobel Prize Laureates in the area of physics from the first awards in 1901, given to William Conrad Röntgen to the prize awarded in 2015 to Takaaki Kajita and Arthur B. McDonald “for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass”;

  • Pre-Nobel Notables, recognizing some of the important figures in physics who did not receive a Nobel Prize;

  • Physics Constants, showing their symbols, names, and values;

  • Physics Laws;

  • Glossary;

  • General bibliography; and

  • Subject index.

Grey House Publishing extends its appreciation to all involved in the development and production of this work. The entries have been written by experts in the field. Their names and affiliations follow the Editor’s Introduction.

Principles of Physics, as well as all Salem Press titles, is available in print and as an e-book. Please visit www.salempress.com for more information.

Citation Types

MLA 9th
"Publisher's Note." Principles of Physics, edited by Donald R. Franceschetti, Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=POP_0002.
APA 7th
Publisher's Note. Principles of Physics, In D. R. Franceschetti (Ed.), Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=POP_0002.
CMOS 17th
"Publisher's Note." Principles of Physics, Edited by Donald R. Franceschetti. Salem Press, 2016. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=POP_0002.