Great Equations : Breakthroughs in Science from Pythagoras to Heisenberg

English

ISBN: 039306204X

EAN: 9780393062045

Category: Science / History/Mathematics / General/

Publisher: Norton & Company, Incorporated, W. W.

Release Date: 07/19/2011

Synopsis: Philosopher and science historian Robert P. Crease tells the stories behind ten of the greatest equations in human history. Was Nobel laureate Richard Feynman really joking when he called Maxwells electromagnetic equations the most significant event of the nineteenth century? How did Newtons law of gravitation influence young revolutionaries? Why has Eulers formula been called Gods equation, and why did a mysterious ecoterrorist make it his calling card? What role do betrayal, insanity, and suicide play in the second law of thermodynamics?The Great Equations tells the stories of how these equations were discovered, revealing the personal struggles of their ingenious originators. From 1 + 1 = 2 to Heisenbergs uncertainty principle, Crease locates these equations in the panoramic sweep of Western history, showing how they are as integral to their time and place of creation as are great works of art.

Excerpt: Unknown Property Excerpt

Great Equations : Breakthroughs in Science from Pythagoras to Heisenberg

Illustrated: Yes

Format: Hardcover

Height: 1.1 inches

Width: 5.9 inches

Length: 8.5 inches

Weight: 16.93 oz

Pages: 224