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The Lazy Universe: An Introduction to the Principle of Least Action
Jennifer Coopersmith
€ 54.03
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Description for The Lazy Universe: An Introduction to the Principle of Least Action
Hardcover. The Principle of Least Action underlies all physics and leads into quantum mechanics and Einstein's Relativity. There are some textbooks that do the calculations, and one book with nice pictures, but no book (before this one) that explains what 'action' is, and why nature follows this principle. Num Pages: 272 pages, 52. BIC Classification: PDA; PDX; PH. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 216 x 138. .
This is a rare book on a rare topic: it is about 'action' and the Principle of Least Action. A surprisingly well-kept secret, these ideas are at the heart of physical science and engineering. Physics is well known as being concerned with grand conservatory principles (e.g. the conservation of energy) but equally important is the optimization principle (such as getting somewhere in the shortest time or with the least resistance). The book explains: why an optimization principle underlies physics, what action is, what `the Hamiltonian' is, and how new insights into energy, space, and time arise. It assumes some background ... Read more
This is a rare book on a rare topic: it is about 'action' and the Principle of Least Action. A surprisingly well-kept secret, these ideas are at the heart of physical science and engineering. Physics is well known as being concerned with grand conservatory principles (e.g. the conservation of energy) but equally important is the optimization principle (such as getting somewhere in the shortest time or with the least resistance). The book explains: why an optimization principle underlies physics, what action is, what `the Hamiltonian' is, and how new insights into energy, space, and time arise. It assumes some background ... Read more
Product Details
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2017
Condition
New
Number of Pages
288
Place of Publication
Oxford, United Kingdom
ISBN
9780198743040
SKU
V9780198743040
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 4 to 8 working days
Ref
99-3
About Jennifer Coopersmith
Jennifer Coopersmith took her PhD in nuclear physics from the University of London, and was later a research fellow at TRIUMF, University of British Columbia. She was for many years an associate lecturer for the Open University (London and Oxford), and was then a tutor on astrophysics courses at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne while based at La Trobe ... Read more
Reviews for The Lazy Universe: An Introduction to the Principle of Least Action
Jennifer Coopersmith has written a most welcome book, the first historically and philosophically motivated full study since two classics written nearly a half-century ago... [She] has attempted and succeeded admirably I believe in her aim to write a modern book on the history and philosophy of the action principles, as well as to give the technical details.
Chris Gray, ... Read more
Chris Gray, ... Read more