Uzan / Leclercq The Natural Laws of the Universe

Understanding Fundamental Constants
2008
ISBN: 978-0-387-74081-2
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 136 Seiten, eBook

Reihe: Springer Praxis Books

This book examines constants, the role they play in the laws of physics, and whether indeed constants can be verified. From the laboratory to the depths of space, it explores the paths of gravitation, general relativity and new theories such as that of superstrings. Coverage investigates the solidity of the foundations of physics and discusses the implications of the discovery of the non-constancy of a constant. The book even goes beyond the subject of constants to explain and discuss many ideas in physics, encountering along the way, for example, such exciting details as the discovery of a natural nuclear reactor at Oklo in Gabon.

Zielgruppe

Popular/general

Autoren/Hrsg.

Uzan, Jean-Philippe

Leclercq, Bénédicte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Table of Contents;5
2;Foreword;8
3;Acknowledgements;10
4;Introduction;11
4.1;CAT AMONG THE PIGEONS;11
4.2;SEARCHLIGHTS INTO THE PAST;11
4.3;INSPIRED-OR CRANKY?;12
4.4;THE JOYS OF OXYMORON;15
4.5;'CONSTANTOLOGY';16
5;1 Foundations: universality in physics;17
5.1;UNIVERSAL TRUTHS;18
5.2;HARMONIUS ELLIPSES;19
5.3;INERTIA AND RELATIVITY;23
5.4;THA FALL... OF ACCEPTED IDEAS;24
5.5;'GRAVE' REVELATION: GRAVITY;25
5.6;MEASURE IN ALL THINGS;27
5.7;THE VALUE OF A CONSTANT;29
5.8;A FRUITFUL EXPEDITION;30
6;2 Fundamental constants: pillars of the edifice;31
6.1;AN INVENTORY OF CONSTANTS;31
6.2;THE FLAVOUR OF THE TIMES;32
6.3;A 'SELECT' LIST;33
6.4;THE LIMITS OF EXPLANATION;34
6.5;A CLASSIFICATION OF CONSTANTS;35
6.6;ONE WEIGHT, ONE MEASURE;35
6.7;THE DECIMAL SYSTEM;37
6.8;AN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM;38
6.9;THE ATOM: A UNIVERSAL REFERENCE;40
6.10;MEASURING TIME;42
6.11;THE EVOLUTION OF CONSTANTS;43
6.12;THE DISAPPEARANCE OF CONSTANTS;44
6.13;THE INQUIRY GOES ON;45
7;3 Planning the edifice: structure of theories;46
7.1;FAST, BUT THERE IS A LIMIT;46
7.2;A EAVE...;48
7.3;...AND AN ELECTROMAGNETIC ONE;50
7.4;THE INVISIBLE ETHER;50
7.5;NEW SYNTHESES;52
7.6;G FOR 'GREAT LEAPS FORWARD';53
7.7;GRAVITY AND SPACE-TIME;55
7.8;GENERAL RELATIVITY: FROM SUCCESS TU SUCCESS;56
7.9;GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE BLACK BODY;57
7.10;QUANTA OF LIGHT;60
7.11;A OLANETARY SYSTEM IN THE ATOM;61
7.12;SOME DISCONCERTING PHYSICS;63
7.13;SYNTHSES AND LIMITS;63
7.14;THE CUBE OF PHYSICAL THEORIES;65
8;4 Proportions: dimensionless parameters;68
8.1;COHERENT UNITS;68
8.2;THE SYSTÈME IN INTERNATIONAL;69
8.3;A TRIO OF IRREDUCIBLES;70
8.4;DIMENSIONLESS PHYSICS?;72
8.5;NATURAL UNITS;73
8.6;ESSENTIAL PARAMETERS;75
8.7;WHAT IF THEY WERE DIFFERENT?;76
8.8;PRIME SUSPECT;78
9;5 Atoms under close examination;80
9.1;THE LINES EXPLAINED;80
9.2;FINE STRUCTURE...;82
9.3;...AND YET FINER;85
9.4;ATOMIC CLOCKS;86
9.5;TWO CLOCKS KEEP TABS ON EACH OTHER;87
9.6;NUCLRAE STABILITY AND INSTABILITY;88
9.7;CHAIN REACTION;89
9.8;SPY STORY;91
9.9;A NATURAL REACTOR;91
9.10;A CONSTANT CONSTANT!;92
9.11;EVIDENCE FROM METEORITES;93
10;6 A constant in the clouds;95
10.1;SURVEYORS OF THE SKY;96
10.2;SPECTRAL SHADOWS;98
10.3;A BRIED HISTORY OF PALAEOSPECTROSCOPY;99
10.4;BEACONS IN THE UNIVERSE;100
10.5;DOUBLETS;103
10.6;MULTIPLETS;104
10.7;SPOT THE ERROR;106
10.8;TRICKS OF MAGNESIUM;107
10.9;THE RED GIANT REVISITED;108
10.10;BEYOND QUASARS;109
10.11;VARIATION ON ANOTHER THEME;110
11;7 What if they did vary? Gravity waits in the qings;113
11.1;FORCES TO BE UNIFIED;113
11.2;ENLARGING THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK;115
11.3;DIRAC'S OFFSPRING;117
11.4;GENERAL RELATIVITY: TRIAL BY CONSTANTS;118
11.5;DARK IDESA FOR COSMOLOGISTS;123
11.6;THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT & CO.;124
12;8 Strings attached: towards miltiple universrs;127
12.1;THE HARMONY OF THE WORLD;127
12.2;HOW MANY PARAMETERS ARE UNDETERMINED?;128
12.3;THE OBSERVER: A NECESSARY CONDITION;130
12.4;CHOOSING THE RIGHT UNIVERSE;131
12.5;FINAL REPORT;133
12.6;HUNGRY PHYSICS;134
12.7;A PROMISING FUTURE;134
13;Bibliography;135
14;Index;137