A research scientist at NASA working on planetary exploration, Carlos Calle has the opportunity to ponder what seems imponderable, but while that might make Dr. Calle unusual, what makes him truly special is his ability to translate the algebraic formulas and calculus-based logic into concepts that can be appreciated and held in awe by those in possession of tools no more sophisticated than curiosity and imagination. Superstrings and Other Things: A Guide to Physics, Second Edition continues to take the interested on a uniquely accessible journey through physics. This guide explains the basic concepts of motion, energy, and gravity, right up through the latest theories about the structure of matter, the origin of the universe, and the beginning of time. Fully illustrated throughout, the book explores major discoveries and the scientists behind them, from Galileo, Newton, and Einstein, to Feynman and Hawking. Numerous examples of physics in everyday situations are provided and made tangible. When Dr. Calle wrote the first edition of this bestseller, even he would have been surprised by the newest development in String Theory, the far reaching M-Theory. In addition to details about M-Theory, he adds a number of other surprises and updated material for this edition. Not only will you be rewarded with a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of physics, but you will also come to have the chance to stand on the very edge of the breathtaking frontiers of physics today. Offers non-science students and others access to the highest peaks of physics Supports a truly conceptual approach to teaching physics without advanced math, emphazing concepts and ideas rather than equations Provides up-to-date coverage of modern physics and showcases modern applications of physics in our everyday world Now includes a Solutions Manual with qualifying course adoptions Carlos I. Calle is a senior research physicist at NASA Kennedy Space Center and the founder and director of NASA’s Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory. He is the recipient of numerous NASA awards for exceptional contributions to the space program and outstanding support of the Space Shuttle Program. With his laboratory staff, he has developed technologies for NASA’s lunar and Martian exploration programs and has also developed new testing techniques for several Space Shuttle systems. As a professor of physics during the early part of his career, he taught the whole range of college physics courses. He has published over 150 scientific papers and other popular books on physics.

Table of Contents:
Part I Introductory Concepts Chapter 1. Physics: The Fundamental Science What Is Physics? The Scientific Method: Learning from Our Mistakes Physics and Other Sciences Sizes of Things: Measurement Fundamental Units Physics and Mathematics Part II The Laws of Mechanics Chapter 2. The Description of Motion Understanding Motion Uniform Motion Average Speed Instantaneous Speed Velocity: Speed and Direction Vectors Acceleration Uniformly Accelerated Motion Falling Bodies The Motion of Projectiles Chapter 3. The Laws of Mechanics: Newton’s Laws of Motion The Concept of Force The Ancient Idea of Motion The Birth of Modern Science Galileo Formulates the Law of Inertia Newton’s First Law: The Law of Inertia Newton’s Second Law: The Law of Force Newton’s Third Law: The Law of Action and Reaction Chapter 4. Energy What Is Energy? The Concept of Work Units of Work and Energy The Concept of Energy Energy of Motion Energy of Position Elastic Potential Energy The Work–Energy Theorem Conservative and Nonconservative Forces Chapter 5. Conservation of Energy and Momentum Transformation of Energy The Principle of Conservation of Energy The Energy of Mass Efficiency Power Impulse and Momentum Conservation of Momentum Elastic and Inelastic Collisions Cannons and Rockets Chapter 6. Rotation and the Universal Law of Gravitation Rotational Motion Torque and Angular Momentum Centripetal Acceleration Satellites Origins of Our View of the Universe Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation Spacecraft and Orbital Motion Part III The Structure of Matter Chapter 7. Atoms: Building Blocks of the Universe The Underlying Structure of Matter The Atomic Hypothesis Early Concept of the Atom First Models of the Atom Waves and Quanta The Bohr Model of the Atom Compounds Chapter 8. The Heart of the Atom: The Nucleus Raw Material: Protons and Neutrons The Composition of the Nucleus The Glue That Keeps the Nucleus Together Size and Shape of the Nucleus Nuclear Energy Levels Chapter 9. Fluids States of Matter Density Pressure Atmospheric Pressure Pressure in a Liquid Buoyancy Surface Tension and Capillarity Fluids in Motion The Human Cardiovascular System Part IV Thermodynamics Chapter 10. Heat and Temperature Heat as a Form of Energy Measuring Temperature Temperature and Heat Heat Capacity Heat of Fusion and Heat of Vaporization Evaporation and Boiling Humidity Thermal Expansion The Unusual Expansion of Water Chapter 11. The Laws of Thermodynamics The Four Laws of Thermodynamics The Ideal Gas Law The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics The First Law of Thermodynamics The Second Law of Thermodynamics The Third Law of Thermodynamics Entropy and the Origin of the Universe Entropy and the Arrow of Time Part V Electricity and Magnetism Chapter 12. Electricity Electromagnetism Electric Charge Coulomb’s Law The Electric Field The Fundamental Charge Electric Potential Storing Electrical Energy Chapter 13. Applied Electricity Conductors and Insulators Electric Current and Batteries Ohm’s Law Simple Electric Circuits Resistor Combinations Electrical Energy and Power Semiconductors Superconductors Chapter 14. Electromagnetism The Discovery of Magnets The Magnetic Field Electric Currents and Magnetism A Moving Charge in a Magnetic Field Particle Accelerators Magnetism of the Earth The Source of Magnetism Faraday’s Law of Induction Motors and Generators Maxwell’s Equations Part VI Waves Chapter 15. Wave Motion The Nature of Waves Properties of Waves Diffraction The Principle of Superposition Constructive and Destructive Interference Standing Waves Resonance and Chaos Water Waves Seismic Waves Chapter 16. Sound The Nature of Sound The Speed of Sound Intensity of Sound Waves The Ear The Sound of Music Musical Instruments The Doppler Effect Shockwaves Ultrasound Chapter 17. Optics Waves of Light Reflection of Light Reflection from Mirrors Curved Mirrors Refraction of Light Lenses Total Internal Reflection Fiber Optics Optical Instruments The Camera The Telescope The Human Eye Chapter 18. The Nature of Light The Wave Nature of Light The Speed of Light The Electromagnetic Spectrum Color Spectra: The Signature of Atoms Young’s Experiment Polarization Lasers Holography Part VII Modern Physics Chapter 19. The Special Theory of Relativity Galilean Relativity The Michelson–Morley Experiment Einstein’s Postulates Time Dilation Simultaneity Length Contraction Addition of Velocities E = mc2 Chapter 20. The General Theory of Relativity The Principle of Equivalence Warped Space–Time Continuum The Bending of Light The Perihelion of Mercury The Gravitational Time Dilation Black Holes Chapter 21. The Early Atomic Theory The Physics of the Atom Black Body Radiation The Photoelectric Effect The Bohr Model of the Atom Revisited De Broglie’s Waves Quantum Mechanics Chapter 22. Quantum Mechanics The Beginnings of Quantum Mechanics The new mechanics of the atom Wave mechanics Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle The new physics Chapter 23. Nuclear Physics Beyond the atom Radioactivity Alpha decay Beta decay Gamma decay Half-life Nuclear Reactions Nuclear Energy: Fission and Fusion Nuclear fission Nuclear fusion Applications of Nuclear Physics Radioactive dating Biological effects of radioactivity Chapter 24. Elementary Particles Antimatter The fundamental forces Exchange forces Pions Particle classification: Hadrons and leptons Conservation laws Strange particles Quarks Particles with charm Three generations Chapter 25. Unifying Physics Symmetry Global and local symmetries The electroweak unification The color force An attempt at a third unification The Standard Model Chapter 26. Superstrings Supersymmetry Superstrings M-Theory The origin of the universe The first moments of the universe Appendix A: Powers of Ten Appendix B: The Elements Appendix C: Nobel Prize Winners in Physics Appendix D: Physics Timeline Appendix E: Discover What You Have Learned Glossary Index