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In this book the author gives a comprehensive picture of the physical laws that appear to regulate the functioning of the Universe from the atomic to the cosmic world. The book offers a description of the main fields of physics -- classical physics, relativity, quantum mechanics and particle physics -- as they are applied to the atomic world and the cosmos to describe how the whole Universe has evolved to the present state. The description concentrates on the essentials, describing our present knowledge of those physical laws and outlining our limitations in understanding the whole picture. This is done essentially without equations, except for a few important ones. The text includes a short Annex for mathematically inclined readers who wish to see how the physical principles and laws expressed in words can be visualized in the language of mathematics, but the book can be read without referring to that Annex. Also, The Universe explains in depth those laws and outlines their limitations. The author, however, does this in an accessible language that should be understandable to non-specialists. In particular, he occasionally uses two young characters placed in various situations to explain the physics involved in those situations by means of their observations. The author uses also numerous clear pictures and graphics that make the text more easily comprehensible.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Preface(p. vii)
• I Introduction(p. 1)
• II The Universe Landscape(p. 7)
• III Space, Time, Motion(p. 37)
• IV Conservatism and the Universe(p. 120)
• V There is Light and We See!(p. 147)
• VI A Provocative Theory: Quantum Physics and Its Use to Improve Our Well Being(p. 178)
• VII Elementary Particles and the Atomic Nucleus(p. 269)
• VIII Reflections on Interactions, Forces, Acceleration, Mass(p. 320)
• IX Where Does It All Come From? Where Is It Going?(p. 339)
• X Some Last Reflections(p. 414)
• Annex: Mathematical Support(p. 428)
• Glossary(p. 466)
• Notes and References(p. 483)
• Suggested Reading(p. 498)
• Index(p. 501)
• About the Author(p. 515)

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CHOICE Review

This book about the physical universe covers basic concepts from quarks and leptons to the expanding universe and from quantum theory to special and general relativity. Vanier (Univ. of Montreal, Canada) does not shy away from philosophical questions about the meaning of it all, with an emphasis on evolution--biological as well as physical. He uses generally clear language and nice black-and-white illustrations to help explain difficult concepts. Equations are mostly confined to an "annex" that contains partial differential equations and other advanced mathematics. A glossary, footnoted references, and an index are helpful. The defects of the book include misuse of some terms, such as "speed" and "velocity," unconventional word usage, and minor grammatical mistakes, e.g., using a plural form where a singular is needed. The author's dismissal of religion as dogmatic and of philosophy as pretentious detracts from this otherwise deep, thorough treatise. Many of the introductory astronomy works in use today would be a better introduction to this material for the general reader as well as for a college student. Summing Up: Not recommended. M. Dickinson formerly, Maine Maritime Academy