PDF Mr Tompkins in Paperback Canto Classics George Gamow Roger Penrose 9781107604681 Books
Download As PDF : Mr Tompkins in Paperback Canto Classics George Gamow Roger Penrose 9781107604681 Books
Since his first appearance over sixty years ago, Mr Tompkins has become known and loved by many thousands of readers as the bank clerk whose fantastic dreams and adventures lead him into a world inside the atom. George Gamow's classic provides a delightful explanation of the central concepts in modern physics, from atomic structure to relativity, and quantum theory to fusion and fission. Roger Penrose's foreword introduces Mr Tompkins to a new generation of readers, and reviews his adventures in light of recent developments in physics.
PDF Mr Tompkins in Paperback Canto Classics George Gamow Roger Penrose 9781107604681 Books
"George Gamow, an absolute physics legend of the mid-twentieth century, has a classic here with Mr. Tompkins in Paperback. The book covers many of the things that you'd like to know about physics and the physical world (but may have been afraid to ask); and covers them through the prose of the affable Mr. Tompkins. Mr. Tompkins keeps the book moving from topic to topic as he gets his education in physics, and all the while the reader finds him- or herself (of course) getting the same education. In this way, Mr. Tompkins is a narrative device to make learning physics non-threatening. A must read for those interested in learning about physics, those who know physics (as Gamow is a famous personality in the history of physics), and those who just want a good read."
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Mr Tompkins in Paperback Canto Classics George Gamow Roger Penrose 9781107604681 Books Reviews :
Mr Tompkins in Paperback Canto Classics George Gamow Roger Penrose 9781107604681 Books Reviews
- This collection of essays combines "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" and "Mr. Tompkins Explores the Atom." Most of the chapters were written as essays for the British "Discovery" magazine in the 1940's and 50's - and then updated by Gamov in the 60's.
Because of the span over which Gamov was writing these entertaining journeys into the fundamental nature of the physical world - a number of contradictory views are advanced. At one point, Gamov states belief in an oscillating universe; at another point he affirms the likelihood of The Big Bang. In general though, the principles that Mr. Tompkin's journeys illustrate have stood the test of time. The nature of the very big, the very small, and the quantum worlds into which Mr. Tompkins gets propelled -were described in the mid-1900's in the same way they could basically be described today.
However, I didn't find this book to be quite as informative as Mr. Tompkins' adventures into the biological world that have been published in separate books. In those biology books I learned fascinating new things about left and right-handed proteins, about Mobius strips, and about symmetry. Here, except for the fact that Mr. Tompkins became my cartoon guide, I found much the same thing that I'd already read in many "Relativity for the Millions" books. There weren't specifically the same hobos rushing with flashlights across train flat cars - but there were the same much-repeated accounts of time-travel, unpredictability, the speed of light, and other related topics.
Just as with all those other books about basic relativity, I wished I had a physicist sitting next to me as I read these pages. A myriad questions arise that never seem to get answered. For example, why has particle/wave duality always been posited as the only set of alternative natures for an electron or a photon? Why couldn't such an entity be like a corkscrew, or some fantastically shaped figure? How can one reconcile even the remotest possibility of going backward or forward in time with Einstein's stipulation that effect can never precede cause? And so on, I stumble with unanswered questions on every page.
Also, Gamov doesn't sufficiently explain some of the basic equations he presents here. He assumes a reader will know what a "function" is and what "delta" stands for in the context of some of these equations. Some of the diagrams, especially those of spaceships, are especially confusing.
But some new sense of the subatomic world does emerge when Mr.Tompkins is turned into an electron. The reader gets a feel for what it might be like to BE an electron, subject to the thrill of a photo-electric effect, impelled by a "vagabondish" urge to wander off into new alliances with other atoms in other orbits.
Despite such relatively minor drawbacks in this book, Mr. Tompkins remains an appealing character as he gets dragged into atomic adventures by his father-in-law, or totally unwittingly. - This breaks down complex physics concepts to a conceptual level so that most people can understand it. Great for getting a conceptual overview. It introduces a wide variety of subjects in a fun and informative way. It is a good starting point which would allow people to then go deeper with more advanced texts. I read it in college while taking quantum mechanics and it was wonderful. I teach students now, and suggest it to all my undergraduate students who are starting out. It really makes relativity understandable and would be great for introductory class like Physics 2.
- This is the real one. full of imaginations and physical insights. kids and adults alike will see in a very easy to comprehend manner the effects and principles of relativity and quantum physics. scientists would enjoy Gamow's power of imagination.
This is the original and the best, unlike the "modern" version that was multilated by Russell Stannard in the name of political correctness. - George Gamow, an absolute physics legend of the mid-twentieth century, has a classic here with Mr. Tompkins in Paperback. The book covers many of the things that you'd like to know about physics and the physical world (but may have been afraid to ask); and covers them through the prose of the affable Mr. Tompkins. Mr. Tompkins keeps the book moving from topic to topic as he gets his education in physics, and all the while the reader finds him- or herself (of course) getting the same education. In this way, Mr. Tompkins is a narrative device to make learning physics non-threatening. A must read for those interested in learning about physics, those who know physics (as Gamow is a famous personality in the history of physics), and those who just want a good read.
- Read thisbook un grad school (physics), and lived it. Bought this for a grandson. While an older book, it is still entirely current in explaining relativity in plain language.
- Mr Tompkins in Paperback
A very advisable book. Written with great ingenious by one great physicist. It explains in a very simple way some of the ideas behind the modern physics following the life of one character (Mr Tompkins) that is involved with other characters representing some physicists that made the foundation of the modern physics, for example Pauli with some other name disguised as a minister of the electrons. Pleasant book. - This is great as an introduction to wonders of physics.
- Not quite as good as One Two Three Infinity but fun nonetheless.
