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The Search for a Theory of Matter (Buy Now)

Mendel Sachs

This book on the history of science is a fascinating, informative account of man's effort to find an all-encompassing, unified theory that would explain the nature of the universe. From the time of the Greek philosophers the subject of continuous versus discrete theories of matter have been vehemently debated.

In the intervening centuries our knowledge of the universe has increased many times over and although we have solved many mysteries, we have uncovered others. THE SEARCH FOR A THEORY OF MATTER explores in an enlightening, readable way how first one theory, then another was proposed, how some have reappeared after being discarded, how attempts have been made to fuse apparently contradictory theories into a unified and cogent explanation.

Ranging from the physics of ancient Greece through Galileo's studies of freely falling bodies, Newton's laws of motion and gravitation, Faraday's field concept, the theories of Maxwell and Boltzmann, the experiment of Michelson and Morley, to Einstein's theory of relativity, Bohr's model of the atom and the modern quantum theory, Dr. Sachs examines and illuminates man's attempts to gather the laws that govern the motion of objects, electricity, magnetism, optics, gravitation and atomic and elementary particle physics into a unified theory of matter.

The book is suitable for senior high school students, college freshman and all other readers interested in discussions of the important concepts and conflicts of ideas that have appeared throughout the history of physics, highlighting the developments in the twentieth century. - Inside cover