From: chri_schiller@yahoo.com (Christoph Schiller)
Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
Subject: Free physics text with 900 pages
Organization: http://groups.google.com/


This could be interesting for plasma experts as well.

The free physics text available on the internet, for students and
teachers, on

www.motionmountain.net

has been extended with a new section on the motion of wobbly entities
(http://www.motionmountain.net/C-9-FLKN.pdf) and numerous other additions.
For all fields of physics the newest research results and the main
unanswered questions are presented. The present 13th revision adds the
following new topics to the discussion of classical physics, relativity and
quantum theory:

The section on wobbly entities tells how bacteria swim and insects fly, why
certain eels make knots in their bodies and what is the connection between
electricity and links. (see http://www.motionmountain.net/C-9-FLKN.pdf) It
is also the first chapter with a large selection of colour photographs.

The section on electrodynamics explains how you can make ocean currents
visible using magnetic fields and how you understand electronic circuits
using the flow of water instead of the flow of electrons. It also tells
how to measure the speed of light with a UNIX computer. (see
http://www.motionmountain.net/C-2-CLSD.pdf)

The section on extended bodies explains what is the record number of jumps
for stones skipping over a water surface.

In the section on quantum theory, the issues connected with entanglement
have been worked out more clearly. (see
http://www.motionmountain.net/C-5-QEDB.pdf)

The section on global descriptions of nature discusses a simple puzzle: can
a finite physics book describe all of nature, including the book itself?
Can there be as much information in a book as in the whole universe
containing that book? (see http://www.motionmountain.net/C-2-CLSB.pdf)

The text is written for students and anybody interested in physics. But
also physics teachers and physics researchers will find enough material of
interest to them. The text now contains over 900 pages which provide
simple, vivid and structured introductions to all fields of physics.
Mechanics, special and general relativity, thermodynamics, electrodynamics,
quantum theory, high energy physics and modern unification attempts are
presented. Every page is written to be as surprising and challenging as
possible; just open the text at random, or if you prefer, read one of the
sections entitled "Curiosities": you will find the best puzzles of the
field.


Enjoy!

Christoph Schiller
chri_schiller @ yahoo.com