The Nature of Matter

by Larson, Daniel T.; Haase, David G.

• ISBN13: 9780791089293
• ISBN10: 0791089290
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-08-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

One way to understand the world is by looking at its most basic building blocks. All the substances in the world are made up of atoms, which interact with each other by exchanging or sharing electrons. All atoms can be organized into the periodic table of the elements, which groups atoms by their chemical properties. Deep within the atom lies the nucleus, which itself contains the elementary particles called quarks. And by building powerful particle accelerators and enormous detectors, physicists are able to probe the most fundamental constituents of matter. Filled with full-color photographs and illustrations and bolstered by its readable text and helpful sidebars and references, The Nature of Matter is a compelling guide that identifies the essential qualities and characteristics by which matter is recognized.

Author Biography

Daniel T. Larson currently teaches physics at Harvard University

Table of Contents

Inner Space	p. 7
The Rise of the Atom	p. 16
Organizing Atoms	p. 28
The Periodic Table of the Elements	p. 34
Chemical Bonds	p. 46
Radioactivity	p. 63
Nuclear Energy	p. 75
Elementary Particle Physics	p. 84
Glossary	p. 93
Bibliography	p. 98
Further Reading	p. 99
Index	p. 101
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

One way to understand the world is by looking at its most basic building blocks. All the substances in the world are made up of atoms, which interact with each other by exchanging or sharing electrons. All atoms can be organized into the periodic table of the elements, which groups atoms by their chemical properties. Deep within the atom lies the nucleus, which itself contains the elementary particles called quarks. By building powerful particle accelerators and enormous detectors, physicists are able to probe the most fundamental constituents of matter. Filled with full-color photographs and illustrations and bolstered by its readable text and helpful sidebars and references, The Nature of Matter is a compelling guide that identifies the essential qualities and characteristics by which matter is recognized.