Collider: The Search for the World’s Smallest Particles 1st Edition by Paul Halpern (PDF)

Description

An accessible look at the hottest topic in physics and the experiments that will transform our understanding of the universeThe biggest news in science today is the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest and most powerful particle-smasher, and the anticipation of finally discovering the Higgs boson particle. But what is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the God Particle? Why are the Higgs and the LHC so important? Getting a handle on the science behind the LHC can be difficult for anyone without an advanced degree in particle physics, but you don’t need to go back to school to learn about it. In Collider, award-winning physicist Paul Halpern provides you with the tools you need to understand what the LHC is and what it hopes to discover.Comprehensive, accessible guide to the theory, history, and science behind experimental high-energy physicsExplains why particle physics could well be on the verge of some of its greatest breakthroughs, changing what we think we know about quarks, string theory, dark matter, dark energy, and the fundamentals of modern physicsTells you why the theoretical Higgs boson is often referred to as the God particle and how its discovery could change our understanding of the universeClearly explains why fears that the LHC could create a miniature black hole that could swallow up the Earth amount to a tempest in a very tiny teapot””Best of 2009 Sci-Tech Books (Physics)””-Library Journal””Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don’t know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research.””-Publishers WeeklyIncludes a new author preface, “”The Fate of the Large Hadron Collider and the Future of High-Energy Physics””The world will not come to an end any time soon, but we may learn a lot more about it in the blink of an eye. Read Collider and find out what, when, and how.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: From the Back Cover “Paul Halpern makes the search for mysterious particles pertinent and exciting by explaining clearly what we don’t know about the universe, and offering a hopeful outlook for future research.”—Publishers Weekly”Paul Halpern is a gifted writer who brings science and scientists alive. This is a wonderful introduction to the world of high-energy physics, where gigantic machines and tiny particles meet.”—Kenneth Ford, retired director of the American Institute of Physics and author of The Quantum World: Quantum Physics for Everyone”Professor Paul Halpern takes the reader on a stimulating odyssey on topics ranging from particle physics and dark matter to unexplored dimensions of space. . . . Buy this book and feed your mind!”—Dr. Cliff Pickover, author of Archimedes to Hawking and The Math Book”With clarity and a Sagan-esque gift for explanation, Paul Halpern traces the story of how physicists use immensely powerful machines to probe the deepest mysteries of existence. Halpern also conclusively debunks the ludicrous claims that the Large Hadron Collider and other high-energy physics experiments threaten to destroy anything—except our residual ignorance about the nature and workings of our wondrous universe.”—Mark Wolverton, author of The Science of Superman and A Life in Twilight: The Final Years of J. Robert OppenheimerThe biggest news in science today is the world’s largest and most powerful particle-smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, and the anticipation of finally discovering the Higgs boson particle. But what is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the God particle? Why are the Higgs and the LHC so important? Getting a handle on the science behind the LHC can be difficult for anyone without an advanced degree in particle physics, but you don’t need to go back to school to learn about it. In Collider, award-winning physicist Paul Halpern provides you with the tools you need to understand what the LHC is and what it hopes to discover. About the Author PAUL HALPERN, PhD, is Professor of Physics at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. He is the author of numerous books, including The Great Beyond and What’s Science Ever Done For Us?, both available from Wiley.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐For some reason this book was a little difficult to read for me. Not sure if it’s the style of writing or the flow of thoughts, but I had a hard time with this one. Otherwise the contents and explanations are good and I think easy to digest even without an cademic background in physics.

⭐The excerpt from the front flap of this book is misleading. More of this book refers to the historical search for smaller and smaller particles and to other detectors, than to the LHC.I do not object to a metaphor that helps me visualize a concept. However, the author’s extensive use of various literary devices and literary references were a distraction. Pages 12 and 13, for example, refer to the Montagues and the Capulets, Dickens, and Truman Capote. The last two, by the way, were part of an explanation of the criticisms of string theory.Later chapters move more smoothly, although I do not think that there is much in this book for anyone who knows physics at the level of a first-year college course.

⭐Collider brings you up to date on high energy physics and the reason CERN is thesite of the LHC. In the US the superconducting super collider gets cancelled. The politics for this is explained, thus giving the Europeans the lead in physicsfor the forseeable future. Collider explains the necessity for the miles long tunnel and two huge underground halls holding the two massive detectors. Overall a facinating not too technical read.

⭐This is a good historical review of the search, but it is all words; a few grainy B&W pics, but I was expecting lots of great pics of the new collider, diagrams, etc. Not recommended for the general public; you will get tired soon.

⭐If you’re looking for a good introduction to particle physics this book is great. I learnt heaps : it’s a focused, informative and accessible read

⭐Great book !

⭐Excellent all the way around. I would buy from them again. Very satisfied overall.

⭐great! thank you

⭐What an immensely comprehensible and well-paced, entertaining read. Paul Halpern draws back the veil of scientific jargon to illustrate the exciting discoveries and history of nuclear/particle physics. The author has an excellent manner of relating information on the mechanics of physics and gives a well-grounded and convincing instruction on the intricacies of the science. Skillfull authors such as Paul, are able to give examples of complex subjects in such a way that the reader is immediately enlightened. This is a book which sparks new thoughts, inviting areas of further research by conducting a clever factual alchemy.I picked up the book for two reasons, one as a recommendation and the other for a purely selfish motivation. Having been the recipient of a certain amount of superstitious communication regarding the danger of Large Hadron Collider I was curious as to what the controversy was all about. This is a great book to read in order to develop a well rounded view of the history of the Collider as well as the Linear Accelerators, the Cyclotron and the purpose for which these amazing machines are constructed.Paul’s writing `voice’ is not only entertaining, humorous and knowledgeable but also has a very humanitarian tone, something I find an absolute necessity when conveying such critical and complex information which could have large ramifications for understanding the creation of our world. Collider would make a great companion book for physics classes as well as just purely enjoyable reading for those who are scientifically or historically minded and who desire a logical set of tools for understanding a very complex science.

⭐Bought this expecting a good intro to particle physics and CERN. Instead I got a very American centric view of things which is more interested in telling you about ‘wonderful Americans’ than it is about the science. LHC hardly mentioned at all and people like Rutherford and Bohr only mentioned in passing.For a better intro to atomic physics I’d recommend ‘atom’ by piers bizony over this

⭐Great read for an Astrophysics student.

⭐Entertaining book. I like the way it was written in, containing lots of info I found very interesting.Even though most of this can be found on the Internet – it’s worth buying for the interested one!

⭐Guys this book is not about Burger or a personal computer that after reading it you will be able to cook one for your girlfriend or assemble a PC for your kids, neither you can get blueprints of a particle collider in a book, But it’s really good on introduction to particle collider without any technical / experiment data sheet, very good diet for mental appetite of a physicist.And really very good deal from Dealstar.

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