Kenneth W. Ford101 Quantum Questions: What You Need to Know About the World You Can't See

Perfect for those who want to delve deeper into the subatomic realm where quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics play - especially if you don't want to deal with the hairy math that goes with a formal, college-level physics education. It is especially relevant those interested in the building blocks of matter. If you enjoy the Wormhole series with Morgan Freeman, you'll find Quantum Questions worthwhile reading.This book was written before the Higgs boson was confirmed at CERN, but is otherwise current. The presentation is organized as a question-answer format where each succeeding question builds on the foundation of prior answers. In this format, the reader also picks up on the trajectory of discoveries in the physical sciences and gets a history lesson along the way. I've always been amazed at how much we were able to discover and understand before we had the benefit of modern technology. I also took away a glimpse of the factions that exist in theoretical physics while we await confirmation or repudiation of competing theories by the experimental physicists.If you have an engineering background or a kid majoring in physics at college, you should read this book. Dr. Ford has done a remarkable job bringing the subatomic world to life for we non-physicists. Dr Ford's Quantum Questions book and the Quantum Enigma book by Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner are the two best books this layman has read on the subject of the subatomic world.If your scientific curiosity runs in the direction of trying to reconcile biological sciences and medicine with subatomic and macro scale physics, you may be interested in another book I've found compelling reading. Biocentrism by Robert Lanza and Bob Berman.What wonderful times we live in.

I wish this book had been published back in 1962-3 when I was an undergraduate physics major. It also would have been quite valuable if I could have read it in 1963-8 when I was in graduate school working on my Ph.D. in astrophysics. The 101 Questions remind me of the kind you get on a Master's or Ph.D. oral exam. Ford does a fantastic job in managing to answer his questions without any fancy mathematics. He gives one of the few descriptions of the Bell inequalities that I have ever been able to appreciate. However, if you aren't willing to really read and think, then the book is probably not for you. But then you probably don't like physics anyway!

As a little background, I have now read five books on the subject of quantum mechanics. This is the second book by Ford that I have read, the first being "The Quantum World". By far, Ford is the best author I have come across. Other authors have often left me wondering what they were talking about. In "101 Questions" Ford covers much of the same real estate as "The Quantum World", but there is enough that is different to make it very worthwhile to read both books. What is special about this author is that he doesn't shy away from explaining, mostly with success, the intricacies of quantum theory. He achieves a great balance between giving too little information and overwhelming the layman (me) with intricacies. To be sure, when I was done with this book, I've probably only gotten about 80% of the intended understanding, maybe less. Other authors left me at a much lower percentage. I do agree with the reviewer who said this book isn't for the total novice. If that's you, do yourself a favor and as another reviewer suggested read a "QM for dummies" book first.The one con I have is that his explanation on the entanglement issue isn't better than what I have read elsewhere. Yes I know we're not supposed to understand it, but I'm not quite sure what it is I'm not supposed to understand. If you know where a good article on entanglement is, please respond to this review with that information.

But were afraid you wouldn't understand the answers if you asked.If you have questions about quantum physics but have been looking for a book that will actually explain the subject, than look no farther. Kenneth W. Ford answers 101 questions about questions about the strange world of the very small. As a former director of the American Institute of Physics and one who has worked with many of the giants of twentieth and twenty-first physics, Ford has the knowledge and ability to explain the often difficult to understand and even seemingly nonsensical aspects of quantum physics.The only fault with this book is that in the kindle edition, several of the illustrations are missing. These are largely photographs of scientists and for the most part, illustrations necessary for explanations. Other than this lack, 101 Quantum Questions is worth reading.

This is the best introductory text on quantum physics for lay readers. The text goes from 'soup to nuts' explaining quantum questions by analogy, examples and figures. The author introduces difficult concepts and then returns to them later to give a more detailed explanation (ex. superposition). The book ends with useful tables that summarize the properties of sub atomic particles.Short bios with photos are given of some discoverers of quantum advances. Others are referenced in extensive footnotes.Diligent reading of the book pays off in the last three chapters with explanations of technological applications using quantum techniques, reviewing some strange findings such as superconductivity and finally covering recent developments such as quantum computing and John Stewart Bell's contradiction of Einstein's EPR paper.

If you are curious and looking for answers, this is the book for you. Very helpful.

I decided I wanted to learn something about quantum physics. But without a mathematical background, where could I start? This is a good book for that purpose. By the time I came to the 101st. question, I had a good sense, if not an understanding, of what it is about. An excellent resource.

This is just so fascinating, I can't put it down. I have only a basic knowledge of physics, but find it fascinating. This book is a brilliant gift to anyone like me, interested but not mathematical. Absolutely love it! What a fantastic writer.

Great book, first half is harder to understand than the second half, defo feels like they should have switched those halves around.

Well organized and clearly written.

翻訳本と合わせて購入しました。先端理論を原文で読むことができて嬉しいです。