The Story of Quantum Mechanics

"Clear and coherent … One of the most exciting aspects of the book is the author's account of how the consequences and implications of the breakthroughs in quantum mechanics challenged the mechanistic, deterministic philosophy fostered by classical science." — The Science TeacherWritten by a respected Harvard physicist who did his doctoral work in Munich among many of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics, this introductory account of the evolution of quantum physics also explores the subject's philosophical implications. Beginning with brief background sketches, the author offers an absorbing narrative of the discovery of the principles of quantum mechanics as well as an assessment of their validity and significance.The opening chapters trace the development of physics from antiquity onward, chronicling the origins of quantum mechanics and the ways in which quantum theory was used to address previously unsolved problems and to interpret observable atomic phenomena. Succeeding chapters are devoted to matters at the forefront of research pertaining to elementary particles, and the text concludes with a look at the old and new concepts of physical science and their relationship to issues of philosophy and religion — including considerations of causality, determinism, and free will. Includes 36 black-and-white figures, 12 halftones, five tables, and a Glossary of Scientific Terms.