The Evolution of Physics
Encyclopedia
The Evolution of Physics: From Early Concept to Relativity and Quanta is a textbook about quantum physics by Albert Einstein
and Leopold Infeld
. It was originally published in 1938
by Cambridge University Press
. It was a popular success, and was featured in a cover story of Time magazine
.
, before moving to Princeton, where he worked with Einstein at the Institute for Advanced Study
. Einstein tried to get Infeld a permanent position there, but failed. Infeld came up with a plan to write a history of physics with Einstein, which was sure to be successful, and split the royalties. When he went to Einstein to pitch the idea, Infeld became incredibly tongue-tied, but he was finally able to stammer out his proposal. “This is not at all a stupid idea,” Einstein said. "Not stupid at all. We shall do it." The book was published by Simon & Schuster.
In addition, Einstein used the text to defend the utility of field theories amid the advances of quantum mechanics. The best way to do that was to view particles not as independent objects but as a special manifestation of the field itself: "Could we not reject the concept of matter and build a pure field physics? We could regard matter as the regions in space where the field is extremely strong. A thrown stone is, from this point of view, a changing field in which the states of the greatest field intensity travel through space with the velocity of the stone."
The third chapter examines lines of force starting with gravitational fields (i.e., a physical collection of forces), moving on to descriptions of electric and magnetic fields. The authors explain that they are attempting to "translate familiar facts from the language of fluids...into the new language of fields." Einstein and Infeld state that the Faraday
, Maxwell
, and Hertz experiments led to modern physics
. Chapter then describes "The change of an electric field produced by the motion of a charge is always accompanied by a magnetic field."
The two pillars of the field theory (pp.142-148)
The reality of the field (pp.148-156)
Field and ether (pp.156-160)
The mechanical scaffold (pp.160-171)
Ether and motion (pp.172-186)
Time, distance, relativity (pp.186-202)
Relativity and mechanics (pp.202-209)
The time-space continuum (pp.209-220)
General relativity (pp.220-226).
described this book as a "revolution" saying, "Today we have grown so accustomed to the idea of...quantum mechanics, that it is easy to forget what a monumental shift in our understanding is required to think in quantum terms."
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
and Leopold Infeld
Leopold Infeld
Leopold Infeld was a Polish physicist who worked mainly in Poland and Canada . He was a Rockefeller fellow at Cambridge University and a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences....
. It was originally published in 1938
1938 in literature
The year 1938 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* The trilogy, U.S.A. by John Dos Passos, is published containing his three novels The 42nd Parallel , 1919 , and The Big Money ....
by Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
. It was a popular success, and was featured in a cover story of Time magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
.
Background of collaboration
Einstein agreed to write the book partly as a way to help Infeld financially. Infeld, a Jew who had fled Nazi-occupied Poland, collaborated briefly in Cambridge with Max BornMax Born
Max Born was a German-born physicist and mathematician who was instrumental in the development of quantum mechanics. He also made contributions to solid-state physics and optics and supervised the work of a number of notable physicists in the 1920s and 30s...
, before moving to Princeton, where he worked with Einstein at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
. Einstein tried to get Infeld a permanent position there, but failed. Infeld came up with a plan to write a history of physics with Einstein, which was sure to be successful, and split the royalties. When he went to Einstein to pitch the idea, Infeld became incredibly tongue-tied, but he was finally able to stammer out his proposal. “This is not at all a stupid idea,” Einstein said. "Not stupid at all. We shall do it." The book was published by Simon & Schuster.
Book's point of view
In the book, Einstein pushed his realist approach to physics in defiance of much of quantum mechanics. Belief in an “objective reality,” the book argued, had led to great scientific advances throughout the ages, thus proving that it was a useful concept even if not provable. “Without the belief that it is possible to grasp reality with our theoretical constructions, without the belief in the inner harmony of our world, there could be no science,” the book declared. “This belief is and always will remain the fundamental motive for all scientific creation.”In addition, Einstein used the text to defend the utility of field theories amid the advances of quantum mechanics. The best way to do that was to view particles not as independent objects but as a special manifestation of the field itself: "Could we not reject the concept of matter and build a pure field physics? We could regard matter as the regions in space where the field is extremely strong. A thrown stone is, from this point of view, a changing field in which the states of the greatest field intensity travel through space with the velocity of the stone."
Contents
The book has four chapters: The Rise of The Mechanical View, The Decline of the Mechanical View, Field, Relativity, and Quanta.The third chapter examines lines of force starting with gravitational fields (i.e., a physical collection of forces), moving on to descriptions of electric and magnetic fields. The authors explain that they are attempting to "translate familiar facts from the language of fluids...into the new language of fields." Einstein and Infeld state that the Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....
, Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell
James Clerk Maxwell of Glenlair was a Scottish physicist and mathematician. His most prominent achievement was formulating classical electromagnetic theory. This united all previously unrelated observations, experiments and equations of electricity, magnetism and optics into a consistent theory...
, and Hertz experiments led to modern physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. Chapter then describes "The change of an electric field produced by the motion of a charge is always accompanied by a magnetic field."
The two pillars of the field theory (pp.142-148)
The reality of the field (pp.148-156)
Field and ether (pp.156-160)
The mechanical scaffold (pp.160-171)
Ether and motion (pp.172-186)
Time, distance, relativity (pp.186-202)
Relativity and mechanics (pp.202-209)
The time-space continuum (pp.209-220)
General relativity (pp.220-226).
Reception and reviews
Physicist Stephen HawkingStephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
described this book as a "revolution" saying, "Today we have grown so accustomed to the idea of...quantum mechanics, that it is easy to forget what a monumental shift in our understanding is required to think in quantum terms."
Partial list of reviews
- Booklist v. 34 (Apr. 15 1938).
- New York Herald Tribune (May 8 1938).
- The Boston Transcript (Apr. 30 1938).
- The Open Shelf (Mar. 1938).
- Commonweal v. 28 (July 8 1938).
- Manchester Guardian (Apr. 12 1938).
- The Nation v. 146 (May 7 1938).
- Nature v. 141 (May 21 1938).
- The New Republic v. 94 (Apr. 20 1938).
- New Technical Books v. 23 (Apr. 1938).
- The New York Times (Early City Edition) (Apr. 10 1938).
- Pratt Institute Quarterly List of New Technical and Industry Books (winter 1939).
- Saturday Review of Literature v. 17 (Apr. 2 1938).
- Scientific Book Club Review v. 9 (Mar. 1938).
- Spectator v. 161 (Aug. 26 1938).
- Springfield Republican (July 3 1938).
- Survey Graphic v. 27 (Dec. 1938).
- The Times Literary Supplement (Apr. 9 1938).
- The Yale Review v. 27 (summer 1938).