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The Hunting of the Quark: A True Story of Modern Physics
Shows how modern physicists, with the aid of powerful particle chambers, were able to establish the existence of the quark, the particle inside the proton and neutron components of the atom's nucleus
- GenresScienceNonfiction
399 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 28, 2017
Well-written and knowledgeable history of the particle physics in the late 1960s and 1970s. In particular the experimental, theoretical and instrument physics that led to the quark model of hadrons and the rise of the 'standard model'. This is a great, if conventional, example of science communication. Riordan ably brings out the humanity of the scientific enterprise, challenging both extremes of the social constructivists and scientific realists. Highly recommended.
July 8, 2017
Reading almost like a suspense novel, Riordan describes the interplay between theory and experiment in particle physics that led to the development of the Standard Model (and the evolution of big machine physics)
July 12, 2011
This is one of the favorite books I've ever read. The story of the beginning of quantum mechanics is fascinating! The great scientists who brought it about were hilarious characters without equal. I love the author's descriptions of them, and the drama surrounding the existence of the quark.
August 3, 2016
Fascinating outline of how our understanding of quarks- the building blocks of particles- came to be discovered and understood.
The science did get a bit deep, and so the author was forced to quickly bound ahead outlining major ideas instead of what happened, but he cannot by blamed too much.
The science did get a bit deep, and so the author was forced to quickly bound ahead outlining major ideas instead of what happened, but he cannot by blamed too much.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews