Atom: the key to the cosmos

Last night I watched another Jim Al-khalili documentary on Youtube, "Atom: the key to the cosmos" which is the second part of his 2008 Atom series.  Its another well explained programme on the components of the atom and nuclear physics.  He describes how Ernest Rutherford's students accidentally created hydrogen by using radium to split the nitrogen atoms in the air, thereby becoming history's first ever alchemist. Al-Khalili then mentioned the strong nuclear force which holds the positively charged protons in the nucleus of an atom together, preventing them from repelling each other.  This was another thing that was mentioned in my GCSE physics class but I then forgot in the midst of time.  So thanks for reminding me, Jim.

The Secrets of Quantum Physics part 1 Einsteins Nightmare

A few days ago I watched a brilliant BBC science documentary posted on youtube called '

The Secrets of Quantum Physics 1of2 Einsteins Nightmare'.  It was about quantum physics and presented by the Scottish physicist Jim Al-khalili.

It gave a very good primer on the historical background of quantum physics, especially the photostatic effect, the ultra-violet catastrophe and the wave particle duality of light.  This programme is the Beeb at its best. For a difficult subject, Al-khalili's presentation was very clear and easy to follow.  It even looked into the debate and doubt that Einstein had about quantum physics called the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen(EPR) paradox and how it was eventually resolved in the 1960's and 1970's by experiments carried out to test Bell's theorem.

Finished Quantum: a guide for the perplexed

Yesterday, I finished reading 'Quantum: a guide for the perplexed' by Jim Al-Khalili. It is aimed at those without a physics background, more so than Gribbin's Quantum Cats book.  There were items which I needed further explanation from Youtube such as decoherence and Heisenberg's Uncertainty principal.

I particularly liked the final chapter which deals with practical applications of quantum mechanics in areas of computing, medicine and biology.

Now that I have a firmer background of the subject, I will restart Gribbin's book again.

Back to quantum physics

I have just finished reading my latest astronomy book and I have bought Jim Al-khalili's "Quantum: a guide for the perplexed". He is Scottish born Iraqi physicists who made a wonderful BBC series about electricity, so I have high expectations about his written work.