Brian Cox - The Quantum Universe: (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does)

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$25.00 / $28.00 CAN

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Particle Physics and Royal Society

the quantum universe

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B RIAN COX & J E FF FORSHAW

University Research Fellow at the

A scientifi c match made in heaven... as breezily a written accessible O

Authors of the international bestseller WHY DOES E=mc2?

University of Manchester. He also

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works at the CERN laboratory

account of the theory of quantum mechanics as you could wish for. The Quantum Universe

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in Geneva. He has received many awards for his brings together the authors of

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work promoting science, including the prestigious F

the international bestseller

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British Association Lord Kelvin Award and, in 2010, Why Does E=mc? on a brilliantly

Breaks the rules of popular science writing...[and] admirably shies away O

an OBE. He is also a popular presenter on TV and ambitious mission to show that

from dumbing down.... The authors love for their subject-matter shines R

radio. He lives in London.

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through the book.

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jeff forshaw is Professor

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of Theoretical Physics at the

University of Manchester, spe

This offering from Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw is a solid introduction to the In Why Does E=mc? professors Brian Cox and Jeff cializing in the physics of elemen

inescapable strangeness of the subatomic world. the

Forshaw took readers on a journey to the frontier tary particles. He was awarded

nature

of twenty-fi rst-century science in order to explain the Institute of Physics Maxwell Medal in 1999 for and simplify the worlds most famous equation.

outstanding contributions to theoretical physics.

quan

Now, with the same captivating clarity and infec-He has cowritten an undergraduate textbook on praise for why does e=mc2?

tious enthusiasm, theyve set out to reveal the keys relativity and is the author of an advanced level to understanding one of physics most fascina-monograph on particle physics. He lives in

[Cox and Forshaw] have blazed a clear trail into forbidding territory, from ting yet notoriously perplexing theories: quantum Manchester, England.

the mathematical structure of space-time all the way to atom bombs, t

mechanics.

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astrophysics, and the origin of mass.

Just what is quantum mechanics? How does it m

new scientist

help us understand the world? How does it connect uni

with the theories of Newton and Einstein? And most importantly, how, despite all its apparent strange

I can think of no one, Stephen Hawking included, who more perfectly ness, can we be sure that it is a good theory?

combines authority, knowledge, passion, clarity, and powers of elucidation v

The subatomic realm has a reputation for weird-than Brian Cox. If you really want to know how Big Science works and why erse

ness, spawning theories that allow for concrete and it matters to each of us in the smallest way then be entertained by this astonishing predictions about the world around us, da capo press

dazzlingly enthusiastic man.

but also any number of profound misunderstan

stephen fry

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

dings. In The Quantum Universe Cox and Forshaw www.dacapopress.com

cut through the confusion to provide an illumina-Jacket design by Alex Camlin

ting and accessible approach to the world of Jacket photograph GettyImages

(and why anything that can happen, does)

quantum mechanics, revealing not only what it is Author photographs: Brian Cox Vincent Connare; Jeff Forshaw courtesy of the author

and how it works, but why it matters.

DaCapo Press

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

Copyright 2011 by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw Al rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. For information, address Da Capo Press, 44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210.

Typeset by Jouve (UK), Milton Keynes

Set in Dante 12/14.75pt

Cataloging-in-Publication data for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

First Da Capo Press edition 2012

Reprinted by arrangement with Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-306-81964-3 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-306-82060-1 (e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number 2011942393

Published by Da Capo Press

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

www.dacapopress.com

Da Capo Press books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail special.markets@

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Contents

Acknowledgements

vii

1. Something Strange Is Afoot

2. Being in Two Places at Once

3. What Is a Particle?

4. Everything That Can Happen Does Happen 45

5. Movement as an Illusion

6. The Music of the Atoms

7. The Universe in a Pin-head (and Why We Dont Fall Through the Floor)

8. Interconnected

9. The Modern World

10. Interaction

11. Empty Space Isnt Empty

Epilogue: the Death of Stars

Further Reading

Index

Acknowledgements

Wed like to thank the many colleagues and friends who helped us

get things right and provided a great deal of valuable input and advice. Particular thanks go to Mike Birse, Gordon Connell, Mrinal Dasgupta, David Deutsch, Nick Evans, Scott Kay, Fred Loebinger, Dave McNamara, Peter Millington, Peter Mitchell, Douglas Ross, Mike Seymour, Frank Swallow and Niels Walet.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to our families to Naomi and Isabel, and to Gia, Mo and George for their support and encouragement, and for coping so well in the face of our preoccupations.

Finally, we thank our publisher and agents (Sue Rider and Diane Banks) for their patience, encouragement and very capable support.

A special thanks is due to our editor, Will Goodlad.

1. SomethingStrangeIsAfoot

Quantum. The word is at once evocative, bewildering and fascinating. Depending on your point of view, it is either a testament to the profound success of science or a symbol of the limited scope of human intuition as we struggle with the inescapable strangeness of the subatomic domain. To a physicist, quantum mechanics is one of the three great pillars supporting our understanding of the natural world, the others being Einsteins theories of Special and General Relativity. Einsteins theories deal with the nature of space and time and the force of gravity. Quantum mechanics deals with everything else, and one can argue that it doesnt matter a jot whether it is evocative, bewildering or fascinating; its simply a physical theory that describes the way things behave. Measured by this pragmatic yardstick, it is quite dazzling in its precision and explanatory power.