Overview
- Details the development of Quantum Physics
- Provides a comprehensive historical review of the concept of matter
- Illustrates the relevant classical and quantum mechanical properties of atoms in their historical context
Part of the book series: History of Physics (HIPHY)
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About this book
Our current concept of matter, one of scientific research’s greatest successes, represents a long journey, from questions posed during the birth of philosophy in Ancient Greece to recent advances in physics and chemistry, including Quantum Physics. This book outlines that journey. The book has three parts, each detailing a phase of the journey. The first saw the development of a conception based on "classical" physics; the second saw the construction of the "old" quantum theory attempting to explain the mysterious properties of matter, resulting in formulation of the "new" quantum theory; the third saw the formation of the modern conception of matter, based on quantum mechanics. Along the way, various topics are discussed, including: rediscovery and appropriation of antiquity by Western culture in the modern era; the subsequent revision process in the 16th and 17th centuries and the new experiments and theories of the 18th; attempts to understand the mysterious properties of matterthat could not be explained by classical physics; the first quantization hypotheses; discovery of new purely "quantum-mechanical" properties of matter; and the ultimate clarification of atomic structure. This book is aimed at anyone who wants a clear picture of how we arrived at the modern conception of matter.
Keywords
- Atomic Models
- History of Quantum Description of Elements
- Concept of Metals in History
- Matter, Substances and Scientific Revolution
- Mechanical Philosophy and Atomism
- Discovery of Gases
- Concept of Chemical Elements
- Discovery of Electron Spin
- History of Quantum Description of Metals and Insulators
- Matter and Atomism in Greek Philosophy
- Discovery of Electrons
- History of Quantization Concepts
- Bohr’s Hydrogen Atom
- Discovery of Semiconductors
Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Matter and Classical Science
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Front Matter
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Matter and Old Quantum Theory
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Front Matter
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Quantum Mechanical Representation of Matter
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Florestano Evangelisti is a retired professor of condensed matter physics. He taught at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" until 1992, when he moved to the University of Rome TRE, of which he was one of the founders. His research activity dealt with different topics of both basic and applied research, mainly devoted to electronic, optical and structural properties of semiconductors. He is co-author of more than 180 articles published in international physics journals.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Concept of Matter
Book Subtitle: A Journey from Antiquity to Quantum Physics
Authors: Florestano Evangelisti
Series Title: History of Physics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36558-4
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-36557-7Published: 16 July 2023
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-36560-7Published: 17 July 2024
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-36558-4Published: 15 July 2023
Series ISSN: 2730-7549
Series E-ISSN: 2730-7557
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 207
Number of Illustrations: 30 b/w illustrations, 6 illustrations in colour
Topics: Condensed Matter Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Quantum Information Technology, Spintronics, Semiconductors