After nine months, I just put the new, nineteenth edition of my free Motion Mountain physics text on http://motionmountain.net Over 1300 pages lead through the whole of physics, from mechanics to relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear physics and unification. The aim is to provide an entertaining and vivid text that is surprising on every page. The nineteenth edition gives details on radiometric dating techniques, explains how to destroy airplanes with thermometers, shows how to use the same idea to measure the speed of bullets and that of light, presents a classical system that obeys the Schroedinger equation, introduces Tesla coils, shows that space-time has different properties in certain patent offices, tells how to see effects from atoms using only a lamp and a piece of metal, gives more details on clouds and jets of astronomic size, shows how to perform a precision Michelson-Morley experiment, gives the latest results on the Pioneer anomaly, introduces fusion reactors, demonstrates the chromatic lens errors of the eye, and presents the simplest unsolved problem about the trefoil knot. The text also provides improved writing, more figures, more curiosities, many additional solutions to the challenges, and, thanks to the help of Martin Elsaesser, the first embedded animation. Many thanks also to all those readers who have suggested improvements and material for the text. An errata page that allows direct feedback via the website is now available. Enjoy. Christoph Schiller
I haven't looked at it in detail, but from what I have looked at, it looks pretty comprehensive and well done.
I just want to say this text is an excellent read if you want to brush up on your physics and/or understand some of the (relatively) recent advancements. I am just to the Special relativity section but so far it is has been very clear and keeps you pointed at the big picture. Thanks Christoph!
The adventure of physics - new free edition I have put the new, twentieth edition of my freely downloadable physics textbook in pdf form on motionmountain.eu Over 1380 pages lead through the whole of physics, from mechanics to relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear physics and unification. Many explanations across the text have been improved, often triggered by the input of readers across the internet. Thank you to all of them. The twentieth edition now contains a dozen animations and films: generation and motion of electromagnetic waves, leap-frogging vortex rings, jumping snakes, the propagation of solitons and dromions, growing ice crystals, rotating atomic orbitals, the actin-myosin system in muscles in action, and Dirac's belt trick. The twentieth edition also introduces robots that walk on water, explains how to observe the polarization of light with the unaided human eye (in the same way as honey bees do), includes a clearer explanation of the curl of a function, introduces dromions and the challenge to observe them in everyday life, shows how to produce floating plasma clouds similar to ball lighting, improves the explanation of quantum mechanics, tells more about the Galilean satellites, tells how to compare the density of the Moon and the Sun by looking at the sea, mentions the world records for running backwards and the attempts to break the speed sailing record, tells in more detail how to learn from books with as little effort as possible, includes thermographic images, shows a photograph of each element, explains more clearly the generation of electromagnetic radiation, presents the polarized car headlight problem, and includes many new puzzles. Enjoy the reading. Christoph Schiller
Fun with physics - new edition for free download The new, twenty-first edition of the freely downloadable physics textbook is available on www . motionmountain. eu Almost 1500 pages lead through the whole of physics, from mechanics to relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear physics, astrophysics and unification. Over hundred new figures and tables, and numerous explanations have been added, with many examples from animals, plants and machines. The twenty-first edition now explains why the speed of light is too slow to speculate with success on the stock exchange, adds the second-level bear fur colour puzzle and the young mother puzzle, presents the nearest place with a pressure permanently lower than that of the atmosphere, adds the puzzle about the horse and the snail on a rubber, tells more about metamaterials, adds some simple chemical puzzles, presents what incredible things on atomic layers one can discover using a pencil and sticky tape, tells more on biological rhythms and clocks, explains how to observe the rotation of the Earth in any classroom after two seconds of observation, shows an electric effect observed on many playgrounds, shows the beauty of bursting soap bubbles and bouncing tennis balls, explains how it is possible to observe the motion of single, isolated electrons, gives more details on the shape of the proton, and tells how to build the simplest possible radio control system. The first 360 pages are available also in French, due to the great work of Benoit Clenet, and can be downloaded from the bienvenue page. A wiki open to everybody now keeps track of misprints and suggestions. Enjoy the reading! Christoph Schiller
I just want to add that I came across your site many months ago and have revisited it several times. It is excellent, an invaluable resource for people such as myself that are not formally educated in physics, but desire to learn. Nothing but praise from me! Thanks again.
Fun with physics - new 1600 page edition for free download The new, twenty-second edition of the freely downloadable physics textbook is available on www . motionmountain . eu Over 1600 pages show that physics is more fun than making love. They lead through the whole of physics, from mechanics to thermodynamics, relativity, electrodynamics, quantum theory, nuclear physics, astrophysics and unification. The text promises to be fascinating and challenging on every page. The twenty-second edition now explains how it is possible to plunge a bare hand into molten lead, includes a film of an oscillating quartz inside a watch, explains how it is possible to type a letter by controlling a computer with thought alone, includes a film of a solar flare, explains the fifteen ways that colours appear in rocks plants and animals, explains the connection between cats and gauge theory, adds more ways in which the human eye invents colours that are not there, includes a list of laser types and applications, includes many images of crystals, explains how physics Plotinus and christianity come together to show that the universe and god are one and the same, adds the handcuff puzzle and several other puzzles, explains how jet pilots frighten civilians with sonic superbooms produced by fighter planes, presents the most beautiful and precise sundial available today, adds a simple photographic proof that the Earth is larger than the Moon, improves the presentation of elementary particle physics, adds a photo of a red rainbow, gives the latest discoveries on the Galileo trial, presents a fascinating mathematical aspect of Ohm's law, states the hardest open math problem that you can explain to your grandmother, adds photographs of levitation, and much more. Over 50 new illustrations and 100 new pages have been added. More than 200 women and men have helped with suggestions and material: thank you to all of them. A beautiful French translation by Benoit Clenet of a large part of the text is also available. Parts are available in Italian and Spanish. Suggestions and errata can be added at the Motion Mountain wiki. Enjoy! Christoph Schiller
