The Natural Laws of the Universe Understanding Fundamental Constants /

Constants, such as the gravitational constant and the speed of light, are present in all the laws of physics. Recent observations have cast doubt on one of them. Does this mean that the structure of physics will crumble? Are we seeing the dawn of a scientific revolution? This book is written in the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Uzan, Jean-Philippe (Author), Leclercq, Bénédicte (Author)
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: Electronic eBook
Language:English
Published: New York, NY : Praxis, 2008.
Series:Springer Praxis Books
Subjects:
Online Access:Full Text via HEAL-Link
LEADER 03213nam a22005535i 4500
001 978-0-387-74081-2
003 DE-He213
005 20151204175518.0
007 cr nn 008mamaa
008 100402s2008 xxu| s |||| 0|eng d
020 |a 9780387740812  |9 978-0-387-74081-2 
024 7 |a 10.1007/978-0-387-74081-2  |2 doi 
040 |d GrThAP 
050 4 |a QB4 
072 7 |a PG  |2 bicssc 
072 7 |a SCI004000  |2 bisacsh 
072 7 |a NAT033000  |2 bisacsh 
082 0 4 |a 520  |2 23 
100 1 |a Uzan, Jean-Philippe.  |e author. 
245 1 4 |a The Natural Laws of the Universe  |h [electronic resource] :  |b Understanding Fundamental Constants /  |c by Jean-Philippe Uzan, Bénédicte Leclercq. 
264 1 |a New York, NY :  |b Praxis,  |c 2008. 
300 |a XII, 136 p. 10 illus.  |b online resource. 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a computer  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a online resource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
347 |a text file  |b PDF  |2 rda 
490 1 |a Springer Praxis Books 
505 0 |a Foundations: universality in physics -- Fundamental constants: pillars of the edifice -- Planning the edifice: structure of theories -- Proportions: dimensionless parameters -- Atoms under close examination -- A constant in the clouds -- What if they did vary? Gravity waits in the wings -- Strings attached: towards multiple universes. 
520 |a Constants, such as the gravitational constant and the speed of light, are present in all the laws of physics. Recent observations have cast doubt on one of them. Does this mean that the structure of physics will crumble? Are we seeing the dawn of a scientific revolution? This book is written in the form of an enquiry into the importance of a possible variation in fundamental constants. Jean-Philippe Uzan and Bénédicte Leclercq ask such questions as: What is a constant? What role do constants play in the laws of physics? How can we verify that they are indeed constants? This highly instructive survey of physics, from the laboratory to the depths of space, explores the paths of gravitation, general relativity and new theories such as that of superstrings. It is complete and coherent, and goes beyond the subject of constants to explain and discuss many ideas in physics, encountering along the way, for example, such exciting details as the discovery of a natural nuclear reactor at Oklo in Gabon. 
650 0 |a Physics. 
650 0 |a Gravitation. 
650 0 |a Astronomy. 
650 0 |a Astrophysics. 
650 0 |a Cosmology. 
650 0 |a Observations, Astronomical. 
650 0 |a Astronomy  |x Observations. 
650 1 4 |a Physics. 
650 2 4 |a Astronomy, Observations and Techniques. 
650 2 4 |a Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology. 
650 2 4 |a Classical and Quantum Gravitation, Relativity Theory. 
650 2 4 |a History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics. 
700 1 |a Leclercq, Bénédicte.  |e author. 
710 2 |a SpringerLink (Online service) 
773 0 |t Springer eBooks 
776 0 8 |i Printed edition:  |z 9780387734545 
830 0 |a Springer Praxis Books 
856 4 0 |u http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74081-2  |z Full Text via HEAL-Link 
912 |a ZDB-2-EES 
950 |a Earth and Environmental Science (Springer-11646)