Ten patterns that explain the universe / Brian Clegg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clegg, Brian, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cosmology--Popular works.

Cosmology.

Genre:

Popular works.

Physical Description:

224 pages : illustrations (some color), color maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Massachusetts : The MIT Press, [2021]

Summary:

"How patterns--from diagrams of spacetime to particle trails revealed by supercolliders--offer clues to the fundamental workings of the physical world."--Amazon.

"Our universe might appear chaotic, but deep down it's simply a myriad of rules working independently to create patterns of action, force, and consequence. In Ten Patterns That Explain the Universe, Brian Clegg explores the phenomena that make up the very fabric of our world by examining ten essential sequenced systems. From diagrams that show the deep relationships between space and time to the quantum behaviors that rule the way that matter and light interact, Clegg shows how these patterns provide a unique view of the physical world and its fundamental workings. Guiding readers on a tour of our world and the universe beyond, Clegg describes the cosmic microwave background, sometimes called the "echo of the big bang," and how it offers clues to the universe's beginnings; the diagrams that illustrate Einstein's revelation of the intertwined nature of space and time; the particle trail patterns revealed by the Large Hadron Collider and other accelerators; and the simple-looking patterns that predict quantum behavior (and decorated Richard Feynman's van). Clegg explains how the periodic table reflects the underlying pattern of the configuration of atoms, discusses the power of the number line, demonstrates the explanatory uses of tree diagrams, and more."--Back cover.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: 1. The Cosmic Microwave Background

Patterns of radiation forming the echo of the Big Bang

2. Minkowski Diagrams

Patterns explaining the connections between space and time

3. Particle Trail Patterns

Patterns of particles revealing antimatter and the Higgs boson

4. Feynman Diagrams

Diagrammatic patterns explaining the interplay of light and matter

5. The Periodic Table

Tabular patterns indicating the configuration of atoms

6. Weather Patterns

Large-scale patterns that underlie complex weather systems

7. Number Lines

The number line is a pattern that forms the basis of arithmetic and many mathematical calculations

8. Cladograms

Sophisticated patterns indicating the relationship between species and the pattern of evolution

9. DNA Double Helix

The pattern of life providing the data store for constructing a living organism

10. Symmetries

Patterns revealing symmetry in nature, mathematics, and physics.

ISBN:

9780262542869

0262542862

OCLC:

1229028504