Fundamentals Of Physics by B. N. Ivanov
The book being offered by the author differs from other existing books on the subject in its nontraditional approach to the course of physics. The principle underlying the preparation of this course can be summarized as follows:
“From the atom to matter”. What prompted the author to adopt this approach? In¬ deed, the creation of new materials with unusual mechani¬ cal, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties require a microscopic approach to the problem and a clear understanding of the practical significance of the approach “from atom to matter”.
This means that the scientists and industrial workers engaged in fields like physical materials science, nuclear and semiconductor engineering, laser technology, and space science must be prepared to use this approach. Modern radio and electronics engineering is becoming quantum-mechanical in its approach. Today, electrical engineers use superconducting materials.
Many important biological problems including the mechanism of muscle operation, transfer of nerve signals, and the mechanism of memory can be solved only by molecular-level research. These requirements are not fully met by the courses of physics using the traditional scheme: mechanics, heat, electricity and magnetism, optics, atomic physics.
Lastly, it should be remarked that the formation and teaching of physics courses on the approach “from atom to matter” is a requirement not only of the modern engineering physics practice but al¬ so of the logic of the development of physics.
What will be the approach of the “natural science ideology” towards technical progress in the next century? How should physics be taught so that a young scientist can find his way in the myriads of scientific and technical information, and independently sift this information to grasp the 6 Preface mam trend? An optimal solution of these questions still remains to be found. The list of contents provides detailed information about the material contained in this book. It can be seen that this book covers a wide range of topics.
The International System of Units (SI) has been used practically throughout the book. However, since the CGS system is still widely used in research and scientific publications, students of physics must be familiar with both systems and freely move from one system to the other. The material in Chaps. 3, 4, and 7 of this book use the CGS system. This book is intended for those who wish to acquire a deeper knowledge of physical phenomena. It can be used by students of physics and mathematical schools, as well as by those who have finished school and are engaged in self-education. A good deal of the material may be useful to teachers delivering lectures on various topics of physics. In conclusion, the author would like to place on record his profound gratitude to Profs. L. V. Tarasov and A. D. Sukhanov for their benevolent comments which helped a lot in the improvement of this book. Special thanks are due to T. D. Kirilina for her help in preparing the manuscript.
Author TO THE READER This is not a textbook, but rather a help book that should be used in conjunction with the standard textbooks. Nor is the book intended for light reading; you have to use a pen and paper, think, analyze, and even compute whenever it is necessary. We shall describe physics here in the way re¬ searchers understand it today. Physics essentially deals with the fundamental laws of nature. The progress being made at present in all branches of natural science is due, as a rule, to the introduction of physical concepts and techniques in them.
This is besides the fact that a knowledge of physical sciences is essential for new industrial ventures lying at the root of technical progress. Physics is fast becoming an important element in modern civilization.
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