Four Laws That Drive the Universe
by Peter Atkins
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Book Summary Information
Author: Peter AtkinsEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-09-27
ISBN: 0199232369
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of Four Laws That Drive the Universe
Book Review: Can thermodynamics be made tasty?
Summary: 4 Stars
To be fair, Atkins sets himself a difficult task: make thermodynamics palatable, and even tasty, to a general audience. I probably represent his target audience: I am college educated, and I worked for a couple of years as a biochemistry technician. I keep up with science topics through Scientific American and several web sites. And I enjoy the Science Channel whenever the cosmology shows are on. But I don't possess deep physics knowledge, save for dimly remembered college physics and chemistry courses.
Does Atkins succeed? Mostly yes, but I must offer some caveats. This text does presume some relevant background at the college level. And, although Atkins' prose is readable, he occasionally misses a tone and examples that might better hold the reader's interest. Still, on balance, the presentation works, and at least stays focused on preparing the main ingredients.
Where does Atkins get soggy? He only rarely capitalizes on the wow factor. He says that thermodynamics is relevant to each and every one of us in our lives. He's right. But his examples are a bit lifeless and the allusions to "regular life" are few. When he does bring levity and relevance, it resonates rather well. But the reader is left to bring his or her own imagination to the text and create most such insights for oneself. As I am also an artist, technical writer, and recently a business analyst, I found many "ah ha!" moments to ponder. But these were mostly of my own making, with only the barest guidance from the author.
Finally, what's missing? Atkins might have alluded more thoroughly to the world of information theory. He only hints about this fascinating subject. Atkins might have explored the micro-states of matter with more gusto. Also barely mentioned was the notion of efficiency, although at a micro level this has great meaning for those working in nanotechnology. And there was no indication of how such principles must also apply to the living world, the systems we call organisms. For my money, some appetizers and desserts would have engendered more enthusiasm from this reader.
Nevertheless, I found the book helpful, readable, and generally enjoyable. And that is no small thing for such a subject. If I don't grant it five stars, it's not because of what is there, but rather what is not.
Summary of Four Laws That Drive the Universe
The laws of thermodynamics drive everything that happens in the universe. From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas to the cooling of hot metal, and from the unfurling of a leaf to the course of life itself--everything is moved or restrained by four simple laws. They establish fundamental concepts such as temperature and heat, and reveal the arrow of time and even the nature of energy itself.Written by Peter Atkins, one of the worlds leading authorities on thermodynamics, this powerful and compact introduction explains what these four laws are and how they work, using accessible language and virtually no mathematics. Guiding the reader a step at a time, Atkins begins with Zeroth (so named because the first two laws were well established before scientists realized that a third law, relating to temperature, should precede them--hence the jocular name zeroth), and proceeds through the First, Second, and Third Laws, offering a clear account of concepts such as the availability of work and the conservation of energy. Atkins ranges from the fascinating theory of entropy (revealing how its unstoppable rise constitutes the engine of the universe), through the concept of free energy, and to the brink, and then beyond the brink, of absolute zero.
C.P. Snow once remarked that not knowing the second law of thermodynamics is like never having read a work by Shakespeare. This brief but brilliant book introduces general readers to one of the cornerstones of modern science, four laws that are as integral to the well-educated mind as such great dramatic works as Hamlet or Macbeth.
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