by Marcus Chown
as electromagnetic wave, 1, 2
interference, 1
mass of, 1
as particle phenomenon, 1
photoelectric effect, 1
as wave phenomenon, 1
See also Speed of light
Liquids, behaviour of, 1
Lithium, 1, 2, 3
Location of particle, uncertainty principle, 1
M
Many Worlds idea, 1
Marsden, Ernest, 1, 2
Mass
in empty space, 1
as form of energy, 1, 2
gravity and, 1, 2
of protons, 1
speed and, 1
transformation into energy, 1
See also Matter
Mass spectrograph, 1
Matter
antimatter and, 1
atomic structure, 1, 2, 3
creation in empty space, 1, 2
critical mass, 1, 2
dark matter, 1, 2
distribution in universe, 1
light and, 1
properties of, determinants of, 1
in space-time distortion, 1
teleportation, 1
See also Mass
Maxwell, James Clerk, 1
Maxwell’s wave, 1
Mercury, 1
Metals
electric current in, 1
superconductors, 1
Microwave radiation. See Cosmic background radiation
Minkowski, Hermann, 1
Momentum, 1, 2
Multiple universes, 1, 2
Multiverse. See Multiple universes
Muons, 1
N
Neutrinos, 1
Neutron star, 1, 2, 3, 4
Neutrons, 1
Newtonian physics, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Night sky, 1, 2
Nobel Prize, 1, 2, 3
Nonlocality, 1, 2
Novikov, Igor, 1
Nuclear force, 1
Nuclear fusion, 1, 2
Nucleus, atomic
alpha particle escape from, 1, 2
collision of nuclei, 1
electron (s) and, 1, 2, 3
nuclear force in, 1
structure and properties, 1, 2, 3
O
Observation
of atomic behaviour and properties, 1, 2, 3
effect of gravity of time and, 1
electron ejection event, 1
instantaneous influence and, 1
principle of relativity, 1, 2, 3
probability wave flipping, 1
of quantum behaviour, 1, 2
of speed of light, 1
of superposition, 1, 2, 3
superposition of atoms, 1
uncertainty principle of, 1
visibility of stars, 1
Olbers, Heinrich, 1
Olbers’ paradox, 1
Orbitals, electron, 1, 2, 3, 4
properties of atoms and, 1
Orbits, planetary, 1
P
Page, Leigh, 1
Parallel realities, 1, 2
Particle physics
creation of mass-energy, 1
entanglement, 1
light, 1, 2
momentum, 1
probability waveflipping, 1
quantum theory, 1
spin, 1
uncertainty principle, 1
Pauli, Wolfgang, 1
Pauli exclusion principle, 1
Penzias, Arno, 1
Perlmutter, Saul, 1
Perrin, Jean Baptiste, 1
Photoelectric effect, 1, 2
Photons
cosmic background radiation, 1
creation of, 1, 2
discovery, 1
dual wave-particle nature, 1
effective mass, 1, 2
indistinguishability, 1
predictability of behaviour of, 1
superposition, 1, 2, 3
See also Bosons
Planetary orbits, 1
Pollen grains, 1
Predictability of phenomenon, 1
Pressure, 1
Probability
boson behaviour, 1
in quantum theory, 1
Probability wave, 1, 2, 3
of bosons, 1
decoherence, 1
flipping of, 1
Protons
atomic structure, 1n
mass, 1
nuclear fusion, 1
tunnelling, 1
Prout, William, 1
Pulsars, 1
Q
Quanta, 1
Quantum bits, 1
Quantum computers
application, 1
conceptual basis, 1
current status, 1, 2
design challenges, 1, 2
operation in multiple universes, 1
power of, 1, 2, 3
qubits, 1
role of interference in, 1, 2
Quantum fluctuations, 1
Quantum numbers, 1, 2
Quantum theory
atomic theory and, 1
behaviour of large objects in, 1
chemical properties and, 1
of entanglement, 1
existence of multiple universes in, 1
Feynman on, 1
future prospects, 1
general theory of relativity and, 1
of gravity, 1
of particle spin, 1
probability in, 1
purpose, 1
quanta in, 1
significance of, 1
of spooky action at distance, 1
uncertainty principle in, 1
wave-particle duality in, 1
Quantum vacuum, 1
Quasars, 1
Qubits. See Quantum bits
R
Radio waves, 1
Radioactivity, 1
Radium, 1
Red dwarf star, 1
Reflectivity, 1, 2, 3
Relativistic aberration/beaming, 88n
Relativity
principle of, 1
See also General theory of relativity;
Special theory of relativity
Riefenstahl, Charlotte, 1
Rohrer, Heinrich, 1
Rutherford, Ernest, 1, 2, 3
S
Scanning tunnelling microscope, 1
Schmidt, Brian, 1
Schrödinger, Erwin, 1
Schrödinger equation, 1, 2
Scott, Dave, 1
Shell, atomic, 1
Simultaneity, 1
Singularity, 1, 2
Size of atoms, 1, 2, 3, 4
Soddy, Frederick, 1
Sodium, 1
Space
curvature of, 1
emptiness of, 1, 2, 3, 4
general theory of relativity, 1
relationship to time, 1
special theory of relativity, 1, 2
Special theory of relativity, 1, 2
energy and mass relationship in, 1
gravity in, 1
implications for physics, 1
principles of, 1, 2
real-world implications, 1
shortcomings, 1
simultaneity, 1
Speed
of alpha particles, 1
of gravity, 1
instantaneous influence, 1
of light. See Speed of light
mass and, 1
of muons, 1
of radio waves, 1
theory of relativity, 1
See also Acceleration; Velocity of particle
Speed of light
as maximum limit of speed, 1, 2, 3
particle speed in excess of, 1
principle of relativity, 1
special theory of relativity, 1, 2
speed of light source and, 1
spooky action at a distance and, 1, 2, 3
Speliotopoulos, Achilles, 1
Spin, particle
in Cooper pairs, 1
electron distinguishability, 1<
br />
integer/half-integer, 1
probability waveflipping and, 1
properties of particles, 1
spooky action at a distance and, 1
Spooky action at distance, 1
Stars. See Sun/stars
Stoppard, Tom, 1
Strong nuclear force, 1, 2
Sun/stars
darkness of night sky, 1
energy of, 1
life cycle, 1, 2
light from, 1
neutron stars, 1, 2, 3, 4
physics of, 1
red dwarfs, 1
supernovas, 1, 2
warping of space-time by, 1
weight of, 1
white dwarfs, 1, 2, 3
Suntzeff, Nick, 1
Superconductors, 1
Superfluids, 1
Supernova, 1, 2
Superposition
conceptual basis, 1
decoherence, 1
definition, 1
interference in, 1, 2
observability, 1, 2, 3, 4
in quantum computing, 1, 2
Superstring theory, 1
T
Tachyons, 1
Teleportation, 1
Television static, 1
Temperature
Big Bang, 1
cosmic background radiation, 1, 2
electric current in metal, 1, 2
weight and, 1, 2
Thomson, J. J., 1, 2
Time
in black holes, 1
concept of past and future, 1
four dimensional space-time, 1
general theory of relativity, 1
gravity effects, 1
relationship to space, 1
special theory of relativity, 1, 2
synchronisation, 1
travel in, 1, 2n
Tunnelling, 1
current, 1n
in nuclear fusion, 1
Twin paradox, 1n
U
Uncertainty principle, 1
atomic structure and, 1, 2
conceptual basis, 1
empty space and, 1
entanglement and, 1
Pauli exclusion principle and, 1
physics of stars and, 1
tunnelling and, 1
Uranium, 1n, 2
V
Velocity of particle
exceeding speed of light, 1
uncertainty principle, 1
Vibration
electron behaviour and properties, 1, 2
superstring theory, 1
Viscosity, 1
Volume of matter, 1, 2, 3
W
Wave equation, 1
Wave phenomenon
ability to penetrate matter, 1
electron properties, 1
gravity waves, 1, 2
interference in, 1
light as, 1, 2, 3
Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory, 1
in quantum theory, 1
in quantum tunnelling, 1
superposition, 1, 2, 3
vibration, 1
Wavelength of light, 1
Weight
of atoms, 1, 2
of energy, 1, 2
motion and, 1
temperature and, 1, 2
Weizmann, Chaim, 1
Wheeler, John, 1n, 2, 3n, 4
White dwarf stars, 1, 2, 3, 4
Wilson, Robert, 1
Wormholes, 1
Wright, Steven, 1
X
X-rays, 1
Y
Young, Thomas, 1, 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks to the following people who either helped me directly, inspired me, or simply encouraged me during the writing of this book: My dad, Karen, Sara Menguc, Jeffrey Robbins, Neil Belton, Henry Volans, Rachel Marcus, Moses Cardona, Brian Clegg, Professor Tony Hey, Kate Oldfield, Vivien James, Brian May, Dr. Bruce Bassett, Dr. Larry Schulman, Dr. Wojciech Zurek, Sir Martin Rees, Allison Chown, Colin Wellman, Rosie and Tim Chown, Patrick O’Halloran, Julie and Dave Mayes, Stephen Hedges, Sue O’Malley, Sarah Topalian, Dr. David Deutsch, Alexandra Feacham, Nick Mayhew-Smith, Elisabeth Geake, Al Jones, David Hough, Fred Barnum, Pam Young, Roy Perry, Hazel Muir, Stuart and Nikki Clark, Simon Ings, Barry Fox, Spencer Bright, Karen Gunnell, Jo Gunnell, Pat and Brian Chilver, Stella Barlow, Silvano Mazzon, Barbara Pell and David, Julia Bateson, Anne Ursell, Barbara Kiser, Dottie Friedli, Jon Holland, Martin Dollard, Sylvia and Sarah Kefyalew, Matilda and Dennis and Amanda and Andrew Buckley, Diane and Peter and Ciaran and Lucy Tomlin, Eric Gourlay, Paul Brandford. It goes without saying, I hope, that none of these people are responsible for any errors.
Author biography
Marcus Chown is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. Formerly a radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, he is currently cosmology consultant of the weekly science magazine New Scientist.
His previous book, The Never-Ending Days of Being Dead, was called ‘a limousine among popular science vehicles’ by the Guardian, ‘a masterpiece’ by Astronomy Now, and described as ‘like being at a party … with an almost perfect DJ’ in the Independent. It is also available as an ebook. Marcus Chown has also written a work for children, Felicity Frobisher and the Three-Headed Aldebaran Dust Devil.
by the same author
Afterglow of Creation
The Magic Furnace
The Universe Next Door
The Never-Ending Days of Being Dead
Copyright
First published in the United Kingdom in 2007
by Faber and Faber Limited
3 Queen Square London WC1N 3AU
This ebook edition first published in 2008
All rights reserved
© Marcus Chown, 2007
The right of Marcus Chown to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
ISBN 978—0—571—24601—4 [epub edition]
