The Oxford handbook of the history of physics

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Summary

This Handbook traces the history of physics, bringing together chapters on major advances in the field from the 17th century to the present day. It is organised into four sections, following a broa...

This Handbook traces the history of physics, bringing together chapters on major advances in the field from the 17th century to the present day. It is organised into four sections, following a broadly chronological structure. Part I explores the place of reason, mathematics, and experiment in the scientific revolution of the 17th century. Part II looks at the 'long' 18th century, covering developments relating to the physics of imponderable fluids, mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. Part III takes us to the 19th century and covers topics ranging from optics to thermodynamics, applications of physics in medicine and metrology. Part IV takes us into the age of 'modern physics' and considers canonical landmarks such as the discovery of the photoelectric effect in 1887.

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