In Search Of Schrodinger's Cat: The bestselling classic introduction to quantum physics

This is a fantastic book if one is just attempting, for the first time, to come to terms with the puzzling yet fascinating world of quantum theory. What makes it different from most other books I read on the subject is the way in which Gribbin tries to explain one phenomenon that, quite often, can be felt as unexplainable. At times, it can still feel overwhelming to those averse to maths, but you can jump over those moments as they will not necessarily be essential for what the book does: if you're not very familiar with the subject, In Search of Schrodinger's Cat will launch you into a magical tale that is a part of our reality as much as anything else, even if you don't actually experience it on a daily basis. And by doing that, it might ultimately also reshape your own view of the world and yourself. Highly recommended.

In Search of Schrodinger's Cat walks the reader through the development of quantum mechanics starting in the early 1900's and up to today. The book starts with the historical attempts to describe light as either a particle or a wave and eventually leading to Bohr’s basic atom model for hydrogen. The birth of quantum mechanics is eventually found with the famous double-slit experiment in which both particle and wave behaviour are found in light. At this point, various physicists begin attempting to create frameworks to describe quantum mechanics up until the 1980s. The book introduces many of the concepts of quantum mechanics in a logical order ignoring much but not all of the mathematics behind the theories. Though the book claims to bring every reader to a clear understanding of quantum mechanics, a background in physics and maths is recommendable (around A level skill). The book gives an idea of what quantum mechanics is about, which can be built upon further. Much of the concepts are well described, but some ideas are only lightly touched and somewhat unclear. Overall a nice introduction to quantum mechanics. For those interested in further developing their knowledge, Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum is a great place to proceed, where the reader can approach the field mathematically and actually apply the ideas.

Written in 1984 and updated in 1991, Gribbin’s “In Search of Schrodinger’s Cat” (Black Swan edition), may seem and look outdated and historical bit it is an excellent introduction to and history of the quantum world. He opens with two famous quotations: “I don’t like it, and I am sorry I ever had antything to do with it.” Schrödinger (1887-1961) “Anyone who is not shocked by the quantum theory has not understood it.” Neils Bohr (1885-1962) These quotations and others from illustrated reactions to this mystifying world, e.g. Einstein; in 1916, researching` quantum process declared he “found it [so] abhorrent”. If the minds of our greatest physicists react in this way, be prepared to be puzzled. Starting with light and Isaac Newton, what Gribben does so well is to write a history of quantum physics, highligh and explore its significant periods, its revelations, red herrings and the ways in which discoveries inter-laced to reveal what we now know of the subatomic world. Chapter 2 - Atoms Chapter 3 - Light and Atoms Chapter 4 - Bohr’s Atom Chapter 5 - Photons and Electrons Chapter 6 - Matrices and Waves Chapter 8 - Chance and Uncertainty Chapter 9 - Paradoxes and Possibilities Chapter 10 - Proof of the Pudding Chapter 11 - Many Worlds Epilogue - Unfinished Business “Where all possible outcomes of an experiment actually do occur and each possible outcome is observed by its own set of observers, it is no surprise to find that what we observe is one of the possible outcomes of the experiment.” (P 243) Welcome to Quantum. THE CAT IN THE BOX - Schrödinger suggested that we should imagine a bid that contains a radioactive source, a detector that records the presence of radioactive particles (a Geiger counter, perhaps) a glass bottle containing a poison such as cyanide, and a live cat. The apparatus in the box is arranged so that the detector is switched on for just long enough to that there is a fifty-fifty chance that one of the atoms in the radioactive material will decay and the detector will record a particle. If the detector does record such an event, the glass container is crushed and the cat dies. If not, the cat lives. We have no way of knowing until we pen the box to look inside; radioactive decay occurs entirely by chance …” Open the book to discover whether your brain lives or dies. Unless you open the book, you will never know and live in uncertainty.

What a great book - does justice to the great minds involved in the transition from classical theory to quantum mechanics and explains the basics for those without the terrific intellect of the book's subjects. I did have to keep flipping back to re-read a couple of sections, but it's accessible, well written, and will come out again in the winter for a re-read.

This is an ideal book for any educated layperson to learn and understand the ideas and concepts of Quantum Mechanics. Without any heavy maths. John Gribbin has the enviable gift of being able to explain difficult concepts clearly and concisely. His book "In Search of the Big Bang" is also well worth reading.

The service was good, but the book is very older than i expected and the pages are easily breaking.

A nice read actually. Not a bad first book to read if you want to cover the topic quickly, it covers a lot of ground in fewer pages than most books. A nice chronological walk through history telling the story of the Quantum world. First published a couple of decades ago so does not cover recent thinking and observations. Not as detailed in terms of explanation as some books, but if you are still hoping to spot the hole in the whole theory like me, it gives you hope highlighting how even the most brilliant minds were blind to what seemed like the obvious, after the fact due to preconceptions and just plain alien concepts at each point in history.

A book across history and science. The whole subject matter is narrated in a friendly fashion.

Easy to understand, easily changes ones perspective of the world.

Texto claro e acessível para se compreender um pouco da historia e do caminho da mecânica quântica. Não muito simples de ler, até porque é um texto sério, que não simplifica o que não é simplificável.

If you’re as interested in Quantum Physics then this should be a must at the start if your graduate studies. You’ll find it surprisingly useful when you’re finally in class studying all the mathematics associated. Sometimes popular science tends to help students more than anything else.

The book covers the history of quantum physics, basic ideas and theories behind it, and explains how these theories came to be. As a layman, this book was mind-boggling and I experienced *many* wow moments. While the subject matter is a bit complicated and the book contains a lot of info (I definitely don't understand all of it after one reading) it was very well written, engaging and enjoyable.

Sehr informativ und sehr gut zu lesen!