Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts. With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson offer a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our contemporary world.

Quantum Theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. The main text makes no use of equations, but there is a Mathematical Appendix for those desiring stronger fare. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed. This volume offers the reader access to one of the greatest discoveries in the history of physics and one of the outstanding intellectual achievements of the twentieth century.About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

"This text is a bargain in more ways than one." Journal of American Chemical Society Supplement: Solutions Manual

Graduate-level text explains modern in-depth approaches to the calculation of the electronic structure and properties of molecules. Hartree-Fock approximation, electron pair approximation, much more. Largely self-contained, only prerequisite is solid course in physical chemistry. Over 150 exercises. 1989 edition.

Of all the mind-bending discoveries of physics--quarks, black holes, strange attractors, curved space--the existence of antimatter is one of the most bizarre. It is also one of the most difficult, literally and figuratively, to grasp. Antimatter explores this strange mirror world, where particles have identical yet opposite properties to those that make up the familiar matter we encounter everyday, where left becomes right, positive becomes negative, and where--should matter and antimatter meet--the resulting flash of blinding energy would make even thermonuclear explosions look feeble by comparison. Antimatter is an idea long beloved of science-fiction writers--but here, renowned science writer Frank Close shows that the reality of antimatter is even more intriguing than the fiction. We know that at one time antimatter and matter existed in perfect counterbalance, and that antimatter then perpetrated a vanishing act on a cosmic scale that remains one of the great mysteries of the universe. Today, antimatter does not exist normally, at least on Earth, but we know that it is real, as scientists are now able to make small pieces of it in particle accelerators, such as that at CERN in Geneva. Looking at the remarkable prediction of antimatter and how it grew from the meeting point of relativity and quantum theory in the early 20th century, at the discovery of the first antiparticles, at cosmic rays, annihilation, antimatter bombs, and antiworlds, Close separates the facts from the fiction about antimatter, and explains how its existence can give us profound clues about the origins and structure of the universe. For all those wishing to take a closer look at the flip side of the visible world, this lucidly written book shines a bright light into a truly strange realm. "Beautifully written... This book will inspire a sense of awe in even the most seasoned of physics readers." --Amanda Gefter, New Scientist "This is a must read for fans of science and science fiction alike." --John Gribbin, www.bbcfocusmagazine.com

The seventh edition of this classic text illustrates the fundamentals of the electrical properties of materials in the context of contemporary engineering applications. Written in an informal, accessible style, it emphasizes the core ideas relevant to understanding the subject and deliberately keeps the mathematical treatment simple. The book presents the simplest model that can display the essential properties of a phenomenon and examines it, showing the difference between ideal and actual behavior. Topics are selected so that the operation of devices having applications (or possible future applications) in engineering can be explained. Problems and worked examples are included throughout. Features of the Seventh Edition ·Presents a comprehensive treatment of light emitting diodes, which are rapidly replacing classical lighting sources ·Covers new topics such as organic material (including various polymers) and artificial materials (including photonic gap materials and metamaterials) ·Provides insight into cutting-edge fields such as amorphous semiconductors and nanotechnology ·Discusses new devices including nanotube transistors, single electron transistors, magnetic tunnel junctions, quantum cascade lasers, and ferroelectric and superconducting memories ·A solutions manual and illustrations from the text are available for download at: http://www.oup.com/uk/booksites/content/0199267936/

Intended for beginning graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in Quantum Chemistry. Integrating many new computer-oriented examples and problems throughout, this best-selling, easy-to-understand modern introduction to quantum chemistry covers quantum mechanics, atomic structure, and molecular electronic structure. Practical for students in all branches of chemistry, it offers a solid understanding of quantum mechanics and clearly demonstrates the usefulness and limitations of current quantum-mechanical methods for the calculation of molecular properties.

This important new edition is for graduate students studying Molecular Modelling, Computational Chemistry within Chemistry,  Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry.   Postgraduates and researchers in academia and in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This new edition introduces background theory and techniques of molecular modelling, also illustrates applications in studying physical, chemical and biological phenomena.  It includes simple numerical examples and numerous explanatory figures and a colour plate section. 

Quantum mechanics embraces the behaviour of all known forms of matter, including the atoms and molecules from which we, and all living organisms, are composed. Molecular Quantum Mechanics leads us through this absorbing yet challenging subject, unravelling those fundamental physical principles which explain how all matter behaves. With the clarity of exposition and rich pedagogy which have established the book as a leading text in the field, Molecular Quantum Mechanics takes us from the foundations of quantum mechanics, through quantum models of atomic, molecular, and electronic structure, and on to discussions of spectroscopy, and the electronic and magnetic properties of molecules. Lucid explanations and illuminating artworks help to visualise the many abstract concepts upon which the subject is built. Fully updated to reflect the latest advances in computational techniques, and enhanced with more mathematical support and worked examples than ever before, Molecular Quantum Mechanics remains the ultimate resource for those wishing to master this important subject. Supplementary resources Companion web site, featuring: Illustrations available to download Solutions manual available to download [instructors only]