------------
Dear moderator, if you find the following not too much off topics, would
you please allow it to the PHYS-L list. Thank you!
---------------------------
Survey about educational books in Physics.
Would you P L E A S E , take few minutes to read and answer the two
questions at the bottom of this message!
We plan to produce a series of books about different topics in physics:
Classical mechanics, Quantum mechanics, Relativity, Thermodynamics,
Statistical Physics... etc...
Much of the stuff for that is already prepared, but before investing more
time and money on this project, we want to know how many people are
interested and prepared to buy this kind of books.
What are (or will be) the main characteristics of these books?
* These books will be available in French and in English (at least, in the
first time; others language will be considered later).
* The email address of the authors will be included in each books to
permit to any reader to contact them for questions, corrections and even
discussions.
* Spiral bound (for ease of use and low cost), color plastic cover, high
quality paper, black and white (and grey) inside (maybe color, depending on
the cost).
* About $15 to $20 US ($20 to $30 CAN) for 100 to 150 pages or more.
* Beginning at an elementary level through high level (sometimes, tomes
will be added depending on the matter)
*** But THE MOST IMPORTANT is the pedagogical aspect of these books.
Briefly! As many (fortunately not all) of presently available books are of
the type "after the formula", our authors are deeply involved in the
"BEFORE the formula" aspect.
UNDERSTANDING is the main concern of these books.
The sentence: "We can easily show that..." is forbiden in these books!
FOR EXAMPLE, in thermodynamics, it is not so easy to grasp the concept of
entropy. In many books it is "defined" in few lines. In our book about
thermodynamics, we develop the concept of entropy around the time
behavior of energy and draw the formula (dS=dQ/T) from ideal gas
properties and few mathematical requirement. Yes, we use many "gears
and wheels" machines to do that and make every steps evident and
comprehensible for the mind. What remains to be postulated is reduced to
a minimum... that an arbitrary constant equal 1. The same could be said
about thermodynamics functions which are not arbitrarily defined but are
introduced in many different ways and purposely "constructed".
Other books are or will be written with the same spirit.
***********************************************
Suppose one of these book is already available and that you can order it
directly by internet:
1) Would you order it? YES / NO
2) About how many people around you would order it? _________
Feel free to add comments!
***********************************************
Would you please respond directly at the following email address and
include the words "BOOKS IN PHYSICS" in the Subject line.