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The Physics of War
Cover of The Physics of War
The Physics of War
From Arrows to Atoms
Borrow Borrow

This fascinating blend of popular science and military history examines the science of war, demonstrating the close connection between the discovery of basic physical principles and the development of weaponry over the ages.

Physics has played a critical role in warfare since the earliest times. Barry Parker highlights famous battles of the past as well as renowned scientists and inventors such as Leonardo, Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, and Einstein whose work had an impact on the technology of combat. Mechanics and the laws of motion led to improved shell trajectories; gas dynamics proved important to the interior ballistics of rifles and cannons; and space exploration resulted in intercontinental missiles, spy satellites, and drone aircraft.

Parker emphasizes the special discoveries that had revolutionary effects on the art of warfare: the Chinese invention of gunpowder, the development of firearms, the impact of the Industrial Revolution, the deployment of the airplane in the First World War, and in our era the unleashing of the enormous power inherent in nuclear fission and fusion.

This fascinating blend of popular science and military history examines the science of war, demonstrating the close connection between the discovery of basic physical principles and the development of weaponry over the ages.

Physics has played a critical role in warfare since the earliest times. Barry Parker highlights famous battles of the past as well as renowned scientists and inventors such as Leonardo, Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, and Einstein whose work had an impact on the technology of combat. Mechanics and the laws of motion led to improved shell trajectories; gas dynamics proved important to the interior ballistics of rifles and cannons; and space exploration resulted in intercontinental missiles, spy satellites, and drone aircraft.

Parker emphasizes the special discoveries that had revolutionary effects on the art of warfare: the Chinese invention of gunpowder, the development of firearms, the impact of the Industrial Revolution, the deployment of the airplane in the First World War, and in our era the unleashing of the enormous power inherent in nuclear fission and fusion.

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About the Author-
  • Barry Parker (Pocatello, ID) is an award-winning science writer and the author of twenty-seven highly acclaimed popular science books, including Science 101: Physics; Albert Einstein's Vision: Remarkable Discoveries That Shaped Modern Science; Einstein: The Passions of a Scientist; Einstein's Brainchild: Relativity Made Relatively Easy!; and Quantum Legacy: The Discovery That Changed Our Universe. He is professor emeritus of physics at Idaho State University.

Reviews-
  • Publisher's Weekly

    October 21, 2013
    This breezy but intelligent introduction to the physics of war covers weapons from ancient times to today’s missiles and H-bombs. Prolific science writer Parker, emeritus professor of physics at Idaho State University (Einstein’s Brainchild: Relativity Made Relatively Easy), states upfront that war basically involves hurting others. Long ago, this involved hurling objects. The simplest weapon—a rock—does damage through its momentum (mass times velocity). Physics demands that momentum be conserved, so an enemy skull absorbs whatever energy the rock imparts. Humans eventually developed an array of machines—devices that make work easier—in order to boost muscle power (slings, bow and arrow), tap into chemical energy (guns, rocket fuels), harness electrical energy, or exploit the power of the atom. Besides weapons, Parker describes devices helpful to making war, from clocks to the telegraph, radio, radar, lasers, and computers. The accompanying military history seems to come from the History Channel but Parker takes his physics seriously. Readers who pay attention, study the diagrams, and do not ignore the simple equations will learn a great deal of the science of war.

  • Benjamin Ginsberg, Bernstein Professor of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University, author of The Value of Violence

    "Since ancient times, war and technology have gone hand in hand, each driving the other. In this fascinating volume Barry Parker shows how generals from ancient Egypt to contemporary America have relied upon scientific principles to fight and win wars. This book illuminates an essential element of military history."

  • Washington Times "A sprightly and intelligible account of quantum physics and what it has wrought."
  • Midwest Book Review "A lively history...Parker's ability to take the most complex notion and simplify it for the general-interest audience makes for an incredibly accessible read."
  • New Scientist "Remarkably concise and clear...a thrilling tale.... If you want to find out where we stand now...you could do no better than read this well-written and accessible account."
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    Prometheus Books
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The Physics of War
From Arrows to Atoms
Barry Parker
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