Spectrum Biology Teacher File CD-ROM (Spectrum Key Stage 3 Science)

Book Description

The Spectrum Biology Teacher CD-ROM is the central resource for Spectrum Biology. Containing the teacher file in pdf format, it covers in detail the biology units of the QCA Scheme of Work, each of which is broken down into several topics. Every Topic comprises: three sets of Learning Outcomes, suited to different pupils' abilities; a Resource Map, outlining what is available in Spectrum to achieve the Learning Outcomes; extensive Guidance Notes; and a set of activities. The file finishes with answers to the Biology Class Book questions, a collection of activities based on the end of unit summaries and mention of how Scientific Investigations are covered in the course.

Book Description

The discovery of fullerenes has opened novel opportunities for radical chemistry. The fullerenyl radical adducts formed via addition of atoms or free radicals to fullerenes have no analogs in organic chemistry. Thus, the elucidation of the characteristic features of fullerenyl radicals and their reactivity by EPR spectroscopy is of fundamental importance.
Isolation of the products from homolytic reactions of fullerenes in bulk amounts opens the door to large-scale preparation of new organic and organoelement derivatives of C ₆₀, including biologically active ones. Radical reactions of fullerenes find wide application in the synthesis of fullerene-containing polymers with valuable photophysical characteristics.
Ferromagnetism of the complex of C ₆₀ with tetra(dimethylamino)ethylene lends impetus to a search for novel methods for preparation of biradicals, with one unpaired electron located on the fullerene cage and the other retained by the addend.
This book covers the results of studies on homolytic reactions of fullerenes, the structures and reactivities of fullerenyl radicals performed by EPR, quantum-chemical, and other methods.
Examples of the application of radical reactions of fullerenes in the synthesis and typical methods for their investigation are given.
This book is intended for researchers working in chemistry of homolytic reactions as well as for fullerene scientists.

Book Description

Thoroughly revised and updated, this self-contained textbook provides a pedagogical introduction to relativity. It covers the most important features of special as well as general relativity, and considers more difficult topics, such as charged pole-dipole particles, Petrov classification, groups of motions, gravitational lenses, exact solutions and the structure of infinity. The necessary mathematical tools are provided, most derivations are complete, and exercises are included where appropriate. The bibliography lists the original papers and also directs the reader to useful monographs and review papers. Previous Edition Hb(1990): 0-521-37066-3 Previous Edition Pb(1990): 0-521-37941-5

Customer Reviews:

Good general purpose book on GTR.......2005-11-29

I bought this because my copy of Misner Thorne & Wheeler was in a box 1400 miles away, and i wanted to toy around with some ideas in GTR. I needed a good text on GTR, not a watered-down no-math pop-level book, not a specialized research monograph omitting the basics, not a math formulas reference with no more content than an average cheat sheet, but something for those who already are familiar with GTR but lacking any of the usual academic works in their personal library. This book served my purpose perfectly. It comes with some bonuses - a better explanation of Petrov classification than i had seen anywhere else, more on electromagnetics and stress-energy tensors than i was shopping for, and conveniently sized to carry easily about town along with other stuff, something i can't say for the classic MT&W.

I imagine this would be an okay book for someone who doesn't know GTR but has already studied special relativity and is comfortable with senior undergraduate level physics. GTR is by nature a mind-bending subject, and a total newbie may want to get a taste of the main ideas elsewhere. MT&W, in contrast, is full of illustrations, exercises, and other goodies that make it an excellent choice for GTR beginners. Wald's book on General Relativity is another good choice, but my copy of this too is 1400 miles away...

Good features of this book are that it does not loose the physics behind a forest of math, and that it touches on many important areas - gravitational waves, the Kerr metric, tensor maths, cosmology. None in too much depth - but enough to understand the key concepts and see how different areas of general relativity are related. The bibliography seems shortish but appears sufficient for further pursuits. Some areas not covered include alternatives to GTR, string theory, quantization of GTR. Spinors are mentioned briefly; if one is interested in this important topic, Penrose & Rindler should be your destination.

There is no mention of the weak or strong energy conditions in the index. Perhaps these are mentioned somewhere, but the reader wanting to study this vital topic is better off with the book by Wald.

One area that could stand improvement are the exercises. There are exercised, but it would be nice to have more. A student relying on this book alone might end up feeling underexercised, wanting to pump more mental iron elsewhere. More numerical/quantitative exercises to give a feel for how much, how strong are special relativistic and GTR effects in everday and astrophysical applications, would be especially beneficial to this book's usefulness in an undergraduate course context. When used as a reference text, though, such exercises are not important; given my purpose, i am not disappointed.

The Geometry of Minkowski Spacetime: An Introduction to the Mathematics of the Special Theory of Relativity

Average customer rating:

Special Relativity for the graduate student.
Fascinating but not for the general reader

The Geometry of Minkowski Spacetime: An Introduction to the Mathematics of the Special Theory of Relativity
Gregory L. Naber
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

Relativity | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0486432351

Book Description

This mathematically rigorous treatment examines Zeeman's characterization of the causal automorphisms of Minkowski spacetime and the Penrose theorem concerning the apparent shape of a relativistically moving sphere. Other topics include the construction of a geometric theory of the electromagnetic field; the theory of spinors; and more. 1992 edition. 43 figures.

Customer Reviews:

Special Relativity for the graduate student........2007-01-18

This book is NOT for the pop science buff or the novice with little understanding of Special Relativity.

This book is designed for graduate level students in mathematics or physics who want a deeper understanding of Minkowski space. It presupposes a solid foundation in SR.

Having said this, the book is phenomenal. It brings out startling relationship between mathematics and physics explaining esoteric phenomena in SR.

For example:

1) The author shows how Lorentz transformations can be realized as fractional linear transformations of the Riemann sphere. By doing so we can use the full power of complex analysis to derive far reaching results. One property of such tranforms is that they map circles to circles thus explaining why an observer at rest who sees a circle ( say lit by lights ) will also see a circle, NOT ellipse from length contraction, when he moves relative to the circle.

2) Using a simple example ( scissors, chair and rubber band ) the author shows how a 360 degree rotation may not leave a system in the same state requiring the need of a new mathematical object ( spinor ) to describe this transformation.

3) The author clearly develops the mathematics of spinors. In fact this is the best introduction to spinors I have read. He develops the notion of spin vectors and realizes spinors as multi-linear functionals with inputs as spin vectors, their duals, their conjugate, and the conjugate duals. He then lays out the transformation properties of the spinors and shows that certain spinors have exactly the transformation properties needed to model particles with spin.

4) There is a great section on the relationship of SL (2,C) to the lorentz group. The author shows how Minkowski space can be represented by certain combinations of 2x2 complex matrices and shows how SL ( 2,C) can then operate on these. This operation is actually equivalent to a lorentz transformation thus giving a mapping between the two groups. He then shows that we can easily analyze SL (2,C) by breaking it down into irreducible representations ( which are known ) and that to each of these representations there exist a unique representation of the Lorentz group ( provided certain conditions are imposed ). If that condition is not met the representation leads to the all familiar 2-valued representation of the Lorentz group one hears so much about. Thus by studying SL ( 2,C ) which we know alot about we can represent the Lorentz group which is generally harder to study but of the most relevance in physics.

The books is filled with such insights and I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to understand particle physics or relativity.

Fascinating but not for the general reader.......2006-06-29

Starting with a quick overview of certain structures from linear algebra (bilinear forms) the book moves to discussing Minkowski spacetime. Unfortunately for many, the text is highly esoteric without even a single descriptive section that doesn't make use of some fairly advanced mathematics.

The level of mathematical maturity required is comparable to a fourth year mathematics major at any decent university. The relationship between the mathematics involved and the special theory of relativity is fully explained.

A solid introduction to special relativity for the earnest mathematician.

Einstein's Space-Time: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity

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Einstein's Space-Time: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity
Rafael Ferraro
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Relativity | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0387699465

Book Description

This is a textbook addressed to students in Physics and other people interested in Relativity and History of Physics. The book contains a complete account of Special Relativity that begins with the historical analysis of the reasons that led to a change in our manner of regarding the space and time. The first chapters are aimed to afford a deep understanding of the relativistic spacetime and its consequences for Dynamics. The chapter about covariant formulation includes the concepts of volume and hypersurfaces in manifolds, energy-momentum tensor of a fluid, etc., and prepares the language for General Relativity. The last two chapters are devoted to introduce General Relativity and Cosmology in a modern approach connected with the latest discoveries in these areas.

Geometry of Spacetime: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity

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Geometry of Spacetime: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity
James J. Callahan
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VLGXXG

Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Modern Physics (UNITEXT / Collana di Fisica e Astronomia)

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Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Modern Physics (UNITEXT / Collana di Fisica e Astronomia)
Carlo M. Becchi , and Massimo D'Elia
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Mechanics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Quantum Theory | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

These notes are designed as a text book for a course on the Modern Physics Theory for undergraduate students. The purpose is providing a rigorous and self-contained presentation of the simplest theoretical framework using elementary mathematical tools. A number of examples of relevant applications and an appropriate list of exercises and answered questions are also given.

The first part is devoted to Special Relativity concerning in particular space-time relativity and relativistic kinematics.

The second part deals with Schroedinger's formulation of quantum mechanics. The presentation concerns mainly one dimensional problems, in particular tunnel effect, discrete energy levels and band spectra.

The third part concerns the application of Gibbs statistical methods to quantum systems and in particular to Bose and Fermi gasses.

THE GEOMETRY SPACETIME; AN INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL AND GENERAL RELATIVITY

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THE GEOMETRY SPACETIME; AN INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL AND GENERAL RELATIVITY
James J. Callahan
Manufacturer: Springer Verlag New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IWJQ1Y

Amazon.com

Had it not been for viruses, the U.S. and Canada might today be one country; the African slave trade may not have been as extensive; and the Spanish almost certainly wouldn't have conquered the Aztecs and other New World native peoples. In fact, viruses have affected world history more extensively than most of us can imagine. Viruses, Plagues, & History not only shows us what viruses are and how they work, but looks at what newer ones such as Ebola and HIV might mean to our future. Even more frightening, Oldstone discusses the influenza virus of 1918 to 1919--which may have killed as many as 50 million people worldwide and certainly helped England, France, and the U.S. defeat Germany in World War I--and wonders if it's due for a return visit. Granted, a book with a chapter titled "Mad Cow Disease and Englishmen: Spongiform Encephalopathies--Virus or Prion Disease?" isn't for everybody, but it's a fascinating for anyone interested in health and wellness and the medical future of our planet.

Book Description

The story of viruses and the story of humanity have been intertwined since the dawn of history. The first small cities formed not only the cradle of civilization, but the spawning ground for the earliest viral epidemics, the first opportunity for viruses to find a home in the human herd. This is a story of fear and ignorance, as everything from demons and the wrath of the gods to minority groups have been blamed for epidemics from smallpox to yellow fever to AIDS. It is a story of grief and heartbreak, as hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, are wiped out in a single year. And it is a story of great bravery and sacrifice, as doctors and nurses put themselves in harm's way to combat yellow fever in Memphis and Ebola in Zaire, and as researchers risk their own lives to test theories of vaccines and the transmission of disease. Now, in Viruses, Plagues, and History, Michael B. A. Oldstone tells all these stories as he illuminates the history of the devastating diseases that have tormented humanity. Oldstone focuses his tale on a few of the most famous viruses humanity has battled, beginning with some we have effectively defeated, such as smallpox, polio, and measles. Nearly 300 million people were killed by smallpox in this century alone -- more than were killed in all the wars of the twentieth century combined. The author presents a vivid account of the long campaign against the virus, the insightful work of Edward Jenner, who created the smallpox vaccine from cowpox virus in 1796, and the monumental efforts of D. A. Henderson and an army of W.H.O. health care workers to finally eradicate smallpox. The smallpox virus remains the only organism that we have deliberately pushed to complete extinction in the wild. Oldstone then describes the fascinating viruses that have captured headlines in more recent years: Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, which literally turn their victims' organs to a bloody pulp; the Hantavirus outbreaks in the southwestern United States and elsewhere; mad cow disease, a frightening illness made worse by government mishandling and secrecy; and, of course, AIDS, often called "the plague of our time." And he tells us of the many scientists watching and waiting even now for the next great plague, monitoring influenza strains to see whether the deadly variant from 1918 -- a viral strain that killed over 20 million people in 1918-1919, more than twice the military and civilian casualties of the First World War -- will make a comeback. Viruses have enormous power. They have wiped out cities, brought down dynasties, and helped destroy civilizations. But, as Michael Oldstone reveals, scientific research has given us the power to tame many of these viruses as well. Viruses, Plagues, and History shows us the panorama of humanity's long-standing conflict with our unseen viral enemies, from our successes to our continuing struggles. Oldstone's book is a vivid history of a fascinating field, and a highly reliable dispatch from a worker on the frontiers of this ongoing campaign.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating!.......2006-07-29

I ordered three books on similar subjects, "Viruses, Plagues, and History", "Man and Microbes", and "Plagues and Peoples" at the same time. Each book has something different to recommend it. My least favorite was "Plagues and Peoples". The writing was pompous and cumbersome, and while the thesis of the book, that man's relationship to society and our planet is pathogenic, is interesting, it can be conveyed in one sentence. There is not a lot of readable material about the actual history of disease in the book. I got a lot more by far out of both "Man and Microbes" and "Viruses, Plagues, and History". Both of these books are filled with interesting facts and stories of how disease has impacted human history. I will definitely keep and re-read both books. As an earlier reviewer noted, the first section of "Viruses, Plagues, and History", entitled "Introduction to the Principles of Virology" is pretty intimidating. If the science bothers the reader too much, it really doesn't hurt to skip this chapter. Maybe the rest of the book will interest the non-scientific reader enough so he will go back and read this section later. Part Two of the book is entitled "Success Stories". It contains fascinating and very graphic descriptions of some very bad diseases and interesting stories about the effects these diseases have had on the course of history. Part Three is "Present and Future Challenges", about some of the newly emerging diseases that are making headlines today. The author is a true professional in the biomedical field, and in his preface, he tells about reading "Microbe Hunters" in junior high and how it inspired him in his education and career to meet many of the foremost experts on viral diseases and become one himself. I think this is a very, very interesting book.

Interesting quick read.......2005-10-08

Although this book is not exhaustive or comprehensive by any means, I thought it was a great quick read. It serves as an excellent introduction to several infamous plagues and illnesses. The histories that are recounted are by far the most entertaining parts of the book. If you are interested in medical/biological histories at an introductory level, or if you just want to know more about some intriguing viruses and bacterial infections, I suggest reading this book.

The focus on historical impact makes this book worthwhile........2001-09-10

It is a shame that the decisive impact of communicable diseases on history are typically underplayed in school books. This information needs to be known by every educated person. Dr. Oldstone's book provides both an account of medical progress and its context in social and cultural history. In meeting these goals, this book succeeds admirably. Dr. Oldstone writes well. His expertise shines in his understanding of critical events in scientific development, and his knowledge of the contributions of both well-known and obscure scientists indicates a mastery of the breadth of the field. This scholarship is enhanced by his personal interactions with many of the 20th Century's great virologists, many of them familiar names, including Salk, Sabin, Montagnier, Gallo and Enders, among others. Some of the best illustrations in the books come from Dr. Oldstone's own research.
The discussion of the impact of viral disease on wars and public life are both factual and pointed. Having recently read, Jared Diamond's important book, "Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies", I find Dr. Oldstone's exposition of many of the same stories support Diamond's conclusions while providing important additional information. I have read many other discussions of the disastrous impact of smallpox virus on Native Americans, but Oldstone goes beyond reporting victimization to point out that the Chiefs of the Five Nations were astute enough to be among the first to adopt Edward Jenner's discovery and vaccinate their own people, while in Europe resistance to this new approach continued. The Chiefs sent Jenner a letter and a ceremonial belt in thanks for his discovery.
It is fascinating how the social responses to lethal epidemics have not changed over the centuries, even into the 1990's (panic, cover-up, attempts to turn away fleeing refugees). The horrendous yellow fever epidemic of 1878 in my home town, Memphis, Tennessee, is described in some detail, particularly pointing out the selfless devotion of the physicians, nurses and religious orders who chose to stay, 60% of whom did not survive.
There are, however, some weaknesses. The third chapter, on immunology, is written very densely. Unlike the other chapters, there is no historical development, just a statement of the facts. Since this chapter contains information important for understanding later chapters, it should have been better developed with historical anecdotes to increase interest. The book is limited to a selection of viruses, but the reason for their inclusion and not others is unstated. Some very poorly-understood (but very dangerous) viruses are included, while others of great interest to a general audience (rhinoviruses = cold viruses) are absent. Research on many of these viruses and the eradication of poliovirus continues to advance, so that the information in this book should already be supplemented with readings from current science news. The editing by Oxford University Press is erratic and flawed. There are many typos and omissions. For example, in Chapter 13 the work of Zigas and Gajdusek on Kuru is first located in New Zealand, later (correctly) in New Guinea. In the same chapter I read that meat contaminated with Mad Cow disease was mislabeled and sold in St. Petersburg, but that turns out to be St. Petersburg, Russia, not Florida, as I first guessed. Many dates are absent, which makes it hard to get a sense of the rate of progress. The index is very sparse. For example, although rabies is mentioned in the text, there is no index entry for that virus. The description and explanation of ultrafiltration devices and other material is repeated several times in various chapters. The Works Cited contains numerous identical references to the same papers, for example the historic 1989 paper of Loeffler and Frosch on hoof and mouth disease.
Overall, the problems amount to an irritation. I recommend this book as an introduction to the field.

Donýt give up on this one too soon.......2000-06-10

This is an good book that unfortunately starts out in a very forbidding manner with a difficult (at least for me) introduction to the principles of virology in Chapter 1 followed by the principles of immunology in Chapter 2, but then gets very readable. The material on smallpox and yellow fever is fascinating. Oldstone leaves it unclear whether mad cow disease is caused by a miss-manufactured prion protein or by a virus: Others books, including Richard Rhodes' Deadly Feasts: Tracking the Secrets of a Terrifying New Plague (1997), clearly cite the cause as being faulty prion protein production in the brain.

This is not for the squeamish. I confess that there were twenty or so pages on polio that I skipped, not wanting to relive that sadness, although of course the defeat of polio is one of the great triumphs in the history of medicine. Incidentally, the title owes something to the classic Rats, Lice and History, by Hans Zinsser, first published in 1934, a book that has enjoyed a well-deserved and remarkable commercial success not easily duplicated.

Not great.......1999-01-29

I was not impressed by this book. I admit I have, so far, only glanced at it. What I found was:

- one factual error: Sherlock Holemns was based on Prof Joeseph Bell not Dr Charles Bell

- a very cursory description of the history and recent outbreak of the Ebola virus. I would expect Time magazine to have a better article;

- an exetremely cursory description of Hantaviruses. The Field Guide to Germs by Wayne Biddle does it better;

- avarege descriptions of the histories of "classic" infectious diseases such as yellow fever. I recommend Plague, Pox & Pestilence by Kenneth F. Kipple (Ed.) for an excellent lay introduction to the topic.

Average customer rating:
Viruses, Plagues, and History
Michael B. A. Oldstone
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKBP28

Average customer rating:
Viruses, Plagues, and History
Michael B. A. Oldstone
Manufacturer: Oxford U.P.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0VV7C

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