Natural Science Forum / Physics / Acoustics / September 2005

Since I added a few things on echolocation, this might be of interested
to this group:

The latest edition of the free Motion Mountain physics text can be
downloaded at

          http://www.motionmountain.net

In total, over 1200 pages lead through the whole of physics, from
classical mechanics to relativity, electrodynamics, thermodynamics,
quantum theory, nuclear physics and unification.

The eighteenth edition adds more about the echolocation capabilities of
bats
and humans, describes the puzzle of Einstein's last birthday present,
gives
more details on rainbows, introduces the pearl necklace length
contraction
paradox and presents the Einstein-de Haas effect and the Barnett
effect.  The
text now provides the classification of rocks, shows how to use the
high
voltage from a computer monitor to make things levitate, introduces
magnetoreception and the sensing of electrical fields, explains the
Richter
scale for earthquakes, gives an introduction into the behaviour of
solids,
liquids and gases at lowes temperatures and presents the potentially
toughest
challenge of physics.  Numerous figures, photographs and puzzles have
been
added.  The section on special relativity and several other chapters
have been
improved thoroughly.  Over 60 pages of new material have been added,
often
triggered by remarks and suggestions of readers.  A warm thank you to
all of
them.  If you find a boring page, do complain - I'll change it.

Enjoy.

      Christoph Schiller