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Good Vibrations by
Why does a harpsichord sound different from a piano? For that matter, why does middle C on a piano differ from middle C on a tuning fork, a trombone, or a flute? Good Vibrations explains in clear, friendly language the out-of-sight physics responsible not only for these differences but also for the whole range of noises we call music. The physical properties and history of sound are fascinating to study. Barry Parker's tour of the physics of music details the science of how instruments, the acoustics of rooms, electronics, and humans create and alter the varied sounds we hear. Using physics as a base, Parker discusses the history of music, how sounds are made and perceived, and the various effects of acting on sounds. In the process, he demonstrates what acoustics can teach us about quantum theory and explains the relationship between harmonics and the theory of waves. Peppered throughout with anecdotes and examples illustrating key concepts, this invitingly written book provides a firm grounding in the actual and theoretical physics of music.
Call Number: QC231 .P37 2009
Oscillations and Waves by
Bridging lower-division physics survey courses with upper-division physics courses, Oscillations and Waves: An Introductiondevelops a unified mathematical theory of oscillations and waves in physical systems. Emphasizing physics over mathematics, the author includes many examples from discrete mechanical, optical, and quantum mechanical systems; continuous gases, fluids, and elastic solids; electronic circuits; and electromagnetic waves. Assuming familiarity with the laws of physics and college-level mathematics, the book focuses on oscillations and waves whose governing differential equations are linear. The author covers aspects of optics that crucially depend on the wave-like nature of light, such as wave optics. He also introduces the conventional complex representation of oscillations and waves later in the text during the discussion of quantum mechanical waves. This helps students thoroughly understand how to represent oscillations and waves in terms of regular trigonometric functions before using the more convenient, but much more abstract, complex representation. Based on the author's longstanding course at the University of Texas at Austin, this classroom-tested text helps students acquire a sound physical understanding of wave phenomena. It eases students' difficult transition between lower-division courses that mostly encompass algebraic equations and upper-division courses that rely on differential equations.
Call Number: QA935 .F48 2013
OER Resources
- Waves and Vibrations
from Boundless Physics - Physics III: Vibrations and Waves
from MIT OpenCourseWare
Databases
- Science Database
Articles on both the applied and general sciences like aerospace, computers, transportation, and biology.
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Articles from journals on science, technology, and medicine for advanced research.
Online From CCBC Libraries
Wave Propagation by
This textbook offers the first unified treatment of wave propagation in electronic and electromagnetic systems and introduces readers to the essentials of the transfer matrix method, a powerful analytical tool that can be used to model and study an array of problems pertaining to wave propagation in electrons and photons. It is aimed at graduate and advanced undergraduate students in physics, materials science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematics, and is ideal for researchers in photonic crystals, negative index materials, left-handed materials, plasmonics, nonlinear effects, and optics. Peter Markos and Costas Soukoulis begin by establishing the analogy between wave propagation in electronic systems and electromagnetic media and then show how the transfer matrix can be easily applied to any type of wave propagation, such as electromagnetic, acoustic, and elastic waves. The transfer matrix approach of the tight-binding model allows readers to understand its implementation quickly and all the concepts of solid-state physics are clearly introduced. Markos and Soukoulis then build the discussion of such topics as random systems and localized and delocalized modes around the transfer matrix, bringing remarkable clarity to the subject. Total internal reflection, Brewster angles, evanescent waves, surface waves, and resonant tunneling in left-handed materials are introduced and treated in detail, as are important new developments like photonic crystals, negative index materials, and surface plasmons. Problem sets aid students working through the subject for the first time.
Publication Date: 2008
Selected Topics in Vibrational Mechanics by
Vibrational mechanics is a new, intensively developing section of nonlinear dynamics and of the theory of nonlinear oscillations. It presents a general approach to the study of the effects of vibration on nonlinear systems. This approach is characterized by simplicity of application and by physical clearness.In recent years a number of new, essential results have been obtained both on the development of the mathematical apparatus of vibrational mechanics and on the solution of certain applied problems. This book reflects those results through the ingenious presentation of the authors -- well-known scientists from Germany, Denmark and Russia. For the convenience of readers, the main content is preceded by a brief description of the main theses of vibrational mechanics.
Publication Date: 2004
Websites
- Acoustics and Vibration Animations
by Dr. Daniel A. Russell, Teaching Professor of Acoustics, Graduate Program in Acoustics, The Pennsylvania State University