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Which of these science books to buy?

I would like to buy a book for a 15 year old (me) to get interested in science (preferably physics or chemistry) and I was wondering if you guys have any recommendations.

Here are some books that I have already found:
- The Science Magpie
- The Emperors New Mind
- The Elements: A visual exploration of every known atom in the universe.
- The Disappearing spoon
- The Joy of Chemistry
- Radar, Hula Hoops and playful pigs
- The Elegant Universe
- Wonders of the universe
- Why does e=mc^(2) and why should we care?
- Wonders of the solar system

Thanks in advance.

Reply 1
Avatar for Nat_LPS
Nat_LPS
15
I'm very biased to Chemistry. The joy of chemistry looks like it'll have a good range of stuff, people don't know how much subjects are in chem ;p
I'd personally go for Radar, Hula Hoops and playful pigs.
Reply 2
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by BrainJuice
I would like to buy a book for a 15 year old (me) to get interested in science (preferably physics or chemistry) and I was wondering if you guys have any recommendations.

Here are some books that I have already found:
- The Science Magpie
- The Emperors New Mind
- The Elements: A visual exploration of every known atom in the universe.
- The Disappearing spoon
- The Joy of Chemistry
- Radar, Hula Hoops and playful pigs
- The Elegant Universe
- Wonders of the universe
- Why does e=mc^(2) and why should we care?
- Wonders of the solar system

Thanks in advance.



Personally I preferred The Fabric of The Cosmos rather than The Elegant Universe.

A good one is QED/6 Easy Pieces or anything else by Feynman (If you're interested in a book with some maths in it, The Quantum Universe by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw is okay)

Although they are (very) expensive, if you're interested in physics, I'd definitely recommend buying The Feynman Lectures on Physics, as they're much more readable and easy to comprehend than most physics textbooks.

If you have any questions please ask!
Reply 3
Avatar for IanMc
IanMc
I like Brian Cox and not just because his first name is nearly Brain.

He meticulously demonstrates the scientific method and the benefits that it has brought mankind.
Original post by alow
Personally I preferred The Fabric of The Cosmos rather than The Elegant Universe.

A good one is QED/6 Easy Pieces or anything else by Feynman (If you're interested in a book with some maths in it, The Quantum Universe by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw is okay)

Although they are (very) expensive, if you're interested in physics, I'd definitely recommend buying The Feynman Lectures on Physics, as they're much more readable and easy to comprehend than most physics textbooks.

If you have any questions please ask!


Have you read "The Quantum Universe"?

Because this whole clock analogy which runs through the entire book is the most irritating thing ever. I'd prefer it if they just presented the maths and the wavefunctions rather than that analogy. What do the clocks represent, do they represent a wavefunction?
Reply 5
Avatar for Tuya
Tuya
4
Fundamentals of Physics, Resnick and Halliday - must have
Why chemical reactions happen, Keeler
Original post by Tuya
Fundamentals of Physics, Resnick and Halliday - must have
Why chemical reactions happen, Keeler


A 15 year old to read WCRH ahahahahahahah. You must be joking :lol:
Reply 7
Avatar for alow
alow
19
Original post by theCreator
Have you read "The Quantum Universe"?

Because this whole clock analogy which runs through the entire book is the most irritating thing ever. I'd prefer it if they just presented the maths and the wavefunctions rather than that analogy. What do the clocks represent, do they represent a wavefunction?


I have.

They wouldn't really sell many books that way though, it has to be easily comprehensible to people who don't know any maths, after all it's a popular science book, not a textbook.

All I was saying is that it introduces a little bit of maths that a 15 year old could easily grasp and understand.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by alow
I have.

They wouldn't really sell many books that way though, it has to be easily comprehensible to people who don't know any maths, after all it's a popular science book, not a textbook.

All I was saying is that it introduces a little bit of maths that a 15 year old could easily grasp and understand.


So what do the clocks represent? lol I'm not sure ahah
Reply 9
Avatar for Tuya
Tuya
4
Original post by theCreator
A 15 year old to read WCRH ahahahahahahah. You must be joking :lol:


You obviously haven't seen Fundamentals of Physics :rolleyes:

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