Skip to main content

The Nature of Light and Color in the open air


The Nature of Light and Color in the Open Air is a classic book by M. Minnaert dealing with optical phenomenon. The book takes examples from everyday life and some not so common phenomenon like eclipses and halos.

The edition that I have was published in 1954 by Dover.

The book really covers wide spectrum of phenomenon involving light. The contents of the book are as follows

1 Sunlight and Shadows
2 Reflection of Light
3 Refraction of Light
4 Curvature of light rays in the atmosphere
5 Intensity and brightness of light
6 The Eye
7 Colors
8 After Images and Contrast Phenomenon
9 Judging shape and motion
10 Rainbows, halos and coronae
11 Light and color of the sky
12 Light and color of the landscape
13 Luminous plants, animals and stones

Almost all the optical phenomenon that I ever wanted to know about or wanted an explanation has an entry here. And the most important factor that I feel that makes this book really stand out is the fact that least mathematics is used. Complex mathematics is avoided, only when required simple maths is used. Most of the explanations are qualitative with emphasis given on the basic physics involved, and the logical fallout of the situation at hand. Also the illustrations are good, they really explain the phenomenon.

This is what the back cover of the book says:

``Rainbows, mirages, multiple moons, black snow, colored shadows, irridescent clouds, halos, green surf, and hundreds of other natural phenomenon are clearly and simply explained in this unique book by Prof. Minnaert of the University of Utrecht. Written with complete lucidity, it is a book not only for astronomers, physicists and geographers, but also for artists and photopgraphers and for anyone else who would like to know more about how to observe and understand the strange behavior of light and color in nature.

The author shows just how, when, and under what conditions to observe the fata morgana (a complex mirage in form of a city in the sky), scintillations of stars and planets, apparent motion in the shadows and objects due to air currents, color changes due to refraction and reflection, illusions of motion and direction, effects rapidly moving spokes, the changes in color and light due to eclipses of the sun and moon, magnificent colors on a frozen window pane, or an extended body of water, the deceptive appearance of objects beneath the surface of water, and many other such phenomenon.

The theory explaining most of these effects is given in ordinary language only occasionally supplemented by elementary mathematical demonstrations. In addition, Professor Minnaert has included 202 illustrations (including 42 photographs) covering practically every phenomenon. These illustrations make hundreds of details explicit so that you can identify then at the sight and try experiments outlined. ''


So next time you think you need an explanation for any optical phenomenon you know where to look for it...
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Physics for the Inquiring Mind

Physics for the Inquiring Mind is gem of a book written by Eric Rogers . The subtitle of the book reads The methods, nature, and Philosophy of Physical Science. The book was published by Princeton University Press in 1960. As the subtitle says the book goes into methods and the philosophy of the physical science. Even the things which we suppose were quite natural and simple are questioned in a way that really sets you thinking. One of the major features of the book is excellent illustrations that are numerous and very well done. The clarity and the way they are drawn to elucidate a concept is just amazing. Why the other books on physics do not have such meaningful diagrams. Another major theme that is emphasized is the laboratory work and actual`hands on' activities that Rogers literally urges us to do. Also rhetoric at times is employed to make the point clear. Consider this excerpt from page 343-344; one of my favorites from the book: Demons Problem 1 in Chapter 7 asked, ``Ho
Post a Comment
Read more

Physics For Entertainment

Physics for Entertainment by Yakov Perelman is a classic physics book. For me it was the first physics book that I laid my hands on. The one that I have was published by MIR Publishers, Moscow. Actually many editions of the book exist, varying in size and design. Its just the right book for introducing physics. Perelman is prolific writer when it comes to the extent of the topics he covers. The examples that he takes you can readily relate to, and they are presented in a way that almost anybody can understand. Diagrams from the book are fun. This I guess is the first science popularization book that has come out. Perelman has other gems to offer too. They include Mathematics for Entertainment Fun with Maths and Physics Astronomy for Entertainment and many others... The book is available for download at http://www.archive.org which has lots of other free - ebooks to offer, this is the URL Download
2 comments
Read more

Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics by Enrico Fermi is a classic introduction to the subject. The book is based on a course of lectures delivered by Fermi at Columbia University in summer of 1938. The text is elementary and clear. It was first published in Dover in 1956. The contents of the book are as follows: 1 Thermodynamic Systems 2 The First Law of Thermodynamics 3 The Second Law of Themodynamics 4 The Entropy 5 Thermodynamic Potentials 6 Gaseous Reactions 7 Thermodynamics of Dilute Solutions 8 The Entropy Constant The text is as simple as an introduction to the subject can be. With problems at the end of each chapter the book is an indispensable guide for beginners. Download
Post a Comment
Read more