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Title: Why Things Break: Understanding the World by the Way It Comes Apart by Mark Eberhart ISBN: 1-4000-4760-9 Publisher: Harmony Pub. Date: 21 October, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.17 (6 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A fascinating compendia
Comment: Why Things Break is one scientist's account of how he came to came to investigate the science of fracture mechanics at a molecular level--not really the how, but the why. Although the narrative is sometimes rambling, and Dr. Eberhart digresses considerably at tangents to make his points, the stories are well worth reading. It is also illustrative of the career of a scientist tackling a field that is new: full of obstacles to be overcome.
Particularly interesting--at least I found them so--are the stories of creating ever tougher and harder materials, from metal to ceramics, starting with ancient techniques thousands of years ago. If you've ever wondered how the Samurai made their swords, or how steel ultimately replaced bronze in the case of weapons, Eberhart's vignettes will delight you. The case study of Corning's Corelle line is especially instructive in demonstrating the pitfalls of trying to make commercially viable materials that don't break easily, and often one gets the impression this was a solution looking for a problem. Other fascinating examples include the sinking of the Titanic, the armor aboard the USAF's C141, and litigation involving the fracturing of a cast-iron pump.
Most of the science presented will be understandable to an arts major, although on occasion the chemistry might prove hard going--sometimes explanations in science can be tough! On pages 142-143, the author makes some errors: the WWII aircraft he cites--the Supermarine Spitfire and the Mitsubishi Zero--were not mostly made of wood; rather new aluminum alloys were used. Perhaps Erhard was thinking of the twin-engine DeHavilland Mosquito fighter-bomber.
My only criticism is that the real why of things breaking is really relegated to a couple of chapters at the end of the book, but possibly this is because still so little is known about the subject.
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent Read
Comment: I bought this book because it appeared to be aimed at showcasing the field of Fracture Mechanics to the lay person - certainly a daunting task in view of the depth of knowledge normally required to understand 'why things break". I wanted to see how the author would approach such a difficult subject (and without any pictures!). To my pleasant surprise this book was much more than an attempt to do "technology transfer". Eberhart has written a semi-autobiographical text that immerses the reader in the author's metamorphosis from a young child wondering about breaking atoms in butter with his knife to a full-fledged academic professor and researcher who asks and answers "why", not "how" or "when", but "why" something broke or failed. The examples given range from understanding how glass shatters, how Correlle ware is not really unbreakable, to the tragedy of the Challenger accident and the need to listen to engineers when they become wary about a material or system entering an unknown environment. Eberhart does lament the "pecking order" of science and the politically correct way that research funding in North America is meted out, but this, in my view, is an accurate reflection of how the approach our government agencies and industries are taking to funding fundamental research is leading our society towards mediocrity, inhibiting development of revolutionary ideas that can transform society into better ways to do things much quicker. While a conservative approach can provide a safer and lower risk result, it also can significantly slow the rate at which new ideas bubble to the surface. Research must be risk-taking by its very nature. We require a better understanding of "why" things happen if we really want to develop the new innovations that improve our lives and those of others around the world in need of appropriate technological support. Furthermore, the established "pecking-order" in research prevents certain problems from being viewed in contexts that differ from the "norm". Cross disciplinary teams are needed if we wish to find innovation in the conventional. There is much food for thought in this well-written and enjoyable book.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Well-Written Book on Materials Science
Comment: When I first browsed through this book, I hesitated buying it because, despite the fact that it's a science book, it contains no figures, no tables and no diagrams whatsoever. But since I had heard good comments about it, I bought it anyway. I'm very glad that I did! I learned a lot from it. The lack of figures is compensated for by the author's excellent ability to clearly describe what a figure would have illustrated. The analogies used are well selected and are most helpful; the reader gets a good idea of how materials behave under various conditions at the atomic/molecular level. On the negative side, however, there are a couple of problems. On page 130, it is pointed out that a moon loses angular velocity over time due to its collisions with particles in space such that a collision between the moon and the surface of the planet that it's orbiting will ultimately result. This is misleading because our moon is actually receding from the earth. The reason for this is well described in the book "The Big Splat" (by D. Mackenzie). Another problem is that on page 131, it is stated that the Newton (N) is a unit of momentum. This is incorrect. The Newton is a unit of force in the MKS system. Since momentum is mass multiplied by velocity, its units in the MKS system are kg-m/s. Since the Newton is a unit of force, its subunits are kg-m/s2. Thus momentum can be expressed in kg-m/s or in N-s. Anyway, despite these minor shortcomings, the book is excellent and, I believe, well worth the five stars that I have given it. I heartily recommend it.
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Title: Small Things Considered: Why There Is No Perfect Design by Henry Petroski ISBN: 1400040507 Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Pub. Date: 16 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life by Len Fisher ISBN: 1559706805 Publisher: Arcade Books Pub. Date: 15 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Super Vision : A New View of Nature by Ivan Amato ISBN: 0810945452 Publisher: Harry N Abrams Pub. Date: 01 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: Our Own Devices : The Past and Future of Body Technology by EDWARD TENNER ISBN: 0375407227 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity (Great Discoveries) by David Foster Wallace ISBN: 0393003388 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: October, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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